until today

I can’t recall ever
in this life
pondering
going back
one day in time
until today

shed this skin

Time to shed this skin
again, no real purpose
except to lose myself in amongst the wild
so the rain washes away what was  
celebrated, as others
see how I was formed

I will paint my skin black and tremble
set for my first earthquake
after years of being
much less than humble

take back online

R.I.P. K.L.

be benched

Outside of
two years ago
sitting on a side bench
along a wall in a hallway  
I observed Mercedes in conversation
I hadn’t seen her since years before
Is she grander? 
loftier
I sensed we were the dream
as her tête-à-tête ended
she began to make her way over to me
to greet her, I found myself standing
searching for words 
mirroring my emotions
first thought “I love you” or 
maybe something else
more true than truth
as she reached me, out of my mouth 
with great warmth
looking directly into her 
“I miss you”
these words were complete
Mercedes was about to join me
on the bench to catch up on time passed
she then held on to the sides of her dress 
as it seemed to fill up with air
fully inflated, she floated away

warmed over summer busters

red white and blue
with a side of orange
in a field of yellow
plastic body parts
from toe to top

partners

often together
side by side
in harmony
the numbers two and three
synced
as one
a great number
twenty three

clubs and the "kiss"

nature at the piano - R.I.P. Prince

jazz 18 & david bowie

After streaming David Bowie’s album “Blackstar” yesterday (on Apple Music) I made plans to comment in iTunes for the first time with “blacqbook says yes”. I decided to wait until today to coincide with my son’s 18th Birthday - 1/11/2016. This morning Jazz said to me “your favourite died of cancer”. I wouldn’t really call Bowie my favourite but I did feel much of his music. I remember decades ago in the early morning hours, sitting on the floor in a hallway, a house party winding down with Bowie’s album “Scary Monsters” playing and me thinking “this is so right”. Today, my comment ends up here instead. Jazz has grown up and “Blackstar” lives on.

christmas drive-by

christmas lights on evening arrival in the caribbean

chatty laughter

the madness
gives an ear to
unreal conversation
you think me mad
but with you I laugh
all the way up from a giggle
oh, the happy times in my head
turn away if I disturb you
giveaway in a telling look
why not see him?
he's in his own mini world
yet he's alright
the journey seems to be
never ending awareness
but you, you've grown tired
at this time
no need to hear me laugh
reflection is better suited
lead me, leave me in the doorway
away from the humming man
my chatty laughter
turned upside down
into projected unexpected
humming, self absorbed
from the mini world
staring straight 
in the face
of the condemned body

every star

if I was the star
I would go from village to village
listening for the sweet music
in the stillness of the sky
the tree would be my source of drink
dialogue would flow on down from the vine
reaching across this vast earth
I would unashamedly dance through nature
reflecting all of the world
not the bad, nor the good
I would savour the night
from high over the greatest mountains
transporting dreams to the dreamers
I would be courageous
I would run to you
 

be the light

be the light
she's the light
go forth
summon the light
the light shines on her
light, attract light
be
 

sammy

he keeps his money
a few dollars
secured
inside a paper bag, in his front pocket
sanitary reasons
his teeth look nice
he is always with odor
no eyelets, on his shoes
no zipper
no back pocket, on jeans
no belt, because they have buckles
one never knows, what one can catch
from copper or brass
only a piece of string
twine, to hold up his disinfected jeans
‘mad sammy’ they call him
apparently, there’s no control
over the singing that he hears
inside his very private world
some may welcome the day
when they too can travel
to where the noise vanishes
from this land, long forsaken
by the creators and the wanderers
there is no easy entry
still
money, deejay and pants
remain optional
 

drawings on the wall

I came in with nothing
wanna leave with nothing
wanna leave something
no big wish, no to do list
just gotta gotta do it
leave something
could even be a scrawl
don't want nothing
I'll give you something
that takes you to your past
to when there was nothing
everything was nothing you could take
they wanted to leave with nothing
leave us something
like drawings on the wall
give us bone give us wisdom
leave us nothing but the earth
I came in with nothing
wanna leave with nothing
wanna leave something
more than just words
some inspiration for the masses
so they want to leave with nothing
not trying to make sense of it all
don't want nothing
I'll give you something
in some deep dark cave
when I leave with nothing
like drawings on the wall

my dream in white

bring me more peace and serenity
bring me some toys
suspend me
down from your heavens
bring me more sweets
bring me some joy
down from your heavens
float me
bring me no noise
then let me rest
 

all about love

Do you love me?
show me hate, anguish and torture
Do you love me?
show me the other side
the side I understand so well
teach me jealousy, weakness and selfishness
honor me with misery
Do you love me?
tell me lies
take away my passion
take away the pleasure
Do you love me?
cast me out, not once
but too many times to count
shine the harsh light on me
judge me and belittle me
Do you love me?
in the moment, don’t think of me
ignore me and use me
constrain me, stifle me
Do you love me?
drench me with negativity
view freedom as confinement
pigeonhole me
Do you love me?
call me the enemy
hide in the darkness
blame me for the world’s unhappiness
Do you love me?
slaughter me and pray
for another to love
 

wake up & let go already

Last week I bought into Lana Del Rey's "Ultraviolence". This week some warped jerk sleep-living and subconsciously seeking his next incarnation, slaughtered a seemingly harmless family in Houston. I know, I know - it's not his fault, nor the inanimate gun's fault - it's the system's fault again. My week ends as I buy into Sia's "Free the Animal".