we just didn't have time to pray

i saw the guy who skied like hell
he almost fell
spinning backwards
while wearing a batman suit
he looked cold and cute
dressed in red from head to toe
i watched him approach at light speed
and go
down hill
spraying snow;
but that's not all i remember
of the day it dumped.
i had a really big time
standing briefly in a short lift line
talking to a sweet lady from Montreal
who told me all
i could ever hope to know
about living in Florida in the winter
playing bingo,
just an easy throw
from the fantasy city of Orlando
where the courts for pickle ball
never need to thaw.
while i waxed my ears and bases
i heard excited hoots and hollers,
saw many high and tight Patagonia collars
underneath excited furry winter faces
wearing tinted goggles;
i convinced myself not to pee
underneath a frozen jack pine tree
where the powder seemed especially light;
it didn't feel right
because i wanted to make tracks until last chair
even with my increasingly wet underwear
and a nervous belly;
i imagined eating peanut butter and jelly
with a friend who carried a fanny pack
filled with carrots and cheese
and i know many times i softly said please
but he never seemed to hear a word
from Peak 6 to Peak 10
we went back and forth over and over again,
even hiking up to the heights of Imperial Peak
for the long traverse across Whale's Tail
looking for our own final mariners' sail
to the promised land of happily steep and deep;
we might have been tired but this was no time for sleep;
we found a head-spinning drop-in within ski pole reach,
the antithesis of a lazy, sun-tanned Miami Beach
and ten times better, we would later venture to say;
heck, we just didn't have time to stop and pray.

you are a brave man

you are a brave man
walking on thin ice;
walking your crazy bitch dog near a cat farm
when she was hungry;
talking to the skinny black bear
who came into your yard
looking for food scraps
but you had none.
you are a brave man
to follow your daughter
down a steep mountainside
without carrying enough water
to last the day,
the view sufficient to distract you
from the sunning rattlesnake
and the loose rocks which slid freely underneath
your lazy steps to go
crashing down into the deep canyon below.
you are a brave man to sit on your piano bench
without sheet music
or a decent voice to carry a tune
but with strength enough to write a poem
as your mind kept wandering.
you are a brave man
to drink a bottle of French red
knowing the drive home would
be in a snow storm without winter tires.

the Russians are coming

i heard the Russians are coming
but i don't know what to think
i'm piling up everything at my front door but the famous kitchen sink
and i can't speak their lingo
what is the best way for me to go?
there's a angry crowd to my left
an angry mob on my right
and i was gonna be with my old lady tonight
but things are spinning out of control
i see Russians crawling out of a big black hole
and i'm about to run to town
don't know if anyone will still be around
but i need some bread and milk
maybe a bottle of good booze
hell, what do i have to lose?
they're probably at my back door
and i'm here at the grocery store
there is no way i'm heading home
maybe i should go skiing
i can't believe what it is i'm seeing
so do i run to the beach
or is it already out of reach?
i heard the Russians are coming
but i don't know what to think
i'm piling up everything at my front door but the famous kitchen sink
and i can't speak their lingo
what is the best way for me to go?
there's an angry crowd to my left
an angry mob on my right
and i was gonna be with my old lady tonight
but things are spinning out of control
i see Russians crawling out of a big black hole
and i'm about to run to town
don't know if anyone will still be around
but i need some bread and milk
maybe a bottle of good booze
hell, what do i have to lose?

Coco

i saw the girl they called Chanel
she loved both food and wine
and lonely artists who often didn't seem too well
but she was a successful seamstress
who made a living from her tight knots and jersey stitches
while she wore a little black dress
and a wild French hat designed to look like a Parisian celebrity
in her very early days
she took a lover whose name was Igor Stravinsky
for a night they made piano music on the stage
while she adored his fine notes,
his character and gentle playing of each page
and like a prodigal son his fingers had an angelic grip
with intelligence and special charm;
she held him tightly afraid that he might soon slip
yet he wasn't the only affair
who gave her little hot body attention
others lavished time and ample financial care
their physical qualities meant less to her
and humble origins were allowed
as she traveled from orphanage to designer fur
with a daily fondness for injected morphine
yes, she became a daunting woman who had a taste
for the companionship of poets who made the scene,
and of Grand Dukes and progressive art books;
she coveted Pierre Reverdy, a Surrealist,
in spite of his slovenly Napoleonic looks
and held him closely as he grew old,
a lay monk in a monastery,
proving that loyalty in friendship was her favorite gold.

the Second Battle of El Alamein

was it in Orlando
or the depths of Bryce Canyon
where the Desert Fox escaped battle
with his fluffy German tail blown high by the
chasing dry winds
of an angry British bird-of-prey
who was in constant pursuit?
well, i can't recall
the title of the book
with yellowed pages
but it was filled with stories of an African war campaign
which erupted along the sleepy coastal towns of Libya,
with nearby Cairo blazingly hot,
where the great Egyptian Pharaoh,
buried deeply under sand,
was at rest, thinking of his loyal friend
Apollinaire, who was last seen
with a shrapnel wound to his head
driving to Naples
inside a battle-scarred Sherman tank,
his artistic manifesto
tossed poetically on the dashboard.
his tank was destroyed
at the Second Battle of El Alamein
but not before
his great contributions
to erotic novels

were found in the burning ruins,
only a few of which have been read
by his friends in Paris.

did you know Picasso

did you know Picasso
on the streets of Paris
with a brush and a blond
was looking for immortality
as i was
floating on the main canal
of Venice
with my umbrella and a beer
looking for Saint Mark's Basilica
and the hidden tomb.
he went directly to his studio apartment
to paint the girl
while she sat in his
favorite chair
with her tongue fully extended.
i went to a famous dealer
looking for a Picasso to purchase
and found the blond wearing a
small black beret,
her nose shaped like a
Spanish penis with a wide smile.
i finished my warm beer
while negotiating for an agreeable price,
but everything proved to be beyond my reach.

With A Measure Of Grace

with a measure of grace
i went outside and took in the view
and the world sped by at its' normal pace
but i thought only of you
and the wishes we found at the bottom of the clear blue stream
they appeared to me yesterday in a fantastic dream
i drove my Self the edge of the nearest shore
where i sat to drink a bottle of blood red French wine
and like an idiot i immediately wanted more
but everything i wanted i knew would never be mine
you came to me like a soft wind with the stars in the night sky
i felt comforted when i heard you inhale and sigh
you told me a story and i heard you spin a tale
now, it can be told i listen best when we are in bed
there's no judgment with a kiss to pass or to fail
if all the preceding words spoken are truly said
there was a stone in my walking shoe
i reached down to hold it in the palm of my hand
but i thought only of you
and how hard it is to come to grips and take a stand
there is a come and go with how we honestly feel
with what we try to hide and what we openly reveal
i saw the lights shining on your face
the reflections keeping me spell-bound by the door
you asked me for a spoon and took a hurried taste
and like an idiot you immediately wanted more
down by the raging waters i pulled out the stone
you took a hard look and started off for parts unknown
with a measure of grace
i went outside and took in the view
and the world sped by at it's normal pace
but i thought only of you.

i wanted Marilyn Monroe

i wanted Marilyn Monroe
inside my pup tent
but she had her own silly ideas,
and firmly threw back the front flap and went
off to the Screen Actor's Guild.
i grabbed a 20th Century Fox sword
and an armored shield,
headed to a noisy bar room brawl,
past the open back door and down a narrow hall
where i heard about the slaughter at Verdun;
what had been done?
i felt naked without my whiskey and smoking gun,
tried to stiffen my spine;
felt an empty wallet and knew it was mine.
i had my own special fun;
she wore her Superwoman's cape.
i roped her to a folding chair
but she made a circus escape,
living the expatriate life on the west coast,
older by a decade than most.
i wore my cowboy hat and a deep frown,
her silk scarf and a princess gown
and had a little in common with the boys
who kept coming around
at twenty until four with their favorite toys,
leading me to flee to a bohemian camp fire!
i sat on the sign that said 'Worker for Hire'
and fed the two happy dogs
who were guarding the seating area logs
in exchange for a soft pet on their head.
i laid down in my straw mat bed
and dreamed of Marilyn Monroe
holding her skirt above a blast of hot air:
i imagined myself there
but she still said "No."

the pretty cottages burned

it's his fault
no it's hers
locked in a cold vault
with the famous furs
in order to get ahead
in the rental house sleeping in a silent bed
proceeding with great haste
it was a very gay time
regardless of the apparent waste
it was never called a crime
when the pretty cottages burned
it was simply a lesson learned
in the hot summer hours
and in the snow
dry wilting flowers
at the Philadelphia Art Show
for several hours each day
people lined up eager to pay
and it seemed a small price
to see brilliant colors turn pale
to watch the melting ice
receding on a giant scale
it was impossible to know what was thought
when they opened the gifts they bought.

shake her live fruit tree

it's easy enough when you know
playing in fourteen part harmony
she was looking good from head to little toe
and i wanted to shake her live fruit tree
but i had to grab her by her truck
she gave me a little squirm
like a famous Hollywood Hills drunk
i wanted to hook her like a glow worm
she asked me to take a second guess
ah, i heard her breathing on my Hawaiian shirt
as though we were on an afternoon recess
could i be sure this wasn't a school yard flirt?
so i asked to play hardball with my new Anna Bell Lee
she tossed me her softball
i hit it as far as anyone could see
over her head and down the shirt of Jerry Hall
and i wanted to shake her live fruit tree
a police car came to a screeching halt
we were dancing in the street
she told a cop it was my fault
but he started to shake and tap his feet
it's easy enough when you know
playing in fourteen part harmony
she was looking good from head to little toe
and i wanted to shake her live fruit tree.

what should i think of the wine?

what should i think of the wine?
or the stain on your blouse or
the hush in the air when i lean in for
another sip;
and looking beyond the fragrant garden,
the mountains in the distance
seem close enough to climb;
there is a special quality of life found
on a plate of fine cheeses
with garlic and the sweet smile on your lips;
in every detail there was pleasure
on my dinner plate
with your hand in my lap;
the beautiful clothes were well worn
and less perfect than your eyes;
you have things to do
as i
to make life tolerable
as we continue with our meal
thinking of the absolutely unreachable
seemingly alive and oh so temptingly
near.

Jim and Tammy Faye

Jim and Tammy Faye
wetting their ministry bed
living in an abandoned bale of hay
moved to a sleek houseboat
with a rich Christian goat
which they milked for millions of dollars;
they drove a 1953 Rolls-Royce
and enjoyed a large choice
of the best cuts of steak
Jim went on the Evangelical take
and eventually went to jail
Tammy Faye took her tanned tail
and married their best friend
yet the Bakker affair
didn't quietly end there
no, more frosted blonde tresses
loud, colorful dresses
and a reality TV show
born-again kept on the go-go
night and day dressing like pimps
anything for money:  you want limps?
tears on the thick make-up
passing around the collection cup
to poor whites with meager social security and welfare checks
more train wrecks
coming to a big tent near you
Jim and Tammy Faye
practicing their special blend of voodoo
it's what they practiced and were trained to do
stuck between the social cracks
found on the harder-edged side of the tracks.

almost like The Who

i heard you on the piano
it was everything i needed to know
we didn't have any more hands to show
almost like The Who
and then i knew
we'd learn about the complete history
believe there was no longer a mystery
the nights when there was a full moon in the dark sky
and we no longer had to wonder why
because we couldn't be fooled
we wouldn't be ruled
when we heard a sharp screaming in the night
we'd laugh in hysterical delight
at whatever came down we'd be alright
we couldn't be slowed
and we wouldn't be mowed
and no one knew where we wanted to go
it was everything we wanted to know
we didn't have any more hands to show
almost like The End
and then, my friend
we'd learn about the complete history
believe there was no longer a mystery
the days when there was a bright sun in the blue sky
and we no longer had to wonder why
because we couldn't be fooled
we wouldn't be ruled
when we heard a sharp screaming in the night
we'd laugh in hysterical delight
at whatever came down we'd be alright
we couldn't be slowed
and we wouldn't be mowed
and no one knew where we wanted to go
it was everything we wanted to know
we didn't have any more hands to show.

went to town

went to town
'cause i knew you might be around
and i knew it might be fun
i knew it might be nice
the last time i saw you
we kissed each other twice
and there you were
corner of sunset and vine
sitting on a park bench
waiting to be mine
went to town
'cause i knew you might be around
and i knew it might be fun
i knew it might be nice
the last time i saw you
we kissed each other twice
and then we talked
planning some good times and more
i saw into your eyes
it's you i adore
went to town
'cause i knew you might be around
and i knew it might be fun
i knew it might be nice
the last time i saw you
we kissed each other twice
and there you were
corner of sunset and vine
sitting on a park bench
waiting to be mine.

let's see where it goes!

i gave you my hand
and you touched my face
i asked you for a second bite
and you gave me a first taste
as we walked along the waterfront
the cobbled streets kept us on our toes
a shooting star shot far over our heads
and you said "Let's see where it goes!"
so we went into a back alleyway where
a bakery smelled like fresh bread
and the baker shouted when we made inquiries
that she didn't hear exactly what we said
then there was a bar near where we were
that had an open seat or two
and we were surprised to find that our appetites
knew what they'd like us to do
when there was a steady wind
and the afternoon threat of rain
while i sipped my beer you a ginger ale
and you spoke of your pain
you've been through a rough period
and all i could do was pick up the check
wiping my hands with the clean napkin
i was guilty of eating sloppily and neglect
but we are all happily imperfect
being everything that we possibly could
and when you wanted to go knocking
we found a handy piece of wood
and hit it as hard as our fingers allowed
before the approaching storm cloud
and the heavy rain and hail
forced the power launches and the sail
into the nearest safe anchorage
where we were waiting
in whispers and still together
dressed for success
in any type of weather.

Blue Moon Boys

in Tennessee
i left the freeway
and climbed the big backyard tree
once owned by Elvis Presley
before he hit the sack
of an apparent heart attack
he had a collection of fancy Cadillac
with a mom and dad all the way from Tupelo
the Blue Moon Boys put on quite a jail house show
and they had quite a long drive, you know,
before Elvis threw his gyrating hips out of joint
trying to make a famous black & white point
at the lonely Heartbreak Hotel
he had a special wishing well
filled with nothing but blue suede shoes
which made it easy for him to choose
so, baby, do anything you want to do
in Tennessee
but don't play hard ball games with Rockabilly boys
they'll hit you with a Chuck Berry tune and dazzle with their toys
flying all the way to Nashville
they'll eat until they get their fill
of Memphis and the Now or Never Pill
with rhythm and blues and an old hound dog
in Tennessee
they don't eat much frog.

fly him to the moon

hey, why be pissed
someday maybe even he'll be missed
but not anytime soon
fly him to the moon
let the lack of air keep him there
with his orange hair
and the people running in full scream
so unlike any cartoon dream
it's a full blown nightmare
but why should anyone care?
putting on the ninth green
Mr. Grinch and Mr. Mean
and i'm wondering how to keep score
the Middle East had it's share of war
in two-part harmony
from sea to shining sea
the center of the Universe
is more than a coin-filled purse
but for friends they have the crackers,
the Russian thugs and hackers
in the wild and wooly west wing
what romance songs do they sing?
do they memorize the whole thing?
hey, take a prolonged break
separate the real from the obvious fake
look left and look right
it's natural to pick a fight
with a moron and his flacks
if asked a question they turn their backs
and say i don't know
it's the Howdy Doody Show
and here we are now
sitting like a snow plow
in a place where the space race
in a trance and at a pace
has already been run
and i'm watching the mid-day sun
but it's midnight
my chest is getting tight
humanity has yet to be civilized
and i wonder if they ever realized
that last page is being turned
what have they learned?
hey, why be pissed
someday maybe even he'll be missed
but not anytime soon
fly him to the moon
let the lack of air keep him there
with his orange hair
and the people running in full scream
so unlike any cartoon dream
it's a full blown nightmare
but why should anyone care?

the Empire bombed the doors

Gerald was the fancy one
Sarah the pain in his ass
he offered her a taste of champagne
but she smashed the crystal glass,
they walked down a busy street
on a stormy Friday night;
he tried to explain their romance
but he could never make it right.
and when they came to an intersection
where the barricades still stood tall,
he asked her what she loved the most
and she could never recall;
then a woman with a legal guide,
immigration papers in her hand,
asked Sarah for directions
but she failed to understand
once upon a time in America
a man could take a wife
and she became a partner
and they'd work to make a life;
their dream was a family night
when no one hid out of sight;
no constant humming of Star Wars
when the evil Empire bombed the doors
and rebels yelled and ran
to find an honest man.
Gerald was the fancy one
Sarah the pain in his ass
he offered her a taste of champagne
but she smashed the crystal glass,
so they walked down a busy street
on a stormy Friday night;
he tried to explain their romance
but he could never get it right.

Texas Night

i bought her a pretty diamond ring
on a sweet lone star Texas Night
and everything we played turned out just right
she wanted to dance and i wanted to sing
so we sat down in a big double chair
and i thought we made such a lovely pair
we went everywhere exploring for hours
acting silly with each other picking bouquets of Bluebell flowers
having Big D fun we never felt like we were done
people looked at us floating on our big sky cloud
on a sweet lone star Texas night
and everything we played turned out just right
she wanted it soft and i wanted it loud
we ate our Mexican food and pranked and drank
ran out of money and robbed the local bank
saw the famous Alamo and made a final stand
heard their grave appeals for a helping hand
we pushed hard against the famous Mission door
on a sweet lone star Texas Night
and everything we played turned out just right
and we wanted a little and then we wanted more
so we sat down in the center of town
looked for a hot time but there was no one else around
we went everywhere exploring for hours
acting silly with each other picking bouquets of Bluebell flowers
having fun we never felt like we were done.

he drew her heart

she had been painted by him.
he drew her heart!
he loved her so much,
almost from the very start;
and he was highly amused
when she sat on the beach;
he reached for her
but she swam out of reach,
picked up a shell;
it smelled of the sea
so he grabbed her,
sat her on his knee
and told her
he wanted to see her everyday.
but she took it slow;
she didn't want to stay.
he became breathless
and left her for a drink
while she went to the hotel
to clear her head and think.
though it was already night
it would soon be noon.
he asked her when she would be ready
and she told him soon,
so he fell quiet in the garden
not far from the busy street.
the dirt was fertile;
it smelled of freshly washed feet.
and she grew in his memory;
she walked inside his head.
he loved what she was dreaming of
and everything she said.

Cole Porter and the cow

before the cake was served,
a jazzy cow perched atop
the fireman's ladder and
milked the scene for
all it could;
chilled champagne
with busty clowns
and dancing by ballerinas
almost sank the boat;
the captain in his cabin
wore a dress uniform
while holding
a smoking pipe;
one male passenger
who was afraid of
seasickness
emptied a bag of toys;
a holly wreath
bought for the holidays
hung from the ceiling
in the main lounge
with the inscription
'Homeward Bound';
before the cruise was over,
Cole Porter finished his last
musical piece and went off
to find a new place:
Cap d'Antibes was too hot
in the summer for the English,
but the splendid piano stayed in tune
while he was at the bench.

Khe Sanh

it was a dark night
on a distant hill
the bad ass hombres
were looking to kill
and i was just a little fart
not much taller than an apple cart
with a big mean gun
and i knew it wouldn't be much fun
diving into my trench
sprayed with graffiti mostly written in French
which said 'Welcome to Khe Sanh'
but i put my combat helmet on
and dove when the B-40 rockets flew
i saw other Marines and i knew
we'd stick together shooting at the charging bad guys
while the Air Force, Navy, AC-130 Spooky, shit, everything that flies
were buzzing the mountain air
and shrapnel from explosions ripped everywhere
soft flesh and muddy red ground
hell, i kept firing and looked around
and the smoke was thick
i wondered if i'd get sick
but this was no time to act weak
my anger began to peak
when i saw fellow soldiers fall
and heard that damn bugle call
the bad ass hombres started to crawl
onto the Command Post sand bags
their once new uniforms ripped like rags
from the barbed wire strung outside our lines
and the napalm and buried mines
and artillery shells and morter rounds
kept a nightmarish pounding and the warrior sounds
ringing in my ear
i knew i had nothing to fear.

everything we just said

oh baby
i'm driving you crazy
while you're driving me out of my head
oh, it wasn't just what we did
it was everything that we just said
i should have told you the high heels
were a mess
and you shouldn't fool around or make me guess
took too long
for you and i to get along
our good times are getting rough
and i think i've had trouble enough
it's hard to keep playing a waiting game
when i'm always the only one you blame
so it's time to take the evening train
leaving from the station at ten
and if you ask when i'm coming back
oh baby
i really don't know when
the long distance when we would touch
didn't seem to bother you too much
but when i got hot
you did not;
now i'm getting old
and you're growing so cold
oh baby
i'm driving you crazy
while you're driving me out of my head
oh, it wasn't just what we did
it was everything we just said

the world was broke

the world was broke

each morning you dressed in black
it always tried coming back

but yesterday
the skies stayed grey
the tower where you lived
had a window repaired
crowds of frightened people
stood and stared
the first lady in real furs
the latest edition of his and hers
i watched you take the throne
like a little dog takes the owner's bone
a screaming eyesore
from nearest sea to distant shore
one proud boast
from Atlantic to Pacific coast
one mouthful a small country
one large swallow the whole world
stars and stripes unfurled
the gentle winds gather into a storm
everyone is getting warm
but Muslim cool is getting hot
pluralism left to rot
from the campus of Berkeley
protest fires continue to burn
one liners repeated over and over
help the simple-minded learn
the tall ships reaching the New York harbor slip
passengers taking a hit
night time might be the right time
if that's not too sublime
an attempt to run
but the roads are steep
down the alleyways
chased by the heat
across the grassland of Central Park
and past the Spring Roll man
into the underground railroad
beyond the corner trash can:
the world was broke
each morning you dressed in black
it always tried coming back
but yesterday
the skies stayed grey.