Short Charlatans Poems

             chicanery rules

        the day… charlatans and quacks…

               carry us away... 
...

Read More

Those who sermonize to demonstrate they hold a loftier moral tone
Are often charlatans; uncovered by a grubby image on smart-phone...

Read More

I ran over 
the edge of uncertainty

To convince you 
of what I didn’t know

Falling into the abyss 
of deception

Where the pretenders 
and charlatans go

(Dreamsleep: September, 2020)...

Read More

When you have money
the world stops to listen
The content no matter
gratuity bound

The dollars indulgent
as charlatans glisten
Self-interest the mantra
— with greed to compound

(Septa R5 Train: January, 2025)
...

Read More

Keep your ideas inside
And you’ll fail at life
Never said it would be easy
To be yourself
In a world full of charlatans
But open your mouth
And all time stops
Stands still for a second
As the world
Recognizes your existence...

Read More

The world pushes left
  the world pushes right

The middle ground deadly
  a trappers delight

Pigeons take refuge
  as hawks rule the skies

Hunting all charlatans
  —truth in their eyes

(Villanova Pennsylvania: July, 2018)...

Read More

The physics of divinity,
  atheists chide

Pews filled with charlatans,
  believers on trial

Trapped in their reasoning,
  with all logic stretched thin

Building walls to keep light out
  —and darkness within

(Villanova Pennsylvania: April, 2019)...

Read More

Comedic contortionist claims clubfeet;
consider carefully, circus clowns cheat.
Chico chipped Carson City's carved concrete
clumsily chiseling cheap cardboard containers.
Charlatans can calm capitol complainers
confounding Congressional campaigners.

July 6, 2022...

Read More

To not appease the critics,
success within our grasp

The charlatans of written words,
venom of the asp

They bury deep inside their dens,
ordained iconoclasts

Passing judgment, casting blame
—on what they fear might last

(To T.R.’s ‘Man In The Arena’ March, 2021)...

Read More

The charlatans bankrupted
his checking account,
but his love was not overdrawn

Each check that he wrote,
each choice that he made,
trading ingots for righting a wrong

With credit denied
and spirit affirmed,
he continued to endorse what was real

Until bankers and lawyers
destroyed with one stroke,
his wishes—their power to steal

(Villanova Pennsylvania: March, 2017)...

Read More

Life,
it gabs
you.
Pulls
you into
this place.
Throws
you 
into the 
deep
end of
the pool.
Determined.
Accident 
of birth. 
Location 
determines
indoctrination.
Force fed 
nonsense,
brainwashed 
to be
who you become.
Fighting,
keeping head
above water.
No chance 
to think,
to question.
What’s going
on? 
No answers, 
only
questions.
Charlatans 
promise answers.
They
 have none.
Confusion!
Fighting 
to the
bitter end.
Wow!...

Read More

Bernadette prayed,
wore straw knee pads 
and
built a cathedral incarnate.

Remains of the glorified were
sun baked shingles upon her roof.
Beaded mercy chips 
and
pieces of blessed palms
sewn by dainty hands;
her mausoleum.

Visionary lass -
the divine enchantress
taught you to devour
a million agonies
and
digest the callous sins
of modern day charlatans -

who foolishly attributed
your pious actions
to 
telltale symptoms of 
manic depression....

Read More