Scattered Wind Blown Poems

i)

evil spilling down

through a sieve of fools

splattering toxic nonsense

respond with better words, blessing, 

midnight prayers, truth steeped in love. 

ii) 

poet laureate's laurels

scattered spinning in the wind

down the alley

past the overflowing dumpster

and open kitchen doors

iii) 

not much call these days 

for a claw hammer banjo master

folk songs under fall maple trees

iv)

tobacco, or an offering tug

from a plastic whiskey bottle

a song, a poem

all medicine  

I'm a Human Being

up early

pre-dawn dog walk past the Mission

fellow pushing a cart stops me:

"I'm a human being...

and a teacher you know."

He looked up into the sky, 

then back to me.

"Got a word for you... your homework:

find joy."

I handed him some money - 

he pushed it back with both hands.

"Give that to the next saint you meet;

there's one just up the street."

He gave his cart a big inertia breaking push

turned the corner singing.