You Be the Judge

Hugh Glass lay in a shallow grave
as much to keep his body warm
as quicken interment of his corpse—
Continue reading →

after a performance by Awadagin Pratt

He is a left-handed player in a right-handed world
reading charts, away from left and toward the right,
underscored by right-brained, right-handed composers.
Even the baton which conducts is clutched in the right.

Continue reading →

Curious is the fact
that a sleeping being
is altogether aware
yet elects to ignore
the waking world
Continue reading →

those who vow to never forget
The Trail of Tears
Antietam
Sharpsburg
Sand Creek
The Little Bighorn
Continue reading →

(With No Apologies to Ed McCurdy,
nor to Pete Seeger, nor Simon and Garfunkle, &c.)

Last night I had the strangest dream
     I ever dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
     to put an end to war

Continue reading →

Say it, man. Spell it out. Admit
That your calculate words, woven
Under and about this captive
Doting audience have multiplied—
Continue reading →

Study but solely me; play
The part that binds you
Until you must capitulate,
Dreams to be relinquished,
Continue reading →

Groping blindly at an upper shelf
I tossed a box of unclean washers
upon my concrete workroom floor.
They scattered to the four corners.
Continue reading →

A well regulated militia being necessary
to the security of a free state, the rights
of the people to keep and bear arms
of the people to keep and bear harms
of the people to keep and fear harms
shall in no wise, ever, be infringed.