Slums of Kenya

 

Huddled metal clumps

of rusted organs grown cancerous,

and spreading out along veins of dirt road

lined with refugees and runaways;

Headed for Mombassa or Nairobi,

Fleeing the smells of the slum.

The hot stink of garbage

piled a half-mile across.

The disease that seeps into

black mouths from sewage channels.

From men with minds for rape

and Hunger that becomes Violence.

From police searches and beatings

From gangs, murders and muggings,

Along a trash-strewn dirt road

To a boiling and bloated city

That cares nothing for the starving homeless

from a nameless slum.

 

 

 

 

Sapien Swamp

 

 

Great and ancient trees rise,

and blot out a sun

as the swamp belches and bubbles

in unimaginable blackness below.

Below,

where slimy and scrawny things scurry about,

blind from millennia of darkness,

feeling for prey,

while always

with alien antennae

wary of the tentacles

that sometimes sneak from the water

to grasp some small snack,

and drag it back down into the swamp.

 

 

 

 

The Spanish Guitar

 

Lonely strings

whisper and roar

across empty skies

and far away

through red mesas

to villages of clay

where chiquitas glide

and sway

to gentle plucks

and furious strums

from old, sure hands

lifting desert wind

sweeping sand

across cracked clay

catching a dancing girl

swirling black hair away

ruffling her dress

as rose petals

carried on the wind

to the black desert

with the whispers

of lonely strings

 

 

 

 

 

Chunky Monkey

 

 

A creamy confection carrying bud upon bud of taste

to lofty heights where billowing, swirling

clouds of banana mist part gently

to conspicuous chunks of dark, delicious fudge

that chill and exhilarate in one simple spoonful.

 

Letting go, falling into the chasm and gazing down

unafraid, invincible

Black bits in a creamy splendid snowscape.

But something else,

Something beige and brown

Slightly round

What could it be to improve on this treat?

 

It comes free and meets my lips.

Walnut, with a crunch and

suddenly it is so clear that one has to smile.

Complete and utter bliss

in a nut, fudge, and banana cream style.

 

 

 

 

A Fanatic's Mantra

 

This city's got a cancer of queers and crack heads,

unwed pregnant whores,

bastard sons and false idols.

 

Bathing in sin, the lot of 'em.

Static shadows on the landscape

like shiftless putrid ticks

engorged with the blood of Eden.

 

Waiting for the vengeance I deliver

through a steady, tested rifle

blessed by the son of man

and a trigger finger

ignited with almighty spirit.

 

I will shine down a divine

and mighty vision of Heaven ablaze,

Through thick gun smoke

across a wave of Satan's army.

 

With first daylight in the hour of judgment,

By way of great plague

Nuclear war

Unnatural storm

Or the rise of Hell's last son,

 

I will receive his sign

and through me,

with him

in the crosshairs of an automatic,

I must judge all the living in my path,

to gain salvation in the end,

Amen.

 

 

 

 

A Fresh Page

 

 

Be still

Let me sketch my favorite parts

in gray, wet graphite kisses

along your neck

your breasts

and your belly

Let me trace your contours

in thick, jet black ink from my fingers

up your arms

down your sides

to the hips

Let me give your face

sweet silhouettes to stand out

around your lips

over eyelids

Across the ridge of your nose

Let me blow lightly over every inch

a base of baby blue to give you goose bumps

from the forehead

to your tiny toes

back up to your inner thighs

 

Now help me add the colors:

The dripping red of a deep kiss

A playful bite outlined in eggshell

Lime green beads of sweat

Smeared black handprints

Lemon pink splash from a friendly spank

Quick pecks in soft peach splatters

all blending between bodies

Swirling, smudging as we struggle

Artist with his art

 

 

 

 

A Zombie's Heart

 

 

My name was Jake

I drowned in the lake

but now I return from the dead

I may not be bright

 but this is the night

that I plan to feast on your head.

You see the brains are the best

but I don't mind the chest.

The innards are very yummy

You'll scream and fight

against my terrible bite

but you'll sit so well in my tummy.

 

 

 

A Full Moon

 

 

By day I am human

weak, and frail.

I work in an office.

My complexion is pale.

While on particular nights I am something to fear.

On those nights, stay inside if you hold your life dear.

For I become a fierce thing

like a wolf with great claws

when I corner my prey, and I rend with my jaws.

I stalk and I kill until it is light.

You humans are free by day, but I command the night.

 

 

 

The Curse

 

 

Where are you, you rats?

I will seek you out.

I hear you in my tomb

scurrying about.

You've stolen my treasure

and this will not do.

So I have awakened to come after you.

Though I may move slowly,

I know this place well

and you may not know it,

but this place is your hell.

You can run and hide as well as you can,

but you shall not escape a death at my hands.

 

 

Haunting

 

 

I like when you sleep

for that's when I creep

to watch you all snug in your bed.

If you awoke from your dream

I'm sure you would scream

at the sight of the gash in my head.

It happened right here

when my father came near,

his axe held tight in his hands.

Though I am not mad,

dad was just being bad,

it still hurt when his axe did land.