Alternative Programming

News, demanding his attention,
But he decides, instead, to forgo,
And switches the channel over
To a soothing children's show,
Escape from the constant
Blaring, bickering, undertow...

Polar Vortex

Rain drops down into the cold,
Crystalizes, clear and precise,
Covers, smothers, everything,
With layers of snow and ice...

And the wind chill
Is a beast
Which can kill...

Solitary Journey

Fading consciousness
And into the dream zone
Where something waits
One must go alone...

Money Is Skin Deep

Rich and ugly,
No need to care,
Money solves
Things everywhere,

Rich and beautiful,
Just so unfair...

Cocoon

Happy with the
Place I’m in,
Bed-warm, with blanket
Pulled up to my chin...

Sports Moment

Out from the
Stadium, they stream,
Fans of the losing team,
One of them
Stops to scream...

Scandinavian Curse

Finally escaped from IKEA
Drive through traffic and weather
No chance for rest until
I put all the pieces together...

Burden

Once a promise is made,
You must keep it, or break it,
Or delay and evade...

Skid Row Colors

Weed flowers growing from
A crack in the concrete,
Add a bit of green to the
Tired, littered, street,
Small purple blooms
Defy the wintry elements,
Complement the blue
Tarped homeless tents...

Trash Raptors

Ravens, the color of
A moonless night,
Feathers gleam
In the winter light,
Stab the plastic
With claw and beak,
Trash bag holds
The food they seek,
They peck and pull,
They rip and carve,
Patiently, deftly,
Lest they starve...

Family Chew

Mashed potatoes, gravy,
And roasted beast,
Uncork the Cabernet,
Time for the feast,
Must not talk politics,
But try as we might,
Opinions are uttered,
And that starts the fight,
Faces turn crimson,
And feelings are hurt,
But the healing begins
With a chocolate dessert....

A Waste

Zealots fighting zealots,
All across the land,
Life’s too short for hating,
Won’t they ever understand...

火葬場

Clad in black,
After the burn,
Using chopsticks
We each take our turn,
Picking bone pieces
To put in the urn...

Due Diligence

Manage the confusion,
Deal with the pain,
The ground will get firmer
After the rain...

Illusion

Earth is just an
Astronomical speck,
Feels like so much more...
What the heck?

Endgame Tastebuds

He may not function
Like he used to do,
Bad back, creaky knees,
But he still can chew,
So now life’s meaning
Is rice, soup, stew,
Food is god, as the
Final times ensue...

ポテトサラダ Potato Salad

Packaged foods aisle,
The old woman has
Been there a while,
Intensely eyeing a
Potato salad pack,
Suddenly she takes
One, from the back,
And turns it over
In her careful hands,
Inspecting it closely,
Unmoving, she stands,
Takes time to make
Her purchase decision,
Using an old woman’s
Patience and precision...

Suburbia

Quiet, in an empty way,
Is how suburbia evolved,
Its middle class residents
Anonymous, uninvolved,
Scurry between their
Doorways and their cars,
Hurry off to yoga and
Self-help seminars,
Their houses are castles,
Like happiness avatars,
Streets that are everywhere,
And nowhere, allow a luxury
Of not having to care....

The Base

Things are meant
To be a certain way,
Per what the verses
In the Bible say,

Defend against
The different ones,
And, if needed,
We have our guns,

Things were better
Way back when,
Need to make
Them great again....

Modern Humor

Cynicism has
A caustic power
And satire is a
Poisonous flower
All on display
During Comedy Hour
Where the laughs
That you hear
Hoot from a
Smiley sneer...