hey hey

Hey hey     ize a sick ol man

     ain no use to pout n frown

whan ize daid to frum ize cum

   then hey hey tiz ho nonny none

ho nonny none      whan ize feelin sore

     hurtin bad n wurse in store

taint az if ize young no more

     hey hey tiz whoz t' care

hey nonny no wotz up soonz down

     skinny az rope an wun end gone

cheeks sucked in an teeth undun

     then hey ize fettle as a skeleton

hey di ho meanz summatz up

     sky is fallin vexed wi snow

summerz went n autumn flew

     and hey tiz next t stars cum thru

whan hey hey me toes turn up

     t'aint mort o' matter whar ize dug

spent me gains on booze n fun

     herez t hey ho n hey nonny none

wid hey ho     then upend me mug

feb mmxiv

slang who's who

There's not a god-fearing bone in his body

    yes    ever-ready to embark on a lark

take up a dare come fire and brimstone

hurled    tackle his corner of the world

straight on    bold to go to    never shy    never shirk

    succeed or fall short    tis all one

come sun dance march stumble

wale like trough of sea    wash of storm

falling to lee      beached      blunder on

eyes blinded    bloody hurt    hop to it

here mate hold yer end up    cain't drop

oppo in slough    enough ain't never

till you're through this remember what's what

find how when where duty dandy does

when well-met again chum    did he though

snuff it    tis bye bye    one last call    cheers

so reads his epitaph    so reads his years

mmxiv

When I breathe no more

When I breathe no more
good salty air of sea
or fresh breeze of stormcoming
lord of death's accounting tablet
let my name stink of earth
and tincture of flowers
with rain soaking this precious mantle
her covering and girdle    my mother
for to her breast again i would return


july mmxii

Does my mother need an ornament

Does my mother need an ornament

for she was no angel halo-sent

besides, her heart was stone-cold

after my father went

was he her immaterial precedent?

mcmlxxx

Jest like to wonderland

Yes    your spirit goes to heaven
    jest like you were before
xackly        cept you got no worries
    no bothersome you name it
jest like to wonderland
    snug in yore mother's you name it
only difference is difference
    you got none
difference is wot you left behind
    cos it so worrisome
now you got cosy wall-to-golden wall same as

spirit deft yclept for me
    leaps in veins
you dasnt smile in vain
    nor shed tears neither
you live with circumstance
    for no smiles no tears
both go together
    can't take it with you
alas for the lack
    you realize that    don't you

mmviii

We pay a price

We pay a price for living
is the price too dear?
oh no! fear
is too near the bone
to place a value upon
“turn again Whittington!”

    time marches
in quick step
or slow
just so
the paean and the pang

    one arrow to the bow
many to the quiver
armed by providence
against what accident
may deliver


mmv

Hesitation

Who hesitates at death – I'm one
    what hinders crossing over?
burden of ownership
once shed … gone!


mcmlx

Mutability my theme

Mutability my theme
nay, neither moot nor mute
    I must say my say
do my damned worst or bestingest
every grunt and groan
a mouthful to a footfall
until i flop myself down
and exit upon a hook
where there’s no season or clime
no bother of raison d’être etcetera

campanile bells ring their changes
changes to measure compatible
lively the moment    to strike
    or strict
to which they turn their tongues
pulled and reeling
heel and toe as we go
with a heigh ho hey nonny no
upon each taken yeasty breath
footing it tempo to the body’s beat
urged by primal legacy
    mutability my theme
taken at its worth    sobeit!
cogency sent from earthandsky




mmv

To fall to earth

To
        fall
                to
                        earth

    falls our lot
as sure as tulips
    in eager shorter session
discard their wounded petals
    on this vacated plot
where hungry persistent squatters
    earn their keep
with striving like ours
    glory thus ingloriously departs
while wider world entertains its purposeful poise

mmvii

In the mean time

In the mean time
    digging the too-little lean time
squandering misgivings
    between breakfast     bed and     berth in earth
let me be chaste of temper
    sic fidelis senex
scornful sufficiency of latin text
    let gone-bys be bygones
death being what it is or ain't
    absence entire
i pronounce a propós demi-urge
    half of providence
ever with property upright in mind and stature
    in midst of baleful indignities
may i relinquish this state of blessed quiet and unrest
    consummate resignation
before consigned to follow those gone before
    sinking irretrievably     bar memory
to deteriorate as any flower or bug or rainsquall
    cycling through this grace
devoid of warrant     majestic as birth
    rumination no travail
dispensing with great question
    what    who    how     bye and bye
laughable    if we could laugh or cry

mmvii