the undead past

who owns the story is the heart of the matter
each tale is different from each actor's view
there's always disagreement over the true
and every version will find ways to flatter
this argument's real it's not just idle chatter
each speaker comes in exactly on cue
the nervous grating statements that they spew
out on the audience are no joking patter
whose history is always the true question
the giant always seems to have bad feet
the servant's posture is the true nobility
none of those here is open to suggestion
there's no point where all perspectives meet
but in evading all show some agility

an ending at last

shards of light piercing the window showing
no clear shape outside the fence distorted
but the bricks not dull now but glowing
the normal frigidity has been paused aborted
silence instead of rush the city's frenetic
movement is now stilled we have found peace
elsewhere the urgent the proud and pathetic
go about their daily business without cease
yet here for once is stillness quiet calm
a footfall would just now be quite alarming
the morning sun this moment is a balm
and here on winter's edge it is quite warming
for once the music reinforces quiet
and i in this office won't deny it.

right mindfulness

outside the endless sky promises liberation
i sit here always focused on right doing
the great achievement's secular salvation

we come now to this season's iteration
sun and calendar their functions cueing
outside the endless sky promises liberation

these are the final moments of frustration
the last parade the monarch's formal viewing
the great achievement's secular salvation

we give the savage power its illustration
in this way our right occupation pursuing
outside the endless sky promises liberation

the time's come now for rightful meditation
the ship that comes for us will not need crewing
the great achievement's secular salvation

beyond this moment's sudden fragmentation
we know that a wider patter is ensuing
outside the endless sky promises liberation
the great achievement's secular salvation

a buzzing in distance

fusion of daylight
the sharp shadow is floating
high on the porch wall

afternoon practice
tea in warm sunshine a smile
pacific moment

no angry speaking
rather the calmer approach
rewards the waiting

the time is coming

now one corner is turned and there are more
reality will strike us before new spring
there's hope for us and then some other thing
to take us far beyond the starting core
each plan each hope is different from before
our hopes begin their flight on limping wing
with joy and purpose will tomorrow sing
we'll see the sun rise on a different shore
there's nothing we can say or do that's wrong
providing that we keep our purpose clear
and strongly now march to the proper beat
the heart will be exalted with new song
the good will come with changing of the year
we have to walk there on now hopeful feet

around bedtime

the darkness speaks and if we choose to hear
will tell us what we most desire yet dread
the voices that we hearken when in bed
parental changeless louder year by year
go so much further than the soul can bear
yet are no more than echoes in the head
speaking from memory both live and dead
a spectre that since childhood has our ear
the space between alertness and full sleep
with dreams commingling with ambient sound
is where the gods and demons still have power
their voices commanding us from out the deep
reverberating through all the spaces round
informing us that we have a short hour