Man, What’s the Rush?
Music swirls like a summer storm, each note becoming a new form/
The horn speaks free in smoky jazz club rooms/
where jazz shadows sway and silence drinks in Monk's play/
Syncopated verses leap/
Sonic abstract jazz finds new life in innovative, revolutionary organic jazz, steppin' out into a new cookin' funk orchestration/
Guitarist John McLaughlin Grooves awaken in the mind, and meditation settles there/
a quiet home within the soul that is reelin' in the feelin'/
Man, that's something' else/
You bein' a cosmic swing jazz philosopher sing speaking' the hip dialogue of Ken Nordine/
In the clutter of a jazz-lit life/
art becomes a quiet riot rebellion/ and the work of our political jazz masters hang deep in our horn playin' activism of truth/ ya dig?
Here, in this sound stage of life
The day keeps shouting/
It has to be done/
But the horn bends time and asks, Man, what’s the rush?
Hard-work
Like chewing
An asprin
Slow burn like
Cooking ribs
Push thru
Draw back
Push again
Hard-work
Like marriage
Give take
Pray
Air tastes different
Hard-work
Bein alive
Skins thicker
Then a semi tire
But cuts still
Bleed
Hard-work
Better then
No work
Then your
Dead
There ain’t no reason
for feelin’ this way.
There ain’t no reason
for wantin’ to stay.
Since you lost your reason,
seems I’ve lost mine.
Now I’ve got no reason—
since you lost your mind.
There ain’t no reason,
not anymore—
since you checked out
and slammed that damn door…
Well, Willie really said it well
When he wrote, “I’d have to be crazy.”
So your mind must’ve gone to hell—
or maybe your heart just got lazy.
As far as I can see,
you’ve lost your reason
for lovin’ me.
Now I’ve lost my reason
for bein’ me.
There ain’t no reason,
not anymore—
since you checked out
and slammed that damn door…
Maybe I’ll find reason
some day…
down the line.
Maybe I don’t need one.
Well…
baby, that’s fine.
This run ain't been fun for a while now
Energy for it all been ran out
Beggin myself to let go of this doubt
N start bein what I always been about
Knock myself off this damn cloud
Kuz its lookin like its about to storm some more
Ya know sht bad when chaoz got me bored
Being sober is more like a chore
The chemicals I keep in my brain cells
Got me convinced this reality I'm in is forreal hell
Its like my luck done hit the driest dry spell
Forgot how it feels to feel well
If I ever did know...
.....dazed out
Wondering if this whole sht
Is a fckd up sht show directed and written by
...who tha fck knows
Gettin kicks outta every low blow I catch to tha dome
Steady fckn with my mental state
Don't even try to act like im tryna exaggerate
but the plates overflowing with anger, pain & hate
when all I ordered was peace, love & fun
with some lust mixed in to hydrate
Keepin it super real
At this fcked up rate,
I dont even gotta contemplate
Why everyones walkin around all irate
While im just slowly strolling around
In this fcked up drug haze
I got to thinkin' about Billy the Kid
and the peculiar line of work he did.
If I were Billy's older brother or pa,
I would say, "instead of bein' a bad outlaw",
why not get yerself an education,
a 401K and three weeks' vacation.
Will the tears ever dry?
When wrong wishes wreck what we want,
Still, each day we must try,
Featherfins flee from feral fish,
Known for never bein' shy.
Strength still same, sanity stays sane.
So we're still full of grace
Gentle giants give grander goals.
Though failure leaves no trace,
Because best buddies brin' business—
No regrets in our case.
Done deals don't destroy destinies.
Can hate stop our prayer?
Extra egos, evil echoes,
But we're under His care.
Big blessings brin' bolder beliefs,
Till success becomes clear.
We won't waste what we wish we want.
For things our minds conceive,
With wisdom we will win worse wars.
We rather hope than grieve.
Taking turns to task the trials,
On God's robe, our hands cleave—
Right resources, real rewards.
Where the railroad tracks bend,
as night gave way to dawn,
lonely short pines and sage bough'd low,
wind singing in morning dew' song.
Her words drift off in echo'd calamity
warmth lost in a familiar revelry
still see fit to say, please stay..
try your best and don't forget
you'll always belong to me.
Way up in darkest blue,
lone somber plane flies on
leaving a trailing taunt.
Loved by one who knew
what it meant bein' strong,
and what it is to be lonely
in strength..
with a heart kept at bay
and always at arm's length.
Her words echo ever on
like ripples in a pond..
go on.
Live your dreams
just as I promise to
be the best you can be..
just not with me.
In the land of spring where hope was born
it's gift - release of winter's hold.
The sun of summer lost its luster
following some how., days take a low bow,
streaked trials all but lost.
Now the days shorter than a lit match' dream.
a moment caught in light tho' weak, just a ray.
Dark hooded and clothed in a fallen snow,
Christmas always wished it just that way.
Hand sore from barbed wire's wretched greeting,
on a winter's walk I wandered on.
Pink glow of youth' robust cheek, sure of foot, still searching
time's meaning of So long.
My father's stride now recognized,
though stronger than in memory's glow..
intersected my own low stuttered step
printed before me in light gathering snow.
Will landscape of winter's white recall my feet,
as I walk the trail where foot steps converge again.
Years on, still hold my children's hands..
awed in perfect artistry of falling weight and wind.
Tell you once in awhile, while lookin' away..
just at a whisper when you're near,
thanks for bein' here..
Christmas always wished it just that way.
"But green's the color of spring
And green can be cool and friendly like
And green can be big like a mountain
Or important like a river or tall like a tree"
Verse from Bein' Green by Andrew Bird, sung by Kermit the frog
Grasshopper, caterpillar, praying mantis, gecko, and iguana
Really healthful veggies and fruits like grape, apple, pear and lime.
Eyes like mine, fields, tennis courts, and plants like marijuana!
Emeralds and jade, Kermit, Hulk, and Shrek, and yukky slime.
Nature wears it best with trees and leaves, and ivy that can climb.
Felt too much
i started to feel nothing
What's point of being with bein'
when the time doesn't come with you
The essence of me, got lost in you
As day slips , & dreams decay.
What's the point of love
When it leads to loss, and tears erase?
I will drift myself agai'
What's the point of lovin
I started to lose everythin'
by the time it starts rain
why is it drippin'
when it reminds of us
I 'll embrace the love you poured
and rise up once again
Though which darkness tries to reclaim
I 'll rise once again
Comes a time of unbreaking
what's broken
maybe broken to the point
a thing can't be fixed
ever
forever
severed.
To be sure prayers can find a home
but not when a divine plan's mark
is missed
yet must insist
with clenched fist
I resist.
A simple woodcarver, be
like Mister Geppetto
fend off a life of despair
perhaps with a little help from
a Fairy with Turquoise Hair.
For a creator
nothing causes elation
like its finest creation
seeking salvation.
All may end in ruin
in stringed freedom's destroy
it's never easy
bein' a wooden boy.
Life's call is abrupt
so keep your dukes up.
The hapless fruit cake has endured egregious loathin' o'er the years!
Bein' on the receivin' end of such a delicacy is some folks' greatest fears!
Shucks! I received many a one while in the service to share with my chums,
(Who savored booze in any form, especially those cakes soaked in rums!)
History reveals that fruit cakes were consumed by Roman Legionnaries,
To sustain them in their numerous conflicts with ferocious adversaries!
Fruit cake with nuts and fruits (Lord only knows what else) I won't condemn!
I'm just one of many discriminatin' fellers who happens to like 'em!
It ain't too many things in life I'd do 4 free
I love writing songs and my poetry
Whats on my mind, put it in the rawest of forms
Straight outside the box so far from the norm
Mind boggling gotcha head spinnin
As I continue on my mission straight grinnin
I been through all types of things in this life
Everyday that I awake tryin 2 get this right
It's all on me gotta expand my mind
And apply the lessons to my daily grind
I ain't gotta shine but I do and it's cool
But don"t get me wrong
Ain't tryin 2 be nobody's fool
Didn't get 2 be this age bein no dummy
Got me plottin on different ways to get some more money
Watchin out for potholes that life puts in my way
Forever learnin the rules of this game that we play
Well, darn--I wish bushes grew faster.
That might help me avoid a disaster.
What is a buzz-maestro supposed to do
when a Hummer takes nectar from you?
I've buzzed by all my usual haunts.
They're out of stock--what about MY wants?
When nectar comes in, price is sky-high.
(I think it's price gouging, between you and I.)
What can a bee drink and hold his head high?
Something else I'm now bein' forced to try.
Say--here's a glass prettied up like snow.
I'm calling Buzz and Sting--we'll give it a go.
* * *
Now Buzz is dive-bombin' and then crashin'.
He's pretty funny but could get a thrashin'.
Sting's gone crazy, flies around upside down.
That witch's brew made them come unwound.
We're flying off before it becomes night.
Man, if they aren't a pitiful sight!
Guess I'd better start actin' all grown.
Maybe even talk that Hummer into a loan!
May 25, 2022
for Bee Creative Poetry Contest
by Matt Caliri
I’ve finally come home from my island
I don’t remember life bein’ this hard
I’m a castaway who never saw no ship
I’m a prisoner who never entered the yard
Who will take me in
Back to their civilization?
I’ve been ringin’ on doorbells, lookin’ in boxes
Checkin’ for a sign of love
The masters had it in for me
So I prayed to the masters above
That somebody take me in
Into their civilization
What am I really?
Who am I truly?
Where do I fit in?
With my problems all solved
I guess I’m evolved
Adaptive and reactive
In civilization
They came for me on my island
But I didn’t really wanna be saved
Amid the icicles of self-reliance,
Let me carve out my home in a cave
Who will take me in
Back to their civilization?
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