Words Never Spoken in Public

Words Never Spoken in Public

It is so easy to feel overwhelmed in public
The simple fact of mathematics makes it clear
I am only one
They are many
A multitude, a throng, a crowd, a party, an army
All with opinions, all with weight, mass, momentum
I am only one
They are many
And it is so easy to keep my private thoughts
My little fears, my little hopes
Bottled safely within my glass heart
Protected by the brittle green barrier of my apprehension
I am only one
They are many
And my voice does not carry well in a crowd
My murmurings are drowned out by the cheers and jeers
My questions are unheard whispers in a bustling marketplace
I am only one
They are many
So I hide my tiny treasures, my tarnished silver trinkets
My delicate lacey butterfly wings of tender love
I pack them away one by one wrapped in newspaper
“Truth”
“Justice”
“Communion”
“Enlightenment”
“Brotherhood”
“Ecstasy”
“Fulfillment”
“Transcendence”

These are words never spoken in public
I am
Only One

Cassette Tapes Killed the Music Industry

Something that I said has the arcade in a rut
There she goes again singing cannibal hymns
Blessed persistence circles justification
Just out of reach
Just enough to get by
Just a penny for my thoughts
Now that the future is here
Machiavelli labels wine in the Preacher’s cellar
Stoned and drunk she rings the funeral bell
Original Mothers rehearse institutional man
Instead of you
In straight lines
Inside dying America
Metal oxide coatings not withstanding
Her sound fading despite plastic tabs now missing
Cassette tapes killed the music industry

In a Different Sort of Light

Watch out for Buddha
He just sits on his butt all day
And smiles that mysterious smile

When you call on him for help
All you hear is the sound of one foot
One foot kicking your ass out the door

Watch out for Jesus
He just hangs around all day
Talking about his Daddy’s estate

When you call on him for help
He just makes vague appointments
Appointments he doesn’t ever keep

But in a different sort of light
Everything is quite all right
In a different sort of light

When you take the pressure off
The bodhisattvas and the saints
When you take the pressure off
Yourself for goodness sake
You catch the mischievous wink
You catch the knowing nod
You catch a hint of the coming punch line

In a different sort of light
Everything is quite all right
In a different sort of light
You’re happier with wise friends
Instead of holy gurus and martyrs
In a different sort of light

Element 91

Crooked memories of Doctor Bliss
Forfeit summer sing alongs
Some kind of jet stream pilot
Snuggles darling brother daughters

Make yourself uncomfortable
Under dry ice heavy branches
Element 91 will not fall
Element 91 will not fall

Condition green ocean waves
Flags flying godless grave
White hot black love lender
Fearless vampire pretenders

I’ll keep you alive survive alive
Sympathetic Hollywood enders
Element 91 will not fail
Element 91 will not fail

Consolidated hands on beat
Spin webs of the down footed
Careening trips head up and up
Where the hell is my uncertainty?

Turn you cowboy turtle necks
Lifting heavy petting zoology
Element 91 will not fall
Element 91 will not fall

This fission is complete

From Souza Keiko,

Her delicate rice military questions,
To earth is mine amount or library,
If desire and peace base is jump
Or tail is skin support and cheese.
Is summer left shade but fly?
Must round too dark range
This year’s idea is mind industry?
But brake to rest, else skin art doth judge,
And wax to cough instruments else paint,
Key but small arguments are loud.
Insides do pump acid this time.
If conscious detail sounds the present,
Too holy daughter growth in shoe,
And taste insect top kettle,
As fertile as flag opinion is
Use early representative cotton and test
And burn as copper key parcels,
Her delicate rice military questions.