Exquisite Silence
Exquisite Silence Mountain ridge panoramic view sky draining of blue and white and flowing towards the brilliant orange fire of sunset. Distant lines of hills and peaks transform from smoky gray to an inky purple, in sharp relief to the pale parchment of the sky. The colors write their slow moving story on my eyes, […]
Poem made in public
Cute baby in a high chair poised like a CEO at the head of the table all eyes upon her, or is it a boy? Dark blue sleeves rolled up over a white shirt. Then I notice the receding hairline and wonder – How old is this soul, grabbing for the pint glass?
A poetic answer to a question
This poem was sparked by an interviewer asking a guy beside me at the Moral Monday protest, “What is the issue that brings you here?” Blaise Kielar, 30 June 2013 Requiem for Democracy The forefathers did not foresee this Gerrymandering with such precise computer-gleaned data that a party in power can rig elections to remain […]
Who is the prey?
The shock of birds of prey came home to roost this week on our suburban lake. The still patience of the Great Blue Heron has been superceded by the instantaneous swoop of the osprey, and that a hawk that has discovered our Purple Martin house as an easy meal. Noticing that we only have seen […]
Swanset
Brilliant white floats amid dusky reflections, grays billowing above, darkest green of lake below. The last orange fixes one cloud in nature’s spotlight, the last throbbing color of the day. And still the swan moves silently with no apparent effort, neck in a perfect curve. A dozen geese form a line like an escort and […]
Voo doo Hoo doo Who dat
Dis here is Nawlins in all its funk and jive and stink and rhythm, pulsing endlessly from bars, cafes and corner joints, calling without cease to seduce you, my underprivileged out of towner, into the den of Easy. Every smile, every come-on every to-go cup bids you throw your societal prudishness to the gutter and […]
Riff
What is a riff? Jazz swing distilled to an absolute coolness short repeatable ‘nuff said!
Sing On
Sitting alone in Preservation Hall such an unexpected gift. Echoes of jazz men past, and women like Sweet Emma, over 50 years of sweat and swing too many artists to name and the walls untouched, an unscrubbed shrine – stained pegboard, cracked floor boards, old tour posters, original paintings, the big bass drum illuminated from […]
Birds of Dawn
Summer finally vanquished cool breeze of fall welcomed through the bedroom window a bit chilly all night under warm weather sheets. As the black lightens into gray, two distinct chirps awake me, sharing news of the coming sun. The short cheerful rhythms help disperse the darkness along with my fading slumber. “It’s a new day,” […]
The Last Tomato
The vines are withering yet a few tomatoes miraculously ripen some each day. No birds or insects defile this fertile fading. Smaller and less robust than its summer siblings, each miniature offering packs homegrown flavor into an abbreviated form. In three bites only a memory.