January 2016 – Page 3 – WALKING ON THIN ICE

dead Elvis 2016

January 8, 2016 No Comments

Status Report 155

I hunt outside the pack
no gang of from, no seeking herd

Watch tribal fire from afar
past spread of heat and light

Whisper own word to beat of drum
dance old in dust of new

I eat your roadkill
feed from garbage overfull

Let the cultural compost begin

– Smith, 1.8.2016

My my, dead Elvis is 81 yrs old today, 2 years younger than Willie Nelson, 6 years older than Bob Dylan, year younger than Leonard Cohen, 11 years older than I. Alive 42 years, dead 39 – 3 more years he’ll be dead as long as he lived. He’s making more money now than when active . . . death can be a good career move.

the red white black & blues

January 7, 2016 No Comments

piece of mine from 1997

Thinking of the execution of Tamir Rice, executed by disgraced white cop Tim Loehmann less than 2 seconds after arriving at the playground.

Red White Black & Blues

The shooting cop, white
The black boy, dead
The pooling blood, red

Ain’t no justice blues

– Smith, 1.7.2016

failed haiku, month 1

January 6, 2016 No Comments

Status Report 154

Trees with leaves
call sun to ease
collect dirt from air
rhythm from breeze
make oxygen fair
and eyes do please
lower heat
barrier cold
replete with new the old

– Smith, 1.6.2016

I have a senryu in the 1st online issue of Failed Haiku. They are seeking submissions for monthly issue 2 –http://www.haikuhut.com/FailedHaikuIssue1.pdf

I am to odd lots given

January 5, 2016 No Comments

Status Report 153

Lying eye to eye awaiting her sleep
I meow back at psycho cat
under bed
who doesn’t answer
when wife whispers, “You’re odd.”

Actually I’m even
they even call me Even Steven
that’s ten letters which is even even
though sometimes to hide
I go disguised as Steven Even
you’d think folk would cry
Doesn’t Steven Even look like Even Steven?
but no, they never catch on
since Steven Even only exits and exists evenings
which is odd
but then I as Steven am oddly even
though to the odd lots given.

– Smith, 1.5.2016

u kant get there from here, really

January 3, 2016 No Comments

You Kant Get There From Here

I used to date three sisters, Snap, Happy, and Pop.
We had a crackling good time.

Simple is complex, easy is hard.

Any time travelers out there,
I’ve got last year’s calendars for sale.

I’m holding out for 2021, a year you can count on.

I used to have a brother and a citrus
but he died and she turned out to be a lemon.

Things change, which changes things.

– Smith, 1.3.2016

u Kant get there from here

January 2, 2016 No Comments

Status Report 152

“Excuse me Walmart worker ma’am,
could you tell me where the raisins are?”

She thinks, points south, “Aisle 13.”

“Thank you.”

I go south, aisles skip from 12 to 14.
I smile.

– Smith, 1.2.2016

conversations with wife 16, 17, 18, 19

January 1, 2016 No Comments

Conversation with Wife 16

My resolution:
Say less
Write more
Post less
Listen

That’s a good one, she says
I need to listen more.

We all do.

But if we’re all listening
and no one’s talking, what will we learn?

Maybe a lot.
I’m going to get a pat answer
to all the “How ya doin?”s at tomorrow’s party
so I can turn it back to them and listen.

Like what?

Oh, how about
“Real good, they haven’t found the bodies yet.”

Conversation with Wife 17

She tells me in sweet pre-slumber
“You are my rock.”

Yes, I am made of obduratium
I am rock, sometimes roll
sometimes Sisyphus, sometimes hill
roll myself up myself to roll back down
I am not clone, I am not clown
I am Sisyphus with rock inbound.

Conversation with Wife 18

“I’ve been waiting for my finances to improve
so I can buy some grass
but I’m past age getting paid job
there’s nothing I can do
and I’ve given up on fame and fortune
so I guess that’s it.”

“What you going to do? What’s plan B?” asks the Yogi one.

“Oh, he’s going to answer phone for me,” wife answers.

From fame and fortune to phone
(o well, make her pay in weed).

Conversation with Wife 19

Wife sez she’s cooking peanut stew,
I hear “penis twos”.

“I didn’t know twos had penises.”

– Smith, 1.1.2016