Whole New Thrust for Poems

At least for me

Offered by Doug Blair, Kitchener ON, 2023

Ala Billy Collins Bounce-about

Skinny with Wrinkled Dress, No Make-up

Anauditoriummostlyused

ForSeniors,cribbage,bumperpool

Guitarlessons,bookclub,yoga.

Wellsortof.

ButThursdaynightsateight.

Talent,readingsofallsorts.

Song.

Evenadodgyfemaleventriloquist.

Andaterrierwhodoestricks

Well,morethanhalfthetime.

AndthenDaphne.

Pigtailsandnomake-up.

Bagdress,shift,potatosack?

Mustardleggings.

AndChuckTaylorAllStar Sneakers.

Readingnextwithasultryvoice Thatdidnotmatchtherest.

Poemswithfire.

ABully

Fromjuniorhigh

Asmirkandfasthands.

Ablackeyeifyoufalter.

Apondquivering

Beforenightfall,fireflies

A-danceintributeto

Day’sdeath.

Andnighthawk’sswoosh.

Thenext,ashorttripto

Thealtar.

Prayingsounfamiliar Buthonest,transparent,broken Needinghelp,needingGod. (Asifsheweredescribingherself. Wellguesswhat.)

Shewastotallyletin

Yuckyexteriorcoating. Totallyflummoxedby

TheVoice,theconjuredmood.

TheGiocondalips.

Theslighthips.

Poetrymistressonherway. Withconvincingwordspainted

Prayer is Jes Talkin’

I's here aginAn ah have so few woids

But it's the gittin togethaMost mattasAh believe.

And You has the timeFathaAlways has the time

Lookin down fromBrilliance an GlorySettin aside those angels' songs

Jes to consider ma squallinOr ma pleadin,

Ma thankin or my

Plain ole wonda

Dis ole man

Done had many a hard job

Often cruel or stupid orders

From tha Man.

A spell in the joint

An keen ears an

A much sharpened shiv

Jes ta raise up the odds.

Afta dark

An a wife and two chillen

Hardly knew me afta

The twelve year stint.

But you knows me

You stick in dere fo me

And you brought

Some good folks

Crosst ma path

Prayin and heppin

An smilin folks.

Ah can almose smell

Yo Spirit on em.

Second chances and singin

Friendly talkin nights

Clean woik now.

Ah sketches a little as well

Scenes of pain, hope or joy

Two of em sittin

Up now on the library wall

Folks considerin

Provin dis ole man

Sees an thinks

Feels an releases

Fatha you have ma devotion

Such as tis.

An ma good repote.

I love Ya

Gwine stop now ta Read Psalm one-oh-seven

Name-a-Jesus

Ayymann

Madcap Limner Billy

Hetakesthepodium

Orwanderstheaisles.

Whatever.

Thefolksknow

Tisnotalecture

ThoughBillywellreadin

TheOldChestnuts.

Their,slant,sins

Andsplashing.Hemight

Startout

Describingaquietafternoon

Retreatintheden.

Bookinhand.

Onlytocatchholdof

Aframedprinttohisleft.

Abarnandaglorious Fieldofwheatalongside.

Feistyhawksoaringabove

AmessyLadhidingbehind

Thetractor

Slingshotpoisedwith

Murderousintent.

Nowwe’reoffGang.

Billywithbang.

About this poem

Giving some decent credit to Billy Collins, one time poet laureate American. Laureate? You mean like Tennyson, Coleridge or Masefield? Nah, maybe better but bent

Pretty Decent Load on the Hoof

Thebeefareall

Prettysturdy.

Vetgavetheshots.

Allbutonesubmitted.

Shekicked,bellowed

Anddouble-crossed

Thebackfield.

Weightgainseemspromising.

Boughtemsixweeksback.

Keepforfourmore.

Watchingmarketprices

Hawk-like.

ThenKarlcomes

Withthetransport.

Upthechute.

Gonetoslaughter

InToronto.

MapleLeafMeats.

NotjustHog-town,folks.

DoIfeelanything?

Remorse?Guilt?

Embarrassment?

Nope.

Butthereisone…female.

SheranfromVet’sneedle.

Shealwaystrottedover. Forme.

Forpettingandcommunion.

Atthefence.

WhenIhadamoment.

Thinkwe’llholdherback.

GiveKarlthedetails.

Onelesstoscream,shit

Andsubmit. About

Theultralightmakesforgoodtime.

Junglebelow,sogreenforawhile.

Fifteenminutesback

Theelephantsinline

Tooktheevidentpaththrough

Luxuriatingonthenewfoliage.

Fromabove,itwasspectacular.

Cameraclickinglikecrazy

ForMustafaandmyself.

Seeminglyweturnacorner.

Expansiveandathighlevel.

Pinkfriendsareeverywhere.

Multipliedthousandsonthelake.

Upontheirstiltlegs

Orsuddenlytakingflight

Indelightedswarmingbunches.

Mustafatakesusuphigher

God’sviewperhaps Ofamagnificentfraction

OfwhathehasdoneinAfrica.

Pinkandblue,pinkandblue.

Gladtobeback.

Now,mightwelandthisbaby

Forahands-onencounter?

Walktheshoreline?

Flamingos.

Seethislinkforblogposting

Ihavethesamefromthestore. ExceptameetingnextTuesday InTown.

Bughereonthetableflies. Doeshehaveappointments. Amate?Withscantattentions. Resentmentsfrompastrivals?

Childrenthatwill Recognizehim?

Willheseethesunrise

Tomorrow?

Orfalltoacoldfloor.

Destinydone?

Longabdomen,sixlegs. Shimmeringwings,lengthy.

Doeshiscompositeeye

See50imagesofme?

Ofthatsaltshaker?

Somuchdone,invented

Forthelittlegaffer

Whohasonlyacoupleofdays. Tograduate,replicate,fascinate. Andthendrop,crinkleand Turntotheethereal. HisMakerscratching Hisheadforthenextgoodidea.

BreachingtheSaline…alla-bubble.

Weareoutallmorning

Watching,waiting.

Leviathanisouthere

Whining,diningdeepdown.

Butasighting

Ourstoown?

Seabirdsfrequentaspot.

Plummeting

SmallfishforLunch.

Butwhatbroughtthemuphigh?

Needn’twonderwhy

Leviathan.

Thenahush

Watersopenatouch

Comesaform

PrehistoriclikeJob.(Chapter41)

Twisting,undulating

Barnaclerobe.

HehascomefortheSun

Analworries.Fretting.

Othershavejust

Presentedthemselves

LiketheElephant

Intheroom…gargantuan.

Chokingtheaperture.

Refusingdescent.

Coveredwithwhite

Snowdriftsoftwo-ply.

Stillremaining

Waitingforme

Theunsuspecting

Tovisit,gasp,flush.

Cryforhelp!

Fleeintothe

AnonymousDark.

Questioningthemindset

Ofacertainage,training,nationality.

Withnothingin

Thewayofproof.

Onecouldgetone’shandson.

IhavehereattemptedtodosomethingofaBillyCollins.Small subject.Commonplace.Butfullofinferences,implicationsand conviction.Whimsicalinthewhisperedsuggestionofdepth.Frolicing.