Monday, July 29, 2024

Ape Man



Inside me an ape man hides
i know because by osmosis he seeps
into my soul
so that 

instinct overrules 
fear triggers 
adrenaline surges
fists clench

I know what's fair
but how I know I owe to him
who knows what courage is
and knows what's in our genes

challenged we strive
we grow we feed
pull ourselves up
though gravity pulls us down
our minds learn to muscle up
to crawl to stand

inside me a genetic core
programmed to survive
easy to provoke
be careful

don't trespass on my freedom
for I'm one of many in my tribe
all programmed to survive
straining at the yoke
to fight another bloke

if needs must 

should we forget we're civilized



Dick Russell © Richard M Russell
                    2024





Thursday, July 25, 2024

After E.P’s: Ts’ai Chi’h



there's a stone statue
a woman pouring water
into a bird bath

powered by current
water flowing forever
coming through the pipes

always replenished
if there is running water
day after dry day

tall montbretias
pennants guarding the bird bath
only for a while

red blossoms clinging
that fell in the stone fountain
shredded yellow white

a hummingbird sipped
before weather wear and tear 
drowned them in water

she’s still beautiful
she pours water very well
while there is water

an aged statue
molded around a brass pipe
birds perch on her head



Dick Russell © Richard M. Russell
                         2924

Saturday, July 20, 2024

Jokers Wild


So, one of the nine 
slipped a trump card 
into the decision deck 
a get out of jail free card
for breaking the law what the heck
a reusable get out of jail card
used to trump Jack Smith

overt legal power 
immunity
the shape of things to come
awake to the rule of kings
with divine right and then some
for lives can be made forfeit 
estates proscribed
just as was once described

So, six of the nine
stacked the card deck
installed a de facto King
even though elections weren't over
afraid of what elections bring
the voice of the people heard over
bigots wanting serfs again

So, three of the nine
chose freedom
showed courage to stand up
three women standing for millions
most of the country knows what's up
five men and Amy driven by billions
dollars hiding from tax
polluters wanting regs lax

In November 
will we awake
to find we've been trumped
or will people come to the ramparts 
to stop freedom from being jumped
yes, they will be brave hearts
and unselect a King
yes, they will be counted
freedom will take wing


]
Dick Russell © Richard M Russell
                        2024

 

Friday, July 19, 2024

 Ode to Loveliness



I’m alone in the evening 
politics pulsing urgently in the news
traffic noise far-off and near-by birdsong

I was most alone when I most desired to be talented
to be able to write short stories in pubs 
or at an outdoor table in a French café
under a fringed canopy near a sheet plane glass window 
where I could see Hemingway 
oblivious except to words flowing onto the page
telling him the story he was writing

Persephone’s fragrance wafts in air
near a fast-flowing fountain
water splashing from its brink
where hummingbirds drink

She bathed nearby and her perfume lingers
all around blossoms touched by her fingers

Water flowing and falling forever
pumped into a bathing bowl songbirds prefer
then one larger robins use
then even bigger should they dare
a yard wide almost a foot deep
on a base decorated with acanthus leaves

upstairs a bath is running



Dick Russell © Richard M Russell
                    2024

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

 Shaving



I do homage to my father every day
when I hold a razor under a running tap
to wash away metal bits left on the edge

he warned me to do this with new blades
before he died when I was beardless 
eight years old

I remember him each time I shave



Dick Russell (c) Richard M. Russell
                        2024


Jokers Wild A Work in Progress 60 So, one of the nine  slipped a trump card  into the decision deck  a get out of jail free card for breakin...