Tag Archives: working through issues

Unanticipated Consequence: Revolutionary ConTEXTing Free Verse Poem

The unanticipated consequence
of having
a heart that’s breaking,
and
a soul that searching,
and a mind that’s wondering,
is that a view
of San Francisco bay
at sunset
absolutely flat lines
you.

Nothing.
No emotions.
No memories.
No smiles.
No desiring Allejandro’s.
No craving
walking down Columbus Street
or North Beach to find some pasta
or cannoli.
No wishing for family style
in Chinatown.

Oh wait!
There IS a memory.
A blond haired,
blue-eyed
man,
with his back to the Golden Gate Bridge,
Russell Wilson jersey repping,
hands raised
high
in the air,
middle fingers
extended.

Yep.
F the Whiners.
F the Quakes.
F the A’s.
And the Giants.
F San Francisco.

But mostly,
F the Whiners.

Helping His Mommy At Christmas Time: Revolutionary ImproVerse Free Verse Lament

Somewhere tonight,
a son stayed home,
helping his mommy.

The elderly lady moved
through her house,
finding recycled gifts
which she gleefully packaged
to give to her friends.

Her son followed behind,
lifting boxes of lights
and ornaments
and bows
and presents
to help her.

He had friends
laughing
and singing
and looking at
the bright lights of the city.
His eyes sometimes brimmed
with tears
as he thought
of them
and the fun
he could have had.

They asked him
to go.
They offered him
a ride.
He had, at first,
said yes.
But then,
sadly,
he turned
them
down.

He wanted to go.
He wanted to be
with good folk,
like himself.

He wanted to look at
the nativities
and twinkling trees,
and hear the laughter of children
and adults
and the quiet whisper
of people
reflecting
on the gift of the Savior.

He wanted to get to know
more people,
and feel their friendship
and the joy of the season
and give them friendship
and comfort
and joy,
as he knew
he could.
As he knew
he had.

Instead, he did
what he was asked.
He didn’t ever want
to hurt anybody.
He didn’t want anyone
to feel rejected.

He wept
at the thought
that he bruised tender hearts.

Still,
he knew
and knows
he followed his heart.
Still,
given the choice,
this boy
will
always
try to help
his mommy.

Especially
at Christmas.

Trying To Listen, Trying To Be: Revolutionary ImproVerse Free Verse

It has been a very
long
time
since I have tried
to listen
to the Spirit
in everything
I do.

I’ve spent the last
lost
several years
lost,
just doing
my own thing,
not
having the Spirit
with me at
all.

That is a difficult habit
to get out of,
making your own decisions
and just doing
whatever
you want.
I don’t hear him
very well
yet.
I don’t even ask him
as much as
I should.

I am learning.
I’m very sorry
that you get caught
in the crossfire
of my ignorance.

And my mother and I
sing “I’m trying to be
like Jesus,”
and I cry because
so often
I fail
and
so often
I hurt others.
I don’t want to.