For David P.

Behold the magician

Glide across the stage

With effortless Mistoffalees ease.

Wizard eyes flash “˜hind an unfurled cape

Casting trances here and there

Spelling the cast, while

To the sound of music

Long fingers tipple a gleaming top hat

Onto the table upside down

And out fly rabbits, field and sky;

Children wandering east of Eden

And out into the woods;

A people, yes, singing

Earthy, majestic, melodious, and free.

With the sweeping flourish of his white tipped verge

Something is afoot.

Stars spangle,

Years dangle,

Riddles rattle,

Tiddles tattle,

And it still is true

The hand is quicker than the eye.

Clay Derryberry

February 20, 2002

THEATER

I considered it then;

Mused the expressioned words

Spilling, stuttering, stumbling

From the lip of the stage

Fused in warm dim leather

To woody essence,

White in the light,

Floating notably through

My tamboured ear,

A tinkling and fantasy,

I saw my life

Flash before my eyes.

Clay Derryberry

July 24, 1995

Years ago, when I lived in Vancouver BC, we decided to
get a cat. so we went to the SPCA. As we looked
around the cat section, we saw all sorts of cute
kittens and cats. Then there was this one, rather
strange looking, scraggly animal. He was skinny and
had a strange look on his face.
as the children looked at him, he let out this
plaintive ‘meow’ that immediately melted all their
hearts.

above his cage was a sign which read “I’m really not
a mean or scary cat, I’m friendly”

he was given the name “Cauliflower” because his
previous owner had let an ear infection get out of
control. He apparently scratched his ears to shreds
so the staff gave him the name “Cauliflower” ( as in
Cauliflower ears-)
that’s the story of the name and how we got him.
since then he has been a beloved member of the
household giving love and only asking for our total
worship and allegiance.

***

The Sun Was Well Up
By Wayne Jackson 1950-1989

circa 1978

The sun was well up now and what clouds that were, left grey tufts of themselves, lay east, sharply delineated wisps, grey solitary clumps of them maybe fifteen miles away. It was good flatland between here and there. The sun was warm but low.It warmed all those slivers of clothes I wore because I am so cold natured. On the other hand it takes a hot july sun to make me break a sweat. Things even up…..sorta. and I knew I would be able to get even with all those bastards who wander around the job in November wearing a tshirt. I would get even with all those people who stood comfortably in that bleak wintry scene, who looked on scornfully while, every muscle in me, was fighting the cold while while two sides of myself argued over control. Self on saying “Listen Jack, it’s only Tuesday”

Copyright © 1997 by Donald Wayne Jackson, All rights reserved

Ready
~~~~~~~~~~

Used to say I am ready to die
but I was a coward
I was not ready to live

second hand lives
lives of few seconds

Used to say I was ready to die
now I am willing to live
to die anyday now
ready to live ready to leave.

***