deep poems

Notice

A lovely quiet neighborhood,
Peaceful homes tidily arranged
Around a park. Birds sing,
Bunnies frolic on the grass,
Children giggle, flowers bloom,
Trees whisper, neighbors smile,
The sunshine warms everything
It touches, cheerful relaxing days.

Kindness has not visited one home
In a long while. A stern, agitated,
Vigilant, halting settler, inner voices
Barely contained. Imposing angry
Noises on the calm as was done in
His childhood homes. He couldn’t
Wait to leave, now he pays homage.
Neighbors warily pretend not to notice.

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Rouse

Rage, rage against those who
Don’t threaten you in the least
Except for in fabricated tales
Of conspiracy and apocalypse.

Woe the ills of the world while
Championing those who guarantee
Their perpetuation. Pray for better
Days without committing to them.

Rouse all who will listen.
All is not well. Change is
Desperately needed, as long
As it’s someone else.

Group

It’s always so great when everyone
In the group falls in line, goes with
The program, follows the rules,
Laughs at the same jokes,
Talks about familiar topics,
Understands the same references.

A group of high school students
Eyeing each other, clamoring to
Be heard, preening, posing, straining to
Get along until one word, a look,
A perception, pierces fragile skin.
Cracks appear, filled with hurts.

Day Job

You told me not to quit my day job
When I sang a song. You told me
Not to quit my day job when I told a
Silly joke. You told me not to quit my
Day job when I started writing a book.
I decided to quit my day job, where
Does that leave you?

Singular

One thousand times he tried and
One thousand times he was denied.
The one thousandth and first attempt
Someone finally saw what everyone
Else had missed. The singular genius
Flowing from his heart, discovered by
Exactly the person who could see it.

Who

So she listened to what everyone said and
Found herself no closer to happiness than
When she started. Something missing,
Fleeting motivation, satisfaction absent.
A gift she didn’t want, need, appreciate.

Taking a quiet walk along a small stream,
Ideas make their appearance.
Not that one, not this one, what will people think.
Stop. Listen to the only one who matters,
Who knows you, who can decide.

Denied

An old man at the edge of a cliff
Looking over a majestic canyon,
A roiling slash of river running far below.
So many years past, opportunities missed,
Pleas ignored, withered heart.
A small hand in his reminding him of
Inescapable matters. A quick look down, a
Reassuring smile masks somber memories.

He closes his eyes and feels the breeze
On his body, the sun on his face, the
Vastness of the landscape, a speck of
Insignificance perched on the precipice.
Life perdures uninterrupted but for
Those denied solace by fear and gall.

Hear Me

Don’t tell me that you didn’t hear
Me. My voice is omnipotent and I
Take great pains to raise it adequately
When I need you to pay attention.
Are you listening? I can’t tell whether
You are or not through my cascade of
Verbiage mercilessly engulfing everything
In its wake. Unnoticed, the sound of
Another voice, doused.

Departure

With the imminent departure, the
Maelstrom begins. Whirling out of
Control, compelled by latent
Tendencies writhing unconsciously
To the occasion, disordered,
Unstoppable, unlistening.

Stumble through each moment
Anticipating the unfathomable
Conclusion. Clear away all vestiges of
Reason. Something might change,
It usually doesn’t. Adhere to
Unconsciousness, passing.