stick to the shadows

letters splay off another
one sound to the next
water cold thumb warm
on off
tables turn oceans wash
upside down the water ride
opening hills through dungeoness shadows
horrors self contained
on the main
water valves release their outlet
owls steam and stew, oysters crackle
the first remains open, the second closed
succulent sticks pliant doors
housing as hours esplined
days drew weeks, months to years
but that was another story
for you it was all I could do
the living retractable
all the contingencies grew through doors
underground vines posing as lilies
morning glory doesn't understand subvergence
letters draw their consonant fall
one page turns to next
floors fall into place
splinters of yesterdays
southward door opens and close
hidden paths spread their roots
malignant yet benign
that rise and fall
sneaks in
falls
holds everything up

denis streeter   1/28/18

blunderbuss

shot between two shadows
the streams come rolling in
bent out of control and steeple chased
chastened out of wool and possum apostles
the bed wigs wool worn
too long for straps
fields of snow floored their go
beastly but undermined poe
watching trees snowboard and pitch bark
it wasn't a matter of elbows
they've been discussed before
it was a matter of bones
how they rise and fall
how they get their equipment done
the depressed quibble searching for sense
they don't really care for life doesn't give any
just a screwed up lank at a lass for lotr
farms scramble vegetables searching for eggs
nothing but an unsuccessful sperm count
ok for a whale not for a male
word emotions
the temperature freezes overnight
not enough to get the willies
the tablets are done and don't want to be taken
wise in the front, dumb in the back
the creator don't give a shit and the wise don't mind
pretend they know better
isosceles gone
going one flavor to the next
pretending ent nice
it's how to survive in a shithole
in the coming dawn when it's just words
those who say don't be a big baby
the sun goes down and the moon farts
smells in your dreams.  you have no castle
hope destroys the extinct
or am i an oxymoron
who doesn't understand words
doesn't apostrophize the lower case
just uses them willy nilly
it's not poetry
poetry parses its words
doesn't use trite sayings
shows don't tells
but the fruitcake is showing
there is no nose
castration no fun
where's the holiday
there is none
hope goes out the window
watch those toes
they're frostbitten
get inside
i'll help you with the ax

denis streeter   1/18/18

plotless

before the moon folded
the sun slid sandward
toward the lake bottom
verdant and wise
forming no bond
covered in feathers and jeans

drifting downstream to the local sandbar
punching up beer and canned coffee
the stirrups were natural

the shelters weren't
the can didn't mind
it came from the graveyard

hadn't been turned over
next to the turnips it fared better
but not for future plugs
tumbleweeds
you plug em, we plant em
makes a nice nursery rhyme
for the decadent inclined

sitting in a cupboard
plugging plots
never mind sing sing
the blahs say
they've whispered up the ghost
down where the cobwebs cogitate
never mind the ghostery
foregone conclusions
the spade is missing
the dirt is dug
the spools are empty
the end remains plotless

denis streeter   1/4/18