AFTER DUE DELIBERATION


Judgment's in jeopardy.


Is life's course set by lot

or random liberty?


The witness may be blind,

your expert, a crackpot.

Judge may be enlightened,

the courthouse, a glory;

your lawyer, a prophet--

but trial, a folly.


The plaintiff shows a smile,

and then the posture shifts

and offers up a tail.


That one in the mirror

poses for the verdict

by you, biased juror.


Above becomes below.


As recent as Egypt.

As old as tomorrow.




WHY TROJAN WARS ARE FUTILE


Not every odyssey

ends

with Penelope

or begins

with a Helen.




WHEN I EPITAPHED


The sun rose early

yesterday

but I was desked

already

and was still tasked

long after clockout.

My silver mistress

so patiently

outside waited,

ready

with her scimitar.


At low noon today

I heard the birds roar,

and the sun mooned

then faded,

and I joined the black,

and my lungballoons

outflated.


I realized that

I can glory

in my infirmities

no longer.

My frail shelters

of excuse

and procrastination

collapsed

at last.


Nowandnowandnow

this body of my death

waits

to evacuate.




[S]WORD[S]


Words penetrate my hold.

Can words tarnish my gold?


Words may be truth or not.

They never bruised a rock

or injured a breeze


or fractured a river

or shivered a tree,

But I know words have mocked


thoughts about my needs,

my strength of character,

the essence of Me.


Words have damaged my household

and poisoned my soul.





TONGUE AND THUMB


We’ll lie electric in our own synapses

until the thumb of my soul can feel you

and you taste me with your innermost tongue