If no-separation is what is
then all bets are off~
appearances arise
which are not explainable
and any explanations
are appearances arising~
seems like some
Sunday morning simplicity.
Leaving home to take a trip
Invites a lot of stress,
For whether things go just as planned
Is anybody’s guess.
Within your comfort zone you know
The rules and the routines,
The details all at your command
With few surprising scenes.
Yet out of bounds all bets are off
And so much can go wrong,
As unfamiliar routes demand
The proof that you belong.
It’s easier, of course, to stay
At home, without a doubt,
But there are times a different land
Is worth the getting out.
Woke up to a perfect Summer day,
a blue sky hits the Tesla’s tail lights;
Let your worries fall apart and fray;
Hard working girl is gassed up to go,
a cup of coffee to chase those dollars;
But that Sun’s got a sumptuous glow;
She lets out a loudly pent up sigh,
it’s crystal clear a break is needed;
The Model Y says ‘Rules don’t apply.
If you won’t rest? I’ll make it happen.’
Fired engine starts and all bets are off;
Time to ride, go where she’s never been;
Feeling burnt out is easy to see,
that’s the time to let cruise take control;
Turn right, we are off to play hooky.
Why would someone judge someone
by what color their skin is?
Or where they are from?
or who they love?
Life is truly not fair
and people aren't nice to each other
There are so many beautiful things
in this world
Nature, love, music, and some people
There are many people with nice pretty faces
that show a different side to different people
they are very friendly to some yet spew hate to others
There are people that I love dearly that have darker
skin than I do. So what?
There is someone that is very dear to my heart
that is gay. So what?
One of my dearest friend's child is married to someone
of a different nationality. So what?
I strive to be the person that does not judge the outside
wrappings of a person. But if you have a hard heart,
then all bets are off!
("Eye of God", 2018, original encaustic)
You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover
You can’t judge a book by its cover
Or then again maybe you can
Covers show us what the authors want us to see
And there is plenty to judge in that
But it may not be what the author wants us to think
Once open though
All bets are off
As the author’s own words
And not just image
Are exposed for us to taste, test and judge
And yet still in our judgment
What are we really seeing?
Speaking from experience
I can say there are many
Who have seen me, my art and poems
And think I’m cool
And then….
After a bit of conversation
Walk away
Thinking, Jeez, what a racist, sexist, fascist pig.
If you need to see the face
Of all you judge and fear
Just look in the mirror.
(10/10/23)
You don’t want to hear his laughter.
When this Father has to come down there
like in don’t make me come downstairs…
When the Lord laughs;
when he scoffs,
all bets are off.
You’ll be dizzy
when you see the hosts of heaven,
the giant scepter…
the crown.
He is enthroned in heaven.
There is no better place.
This kingdom can never be replaced.
You can’t kick @ ss.
You will certainly be thinking
in the waiting cell
of all the h #ll
you’ve put people through.
I can see you calculating excuses—
why they deserved it.
And it was fun…remember.
You’ll be sheepishly smiling
but with each clank
of an opening cell
you’ll be sweating,
anxiety replenishing,
sick with a tummy ache.
This can’t be real…
close your eyes.
It's only a nightmare.
But your senses
are all too clear,
top form
in fact.
For the really big mistakes
dad made you wait…
and this is a really big whopper…
So you grow angry
curse and swear
using every profanity.
You see it n*e*v*e*r
occurs to you
to get down on your knees.
Gravity calls;
the jig is up.
Key turns in the lock
9/8/2021
Psalm 2
A rainbow comes but once
it's rained
And at the meeting point where it's prism rays of coloured light
penetrate the earth crust
If one is to believe in fairytales a
pot of gold awaits just waiting
to be discovered
So yee of faith true believers
grab a shovel grab a spade and
help and join me in my quest
for said treasure
We're all friend's here all for
one and one for all
And if we are to strike it lucky
and make a worthwhile find
i promise i'll look after you
and you will get a fair share
Safe in the knowledge quite
well knowing should this eventuality ever happen
All bets are off , sorry what promise,
show me a signature or a contract
or word's to that effect
And now that i have found it it's mine
all mine
And heaven help anybody who
tries to seperate me
From my precious
Go and find your own rainbow
It's bound to rain again sometime
soon and if not i suggest you go and
do a rain-dance
Because i am certainly not sharing
and who needs friends anyway
I'm rich , i'm rich and if i need a friend
i can buy as many as i want
not easily dissuaded
but recently persuaded
to oscillate in ways
living my lingering days
all bets are off
often I have scoffed
demeaning my demise
postponing I trivialize
I have a list to ask
prioritized by task
listings I'll conceive
or perhaps believe
would homelessness set me free
reality does not deceive
or should I ponder yonder
while continuing to wander
the bucket I shall kick it
for my Savior is the ticket
it’s become clear to me
it's Glory I need to see
It is not a conversation you overhear,
Like the questions rolling underfoot,
"Who goes there?".
You can see the grass has told
How tall to grow
To the chicory, dandelions and clover.
At the edge of the pitch
Where competition is stiff,
They grow bigger, taller and bolder;
Yet in each new match, every plant,
Agrees to a height and no taller.
Till in the next field over, where it's wild and fallowed,
It's to the death, all bets are off, and no foul.
2,21,2020
Don't want to get
In debt yet? -- It's
No sweat: Don't bet!
I have arrived gradually, in boxes.
from foreign places, unknown sellers.
part of me was procured from a man
who told his son to come get me or else five years ago
I am stealthily planning my take-over of this household.
slowly crowding the people here out of their space,
requiring more and more room as I arrive in boxes.
I am crowding them gently at first,
incognito practically until my drumsticks and brushes arrive.
all bets are off now, no more silence for them.
I am dying to drum out six or eight sets.
They know I am here now, as do their neighbors.
The whole town knows. A gentle, hostile mighty take-over
first a bedroom, then the great room. Now my pieces are
lackadaisically lounging around the entire premises, in a good way.
I am rhythmically and methodically sound. But sneaky.
Piece by piece I have inched my way into the human man’s brain.
The wife has been slower to come around. We still stick out our tongues when we meet.
I am the rhythm master, spreading my beat
enjoying my stands and my cymbals, loving the beat
as the human man plays me softly, then loudly with my sticks and brushes.
Crescendo now! Bam! Final finish! I am amazing!
never get into an argument with a child.
never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever
because they always win.
they have nothing to lose,
and you do.
you lose your dignity,
your composure,
your everything
a child never backs down,
they do not know how,
and once they are on the ledge,
they will jump
so never do it.
You will always
lose
Instead, make it clear that they are the
child and you are the adult, earn their
respect, and try to keep it until they
are twelve or thirteen,
then all bets are off.
UNPURPOSED
IS A DREAM THAT I HAVE
IT TAKES A PLACE IN A BEAUTIFUL, MAGICAL WORLD
WHERE PASSION FLOWS
THERE WHERE LOGIC CEASES
WHERE ODDS CHANGE TABLES
WHERE THERE ARE NO BOUNDARIES OF INFINITE FINITIES
WHERE THE BETTER CHOICE IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER
WHERE EXPECTED AND UNEXPECTED MEAN NOTHING
WHERE PROPERIEITY IS IMPROPER
WHERE TRYING IS A BURDEN
WHERE WHAT IS INSIDE YOURSELF A GIFT AND NOT AN ABERRATION
WHERE WE SAY NO TO WHAT WE WANT TO SAY NO TO
WHERE WE SAY YES TO EVERYTHING THAT SCREAMED YES FOR US
WHERE BEING GIDDY IS SECOND NATURE AND BEING NOT A CRIME
WHERE REASON IS ABANDONED AND NOT ADORNED
WHERE NAYSAYERS ARE NOT AND WILL NEVER BE
WHERE PRESTIGE IS BLASPHEMY
WHERE I THRIVE
WHERE I CAN BE WHOEVER I WANT TO BE
WHERE I DON’T TRY TILL DEATH DO ME APART FROM WHAT IS PROPER
WHERE I AM UNBOUNDED, I FLY ANYWHERE I WILL TO
WHERE I STRIVE TO GET WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED
WHERE I GET WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED
WHERE ALL BETS ARE OFF AND I AM FREE
Muted solitary moments run for days,
as the air of discontent begins to scoff
we vent in a wordless empty praise
pretending, telling the truth to back off;
in view of the mirror all bets are off.
August 15, 2017
Placed 3rd: March 2019 contest by Brian Strand
muse bait bent hook
lapping tongues water bowls grief
hug me tighter noose
why leaves questioning
who never knew who to ask
what went the wrong way lost
where is still asking how 7 ate 9
when left blood marks on her panties
how ranting
panting panthers
oh all love me cancers
fish bones in applesauce
was never on learning to get off
got off at excess none to offer me
lacking is hypothetically sunshiny day
all bets are off as the cobwebs are walked
woman sang along while men gawked
underestimated the size
of
the
fish
kisses
best wishes
always to late
changing
muse bait
?
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