Sunday, August 31, 2014

sitting sweatingly on a Han River bench

sitting sweatingly on a Han River bench
alone without your problems
beyond the reach of evil stench
and never-retired wobbling 

weeds grown high along the river banks
dragonflies in tandem on bicycles built for two
mating their fate no hesitation in the ranks
flow with nature, not with me or you

these simple verses can get no worse
till critics lead the way
i'm sitting here with no one near
and will so every day

caterpillar, why haven't you butterflied
with summer on the wane
you are pretty enough in your leggy pride
from me get no disdain

with three seeds planted 
no gout no doubt no pain
i'll wait these months to be enchanted
in colored winter rain

i may be weak but not a freak
that sits on a velvet throne
deserves and serves that servant's leak
the grizzle on the bones 

as Moses up the mountain for tricks
as weaklings drool below on idols
so rode i up with Bungalow Bill hicks
Han waters aren't tidal 

Tallon or Turton flirtin' or hurtin'
may greet my book with jealous looks
truth is skirtin' Richard Burton
like Elizabeth Taylor's schnook

two seasons sow rice and one of potatoes
in heaven's twain i shall remain
with Belafonte's Day-O
without cuts, lacerations, or sprains

i sing the idiocy of Whitman's fidelity
the illusion of union without democracy
America is not of it, just living shitty
of any man's right to liberty

hey, Godly cricket, pass through my wicket
over the bike wheel and leaves of grass
no sign at all, not even a picket
this feeling, too, shall pass

down on funky funky Broadway
there is a corporate headquarters
that egrets wouldn't shit passing anyway
here on the Han there are no borders

what one wants is not what one says
sun shines as long as loud as egrets cry
sing the blues with Billy Holiday
across Taichung's milky skies 

boring through, the great escape is made
hello birdie, make me worthy
every song a Han River serenade
wash away the rotted dirty 

9-1-14