river terrarium drenched in milky sunlight
like a faded Kodachrome
butterflies white and yellow, outstanding
as putter-by's on motorbikes blend invisibly
while my bicycle and I rest on a riverside bench
breathing fragrances of burning weeds sweet
smoke of it replete
addendum to our natural life
like the warmest winter there could be
in a complicated world of conveniency
that increases our cost over time
has little redeeming value
and only fosters resiliency
survival skills
for an otherwise native River Han
dykes of which to help the farmers
prevent deterioration of fields of crops
benefiting me with my back to the road
well-equipped man in a modern world
with such a heavy load
in case i need an escape to nature
January 8, 2017
sitting on laurels and acting hardy
is no way to enjoy a new year's party
there are backstabbing friends who need an inch
friends who love you in a cinch
crippled in last year's Jerry marathon
of abbots who heard Costello's mistrals
gone homo on empty stomachs
smartly read book-Marx too hot to Trotsky
waving rainbow flags with white backlashes
impolite eyelashes
stopping behind the judge's bench
testifying their rudeness
through all the newness
like an unwatched television overnight
a travel writer's infomercial's
pressing need to be public
on way to his next global mess
when the river knows best
in all weather flows
day and night throughout the years
listen to its trickling stream
through sound bites of motor tires
drowning a countdown video chat to Connecticut
Messenger image dark-orange and ghoulish
set against lush green Taiwan gardens
backdrop of this American escapee
in a place where wonders never cease
and wisdom never ends
turning the calendar up
return to day one again
new year's day in warmth
hazy breeze sifting the air
lifting the bicycle into outer space
spiked canteen of permanent dreams
an all-star on deck with assisted vision
unmasked suggestion box glistening
on the wings of yellow butterflies
fluttering by in pairs of proximity
just like my lady and me
January 1, 2017
