saint nicholas comes on the 6th
and brings with him treats
some are sweet for the mouth
some are warm for the soul
and some are surreal
for example one might get treated
with fairytales and pictures
of 300 year old gnomes
of spirits trapped within the bark
of grass trees
looking and longing to be
one and free
no matter what the memory
of dark nights may be
this is the time to turn on
and towards the light
Show me the way
we are supposed to open paths,
Rather than close doors
Light up fires
Rather than extinguish them,
Cheer and support our pioneers
Rather than push them to fall
Like the first line pawns
Nobody cares for;
Speaking of which, tell me
what is it that makes you care,
And move in the right direction
And how will you look out
For others today.
He was a named star
And he took every chance to shine
His face sparkled with smile,
his eyes with twinkles
And sometime with tears
But what was to be seen
were the traces he left with his hands
On the canvas he touched
His strokes were shaped
after the movements of dancers
His colors were bold in protesting
the dullness of any gray day
The shadows were there
to embolden the light
And there was really no need for words
Because wonders speak loud for themselves.
That night as we talked I understood
even stars take a beating at times
And May fall on their knees,
into sadness, or into oblivion
We are reminded
that being humble and small
is matter of fact the state we are in
On the scale of the street, or the city;
and we may not even be known
to exist on the scale of the galaxy.
And from where he sat with his thoughts
On his knees looking close to the ground
He looked up and he said
Be careful where your walk
Watch and do not lose your soul
And as he said his words
I felt a lonely wind clearing the floor.
Straddle the night
From day to day
With bridges of hope;
Do not get carried away
You still have to work
To keep those bridges in shape
For you and for those you love.
Thief’s confession
The only thing I have ever stolen
Is time;
Lovely time with my friends
And lonely times
With myself.
I have enjoyed them both
And rested a hurried soul
While twisting the seconds
Into what seemed
A fraction of eternity
To me and my friend.
A piece of the puzzle
I have stored in en empty corner
Reserved by memory
I just about forget,
I have also stolen a knife
When somebody was called
To cut the lies
Served at lunch,
And clean the plates
So we can all eat
(Something other than shit).
Does the giver turn ugly
Wrinkled by the burden of amassed memories?
Or does he learn to dance amongst sharks
And tames them speaking their tongues
****
Does the water of life revolve the same way
After it has give the youthful spirit
Again and again to the dancers
So they do not lose themselves in exhaustion
With no end in sight
The rain is most welcome, most solemn
A symbol of a fresh life’s return
The drops jump up happy
upon hitting the massive water surface
The ocean simply does not care
Tonight the sharks must have dinner
The giver must dance the best that he can
***
