David Jackson You Cannot Be Free
By Wayne Jackson 1950-1989
You cannot be free
of demons
they say.
To be free of them you
must be dead
as sticks
as shit
and the star comes out again
Big
and
Big
I tilt my head back
look
at the ceiling
The reflected light
from the pool outside
form shadows
that flicker and turn
I smoke cigarette after cigarette
I pick a twisted fruit
the sun shines through the
bare
bare
trees
***
Atoms
By David Michael Jackson
So I sat down to write the epic poem.
why not? There”s no reason,
there”s no reason in the universe.
Yes sit down my friend,
my good friend,
you look as if you are going to make the atoms themselves change.
Have a seat,
there is no hurry.
Make your visit.
Have a seat now.
What is your hurry?
Are you trying to get to the future? Well, I will tell you the future, so
have a seat,
and we shall not speak of the greeks for they are dead, and
we shall not speak of the impressionist painters for they are dead, and
no, I will not meet you upon this matter lightly
for it is hard to leave them all behind but,
you see this is a legal matter, the stars,
there are laws, you see
that say
that time
will go on
and the sun, and
the galaxy and the universe will
burn out, and
collapse and
end up
in a
dried
up
ball of
nothing
but
atoms, and
the works of
the
greeks, and
the
impressionist painters will
be
in that ball somewhere with
a strand
of my lovers hair,
so,
that”s it. Isn”t it? So I cannot write that epic poem and
I will drink instead of the wine, and
worship the
moment and watch my lover wash
her hair.
In the morning I shall walk in the field and gather flowers for her table. Tonight,
yes tonight we shall look at the stars and
wonder.
Copyright © 1998 by David Michael Jackson, All rights reserved
***
WE ARE WE
by Summer Music
are we then two different species?
those who are tested
and those abused by the test?
we know the king sits fat upon the throne
draws a line ’round all that is his own
those that grovel at his golden feet
know the king will shortly lose his head
that’s the way it is in the extreme
being tested is the vegetables
being the test is the meat
the back of one hand remembering
assaults & surrenders
flowers grow so very strong
wind born – petal bright flying
one onion petunia patch
listen, listen, the flowers laugh
rippling waterfall laugh
oh yes, pain behind the laughter
but who would trade the laughter for the pain?
the trained seal claps
the trained dog takes naps
and who am i but something of a you
something perceiving or bleeding
or just dreaming
come, take my hand
let’s walk again this forest path
where fairy meets the goblin in the leaves
listen, listen, the flowers laugh.
Copyright © 1998 by Summer Music, All rights reserved
***
Oh the misery and pain that this life has…
But the morning sky
The evening glow
A gentle rain
Flying birds
A friend’s care
A furry cat
Silly dogs
The small of a pretty woman’s back
The touch of a friend
The love of a brother
A kind word
A caring hug
Old love and new
Of a beautiful woman
I’ll endure misery and pain for these
I’ll endure anything
***