Ticking

Slower, slower and yet,
It does not stop.. yet.
Somewhat erratic,
Rarely erotic.

Older than Lincoln,
And the pyramids.
It does not measure
Nor feel pain.

Bending, when it must,
To forces that are indifferent
To beauty and grace.
Always reaching, never arriving.

We may ask for insight,
Believing there was a beginning
That will explain.
But understanding is not times domain.

Arcimboldo

What's in a name,
So difficult to pronounce
And so foreign to my ear?
An artist of unambiguous talent!

At once detailed, humorous,
Richly colored from a palette
Alive with possibilities,
Arcimboldo floods his canvas with life.

100 years after haloed spirits
Were the centerpiece of art
He painted still life’s
Showing man as part of nature...literally.

If the Renaissance ignited
The human imagination,
Then art was it's most visible expression
And Archimboldo's paintings a grand confirmation.

Bum in the Park

Man likes looking at the planes.
He envies me my dog.
Shows me his artificial leg.
I tell him it looks beautiful.

He probably wanted sympathy.
I offered “how lucky you are
To have such a nice looking leg.”
Wrong song, wrong key.

Little park is pleasant and feels safe.
He’ll hang here ‘til dark.
Wonder if he has a room,
Or has he scoped-out this warm bench.

I sit with him.
My dishonesty offset by his forgiveness.
He can easier stomach a fraud
Than be without a friend.

Soon enough, I vote myself holy
And lead my dog back to our house.
Charley sniffs the grass, pees once.
The man returns his attention to the planes.

I Am an Amber Paradox

If I repeat something often enough,
To many people,
Someone will decide it is meaningful.
Hence, I am an Amber Paradox.

I believe taxes are a Communist plot,
Designed to suck the life-force from our bodies.
Oil companies are in business to serve humanity,
But as an Amber Paradox this affords me no comfort.

If God exists He is overdue
In destroying the New York Yankees.
They are like terrorists,
Always winning.

Not born, I was created
As a tax loophole.
I can be rented
To serve the remainder of your prison term.

I’m told I resemble a beer can.
I find this gratifying.
It gives shape to my existence,
And should result in Amber Paradox discount football tickets.

Chocolate and Strawberries

Its not those impressions,
Seemingly so singular at the time,
That I thought I would never forget
Where I was , and what I was doing.

One rainbow over the Koolau Mountains
I’d never forget, long forgotten.
But my first taste of Chocolate and Strawberries
Always returns to bring a renewed sense of delight.

Not merely the taste,
I recall the improbable image;
“What a great idea!
How clever the author.”

Chocolate and strawberries was a forbidden treat,
When I could still be surprised.

Where Did the Train Stop?

It left at 5:06 AM, destined for a warmer climate.
When it arrived two hours late
There were no passengers on the train.
Where had they gone?

Years later the commission established
To locate the missing 134 people
Issued it's conclusion:
Those missing 134 people left the train.

It seems their group leader
Had convinced them all
That Euclid was right.
Their train could never arrive.

It would halve the distance ever day,
Bringing them closer and closer,
But never quite arriving.
A new plan was needed.

Traveling, without a destination
Would leave them, at the close of each day,
Exactly where they stopped,
They will have arrived.

Fast & Inevitable

“Inevitable” is what happened yesterday.
At least we think it happened yesterday.
Dialog moves to "probable"
Where the big money takes bets.

When the bets move round the table
It's nice to have a friend,
Someone that helps your chances.
Wish I knew when Buffet was going to buy.

“Fast” are my hands moving from under your palms.
You won’t escape....I will be faster.
I'd rather be wiser,
Think I'm working at that.

I could write faster, run faster,
Respond faster.
Unfortunately that doesn't add wisdom.
Maybe you have to be dead to be wise?
Think I'm working at that.