Long Rooftop Poems

The Sandless Sand Castle

Let me tell you about my eldest brother.

I am: the "Scram!", the "Beat it!", the "What you looking at?!", and the "Turn around and watch the movie!", younger brother. As you can...

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This was last Saturday night. We were at a rooftop party in downtown New Haven thrown by ‘DocHouse.’ Doc-House is kind of a frat-house, owned by Dr. Melon, where he and seven doctoral students live....

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(A Christmas vacation vignette)

Lisa and I choppered onto Manhattan Island yesterday morning. We’d both felt toasted—so we took naps—and yay! We awoke recharged.

Later that evening, Lisa and I were at the ‘Elsie’ Rooftop Bar, in...

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Lisa and I finally tested covid-free! When we saw our results, we began an impromptu dance that felt like levitation.

Although my covid case seemed much milder, Lisa’s been nothing but supportive. Why just yesterday morning,...

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For years, Tim had the visions
Seeing things that no one could
If he spoke of them, he's crazy
He kept quiet, like he should
Just normal, little, visions
Of people who were dead 
Just wandering in places
He knew weren't...

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My heart is pounding in my chest
So hard I think my ribs might break
My stomach turns over and over 
And my palms are so damn sweaty
I worry your mom might be blinded by the rays...

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Mine slovenly unkempt appearance spelled embarrassment

spurred by most recent therapy session 
with Renee Cardone
whereby thematic thread
stitched how yours truly sewed
coping modus operandi,
viz avoiding emotionally volatile situations
courtesy mine trademark signature reactions 
rather than be in compliance...

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Lisa and I had a party to hit-up. I can’t stay inside all the time, not on a Friday night anyway and a rooftop is the perfect place to mull over big questions and get...

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I order an audience, I command an audience
but it's a shallow demand
so all I ask is for just one
only one person come to me please
hear me out
erase my loneliness even if only for a brief...

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“You play on my every weakness from my past, 
As a heart-wrenched spirit of truth caresses your comrades
They are perturbed as you are by the magnificent light,
To challenge your heart, is to render the fight…”

A...

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“Let my heart be still a moment and let this mystery explore”  
                     ...

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I’m so afraid, oh, so afraid, a melody I sing.
I need to find a way back to the North Pole? 
I shouldn’t have sneaked on Santa’s sleigh. 

I was all excited, I had made plans...

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III. Ecological Awareness 

In this fragile eggshell
I will call life
for security's a mirage
I chase.
Existence is a gamble I take
a wild and
desperate gamble.
Not a problem –
to dissect, I say
but an eagle’s call
heard.
A life joy-filled
sorrow
I feel every...

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It was Christmas Eve, not a soul made a sound,
And not so much as a mouse could be found,
The children had hung their stockings on the hearth,
As a quiet, peacefulness gently fell upon the Earth,
My...

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Belize was where her father chose to live.
She was his one offspring, and he, a businessman. 
His grocery store/saloon always bustling,
Attention getting womanizer, he pulled her early from school.
She was young, hardworking, and loved law...

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Harumph To Holiday Hoopla – Phish Pshaw!

Relieved of fatherhood Saint
Nick schtick found me
to relinquish ratty outfit, and stow away zee bras
like padding and "FAKE flowing beard,
ah...don't remind me,
those well worn faux paws

of each dear deer...

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This is about San Francisco,1967

Oh, yes that city had its own song!
It was a siren's call that sang;
"Here, Panagiota, is where you do belong!"
And my dearest poets, the sirens 
call was not wrong.

It sang a...

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The Great Escape

Perched on a rooftop terrace in glorious sunshine he watches ahead
Floats on his sky looks inwards and ponders the magic path unravel
           ...

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It’s siesta, yet one can hear from the second floor of the house the animated sharing of juicy news some visitors have brought to the gracious host, the lovely widow of a wealthy sugar planter....

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"I truly feel that it is only when humanity can genuinely show love and
         respect, by nurturing and protecting the environment and all forms of 
 ...

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Her hair was red, frizz with frost
Crisped, solidity, warmth was lost

Porcelain skin, eyes of deep blue
Hair falling in wisps, reminds you of someone, 
you likely once knew

how her voice danced, twirled dangerously in a box
of...

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Sitting on the rooftop, wavy hair billowing
In the wicked wind, fluttering away like herself
She clasps to her neck the silvery heart-locket
Before looking down from her shady alcove
She has no more time to waste, and, deciding...

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I was a knowledgeable color expert, with a degree in enthralling color theory,
And was proficient with color related software, like evening sun grown weary.

With cognizance of color psychology, and emotional effects of different hues,
I created...

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Hydration day’s a month away.
Online belonging company’s an hour from 
startup stardom. Titration hors-d'oeuvre 
Viewfinder pigeonholed 
to rooftop tourist 
traps ruin’d carriage holy woods 
Hollywood's margins, Carousel 13. 
Things You’ll Bury: 
molasses sourdough flowers crypto-
currency...

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ZEN DEATH HAIKU V

These are my modern English translations of Japanese Zen Death Haiku. 

A cat in heat
can't catch a mouse? —
pathetic! 
—Kinpu, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

It's getting to the point
of sucking on...

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