Author: David Wright

REFIT after nearly scuppered by the ferry,
FAINT wavy blue a bad idea, now color schemed
OVERT–bright orange, with lights and air horn at hand,
KAYAK saying “look at me”, or, rather, “steer past”.

CLOUD beckoning with dry earth’s relief-yet
THORN will grow alongside stalk and leaf,
REHAB of self is not rebirth,
WHINE tinged voice in future will signal spiritual dearth.

FIELD uniform slept in, weapons at hand,
WOKEN to another assault, in unstaunched flow of assault,
BROWN mud everywhere, last tree and shrub smashed,
O, VARY this vale of death, that life might vanquish death!

OPIUM-based medicament, over prescribed in greed,
CHOCK to soul’s agency, arresting wheels of life’s motion,
HORDE of the spiraling, compounding suffering with despair,
CYNIC watches cash-in for enslavement, nods: humanity at work.

SLUSH all around, winter’s dirty dregs building into plea:
YIELD, winter! Make way for dappled sun, mild breezes,
REVUE of flowers blooming, color palette restored,
REPELling grays and closed horizons of winter blues.

FUZZY dreams lingering at dawn, head seems filled by
PLIER of counterfeit visions; vapors yet have such pull.
AWAKE, I face narrow choices, each made without
RESET or redo. Fluid dreams give way to life’s limits.

ELUDE I the Doge’s men again, as my
ELFIN graced gondoliere bests pursuit? Or:
WRECK of my fortunes, capture, swift judgment,
CANAL then crossed sighing on bridge of sighs.

PLANK I walk narrowly now for failed
SALSA heist upon seas of Spanish Main.
FRANK marineros give me odds of death, yet of a sternness I am
FORGEd. Captain Jack Minnow swims to the Isle of Tortuga, hands tied behind back.

VALUEs, welter of choices for hearts to hold, some to
DEBIT–interior inclinations needing fine assay,
LOUSY judges we of questions of worth.
GRATE of eternity will admit unsplendid as treasure, catch what was prized as dross.

DITTY singing (“Junior Bird Men, up in the air, upside down”), I tumble from the plane,
CHUTE opens, whistling weirdly. I look up:
SIEVE of a canopy! The thought occurs: when humans
ADAPT well, they require time plus iteration.