Olio

1.

“Organize Your Life
And Get Rid Of Clutter” –
I toss this book
Into the back seat
Of my friend’s overfilled car…

 
2. A Walk on the Beach. 

You and I are twenty years apart,
Thus you are – my older, wiser Friend…
Sonnets will be made from shards of heart,
Polished by the waves that never end.

Castle will emerge – not built of stone,
Like the Phoenix, rising over land,
Only you will stay behind – alone –
As it flies for heaven, losing sand.

Care I still for castles, cloudy dreams?
Sun, and wind, and ocean will prevail.

… Quietly, like silver, worry streams
Into golden sand, on serpent’s tail…

3. Belated Birthday

I know. I’ve goofed.
But… Time is flying fast,
Though sentiments,
Thank goodness,
Aren’t fading:

Thus – lots of happy days,
and joys to last.

Good luck, good health –
They’re always non-belated…

 
4. ER Lullaby
(freely after Mother Goose)

Don’t be nimble, don’t be quick,
Leave alone that candlestick;

Keep your thumbie out of pies,
Make your mama cut a slice
From your lovely birthday cake;

Let the cat go, for Pete’s sake!

Stop your horseplay ‘round the pool,
Watch for Rover (and his drool),

Wear your knee and elbow guards – 

 
Rollerblades may bring you scars;
(And besides, in pavement fights
Pavement wins – just ask the knights.)

All in all, just use your head
(‘cept when stepping out of bed)
And be safe, wherev’r you are:

We don’t’ like you.

In ER.
 
 
5. Mementos

Don’t you know this?
Catching butterflies,
Drying roses,
Exercising caution –
These are all – futilities;
The skies
trying to pretend –
they were the ocean.

And a crumpled smell
of stifled dreams
on the tips of fingers - 
Crushing petals,
Rubbing wings…

And – stopping time, it seems…

Souls are like quicksilver.

Living metal.
 
6. Musings

“Sick lame and lazy people

Dumb as a Dixie cup

Full of dirt

Keep Mine & Blue
It / eat(s) Your(s) Urinals
Simple Trash
Silly …

Your timecard

Just puked on your desk

The only question

That’s dumb

Is the one

That never got ass(ked)

Go home

Do the dishes

Or for you ladies

Mow the yard”

7. Abridged Impology
 
-/-

“Trespassing – by permission only.”
Kind strangers.
Dachshund,
Barking at skipping rocks.

-/-

All skip flat rocks –
Dog imply watches.
One turns his wrist –
Frenzy of barks.

-/-

Beware
Of hitchhiking butterflies –
Life behind glass
Is tiring…

-/-

Chrysalis,
Made of pure jade
Or rose crystal –
With golden trim…

-/-

Sometimes so slow
It is imperceptible –
Like the small hand
On the clock…

-/-

Butterfly,
Slowly stretching
His brand new wings,
Greeted by
Rachmaninov’s First…

-/-

I am no moth,
But butterfly.
Came out
Of a gold sparkling chrysalis,
Not tightly silked cocoon.

-/-

Menage a trois –
A Dream-colored Morpheus.
What could ever
Compare?

-/-

“Don’t spare me:
I am killing rats for science…”
Why would you share with me
Your heartless truth?!
Your butterflies
are here
for pleasure, Thomas…

-/-

Sneaking haiku –
Like kisses
Early in the morning,
At a friend’s apartment.
 
 
8. Plumeria

Plumeria from a policeman pal
Exiting the greenhouse
Of star-farers
Almost weightless with fragrance,
Almost perfect in quadrants,
Almost complete in joy

Constance of abode
For the leftover life –
A liqueur glass
Crystal d’Arque,
Reincarnated
After many centuries
In the City of the Virgin

Daily metamorphosis
of petal patterns:
From the innocent whites
And bold yellows of non-essence –
Cinnamon filigree of age

And finally –
Neither color nor life
Uniform drought of non-being
Adhering to the glass wall

The last undecided note
Of a muted saxophone
From the Styx Open Theatre

Lively green
Of elephant ears
Cardinals
Devouring seeds
And a cold, wet,
Happy nose
Kicking the heels
Of a Saturday…

 
9. Prima Materia

”Only simple hearts
May create pure gold.”

Adding all the parts,
Just as I was told.

Salt, sulfur, quicksilver,
Fire – which is kith?
Power to deliver
Lessons from abyss.

Power of Projection,
Turning dust to life:
Is he your reflection?
Who shall win your strife?

Tiny man – or golem? –
Rages, rampant, rapt…

Heal thyself.

Run for him.

Cleanse thy heart.

Adapt.


10. Dreaming

Reaching the 45th hour.
Saturation point.
A brand-new world
Ripe with possibilities
To step on
Any path –
Smooth as silky lips
Of a Labrador
Or paved with sharpest of needles
From the AIDS ward
Of a Shriner’s hospital.
Ice-cream melt
Of chocolate frogs –
Modern Eucharist
Of a new religion.
So sweet it sickens.
Dark circles
Under the eyes
Of yesterday
And a lime-jellied moon
Falling into a pool
Of salty royal blood
After midnight.
“All’s well with the world.
Worship no one.
Good night”.
 
11. To a Friend

“What is going on?”

“Nothing; simply – evening;
just a day; a tone
from a flute, delivering
harmony of hope…

Longing for the light…

Angels sang. Then – stopped.
Ask for more. They might
Answer to your plea
And continue Mass.

You? Afraid?

Don’t flee:

Heaven’s built to last.”

*****************
…And Translations
From 789:

12. August's breath on my cheekbone
or I don't like socializing
 

Hi, my darling! We've all been waiting!
(This one's yours?) (But indeed, who else?)
How lovely! Don't know what to say…
(Smile, please…) (Who, in all Universe,
would decide…)
Have we met? What a statement!
I'd remember! (Without delay...)
Absolutely! Without delay!

August's breath lightly touches my cheekbone…
(sometimes it's so incredibly fake…)
- Please, be patient at least 'till we're home…
I'm familiar with this syndrome…
(such a sweet, lovely, welcome mistake)
- Please be patient until we're alone…

Let us have many happy returns!
(Strange, those folks… Weirdos…
Must we stay?)
Absolutely! I'm yours forever!
(Don't you think they are all okay?)
(No, my love, cannot help but discern –
Spooky bunch…) Here's whiskey… So clever…
Where's your shotglass? I'm pouring… Level…

August's breath lightly touches my cheekbone…

Did I hurt you? So sorry – I'm clumsy…
Wedding ring hits my lips – quite painful…
(That'll teach you to steal a kiss!)
(Dearest, you're most stupendously wonderful…)
(Silly boy, how so daring and chancy…)
Wait until this is over, please…
I'm too gullible – as you please…

August's breath lightly touches my cheekbone…

You're leaving so soon? Can't you stay?
(Call me later again, agreed?)
We would love to… (The cab is waiting.
Please get ready!) (So funny, indeed,
You two just cannot step away!
Best of luck for you! Don't you dare fretting!
(Right. I won't. Nevermore. Who's fretting?)

August's breath lightly touches my cheekbone…
(All is finished – I'm finished, too…)
- Have I mastered the task you've given?
Streetlights, cars, roadsigns, office buildings…
(What, more wishes?! What's my next clue?)
- In the cab?! Well… we're almost alone…

 
13.
 
Stilettoes. So stylish,
your shapely, slim ankles.
The last days of summer,
untimely departure.
You're taller than me - just a smitten -
on high heels,
But boy,
how's my poor little self-esteem fractur'd...

how quiet
and only cicadas
you hear'em
well listen
perhaps
you shall take it off
will you

My arm 'round your waist. Elevators.
A tight squeeze.
A lightbulb glows gloomily,
flickering idly.
I break off a sentence in mid-word -
What's that, please?
The tweed-jacket guards your heart
beating so wildly.

oh say
that keyhole
in the door
do you see it
well listen
perhaps
you shall take it off
will you

Silk blouse. Those buttons -
A dozen, gosh darn it...
My fingers are lost after fourth -
Useless, senseless...
Your silken tress tickles my temple -
oh, I quit...
Reality's lost,
its realm is without sent'nels.

all's silent
and I cannot breathe
are you breathing
well listen
perhaps
you shall take it off
will you

The last of dividers. So silly, so easy -
An eyelet. A closure. A ribbon.
My goodness.
You want it? It must be?
Of course, it must be so...
And warm suede of skin,
so imbued with you fragrance.

some day
you'll remember
and write
a small ditty
well listen
perhaps
you shall take it off
will you

(You may leave everything else on...)
 
 
14. A Mirror (Deep Reflection)

This Lady -
Yes, the very one I love -
She always inadvertently provokes me...
She needs me -
Like a message from above,
Like sailing boat needs sails...
For swift keystrokes...
Well…

She needs me...
Just a little...
When the wind
Is fresh, not gusty -
Otherwise - my mettle
Is to excite her nerves...
I'm not chagrined,
I simply know -
I'm liked. Just like an apple.
So what - the nerves...
Just strings on my guitar...
I must be bold, successful, and quite charming...
She likes it... Looks so well in memoirs...
And she deserves, of course,
that shining armour
that makes her knight
so clumsy and aloof...
She needs me...
What?! The ring? I'm diving! Faster!
Who cares - 12 pounds of steel...
It's waterproof...
Relax, my Queen...
Who's toying with disaster?

All like a dream -
So brave, so simply grand...
I dove, I found, I ... well...
ran out of options...
She needs me...
Truly...
Always...
And firsthand...
Like five-year-old's toy sailboat needs the ocean...

 
15. 789 Blasphemy

On occasion of the non-eventing name-day

Life – unrelenting penance,
Hands over lectern, composed –
Lord, she’s not mine – what sentence…
Lord, she’ll never be close…

Forehead over the missal –
Not under blessing hands.
Praying words, oh, how wistful –
Fire, brimstone and wasteland.

Blessed thoughts, oh, how foolish –
Only one thought takes flight:
Into black vortex of anguish
Through the eternal night.

Church bells are tolling in awe…
Lord, do not tempt with wrath!
Damned be forever the law
That is against love and chance.

Candles? Lit? No – blow out!
Rub off the makeup of past,
Choose the new one somehow,
If so wicked old path.

Dull, unforgiving heartache,
Cracked ring in black velvet case…
I’m through with weeping and wakes
Ov’r your – not Mary’s – sweet face.

Time to live whole – no half-masts –
Cherishing nightly desires…
Worshipping daily – at last –
Marks left by nails and ire.

Part of the grandest plan –
This rebellious blast…
Lord, please forgive if you can…
Amen. All lots are cast.