winter dressing

twas nearly implied the party was over
after the transversals took fire
the ladies were untoward bicycle reviews
leaving ladders in the know
the doctor dawned the distance
toward flames align
now missing and rising
checking images
before the final crime
not meant for ears Oedipus wise
drinking why the cocker spaniels
sometimes white in gray
it's not always this way
it's in the ointment
not that divine
and when the winter spends
the y's go dancing
over plenty forms divide
heading rafters comb reversals
systemizing lice and lime
the light shines in grey
the hunter in rime
the greek spreads its tail
betwixt god legs
reading through filters onlikely design
draw the line

denis streeter 1/1/17


twas nearly implied the party was over
after the reversal took fire
reading their stone books in bonfire buttons
the ladies were untoward
leaving ladders in the know
the bicycle reviews
and the tennis tent opens for business
selling tennis ball pettifours

summer play

the trucks open the screw stands closed
rocked up for business at an enclosure of wine
the sap suckers took umbrage at this and widened their screens
watching ducks tap their toes with drum sticks
fred Astaire dance all hung up on monkeys
the dehydrator said better
more bucket less ice and all is nice
wash out he dumpster of wheat compound
don't want to stress structure its edged
but you know what its good for
treaty bowls and lattice fountain
hiding the moon as a delivery agent
simple typhoons I guess but untidy
the laugh behind snored
up one bench to the next
the snore wouldn't open and got snowed in
watching past behind to next in line
the dressing showers out
the petrie dish in

sleep

stretching on while the leaves fall apart
all was a constant
variables hid in trash cans hunting for cyphers
all was gold except for the nipple ring
dragging behind the y was the yxz
it didn't make sense but it was there
through the bear hole with a bottle of wine
no sense in another the temperature's fine
just take off those mits and sand those gums
not much to get worried about
then the sand turned to wane
soap turn to bubbles
when the tide came the wood fell asleep
decreasing the variables
leaving constant cyphers
behind the why
leaving zzzz

denis streeter   11/29/16

Donald Barthelme

I discovered  in Donald Barthelme in The Oxford Book of Modern Fairy Tales (1993) edited by Alison Lurie.  His tale was The Glass Mountain (1976).  And it was the strangest fairy tale I've ever read. Nothing like it.  It defies any categorization.  And he's dryly funny.  Just look up Donald Barthelme.  Oh.  And read The Oxford Book of Modern Fairy Tales.  I'm not going to tell you about that either.  Just check them out from the library.  You might be surprised that a writer like Donald Barthelme exists.  I feel lucky that he does.  His writing will inspire my nonsense poetry.


Denis Streeter   11/23/16

plundering the skyline

First version and
edit version below


the blocks fell before the towns began
shifting up ashes in floats of fun
the derigery dressed in cow dung for the occasion
more than one dress and collar at a time
weeding was tricky for next revolution
code was out of order and solutions benign
so was the number nine
dressing up pools in shelters of crime
lifting tadpole from one stool to the next
addressophobia dusted the mill in peaches of pie
there was no digressing the matter.  speed for lapsed tongue
all the alphabets were dead ere one.  waiting for the tadpole benefit
scholars dressed in cartoons waiting for the apocalypse
migrating from mitigation those striped shadowed shoes
more for less when the steeples were chasing
words reappeared, some imaginary real
were became ere from I don't know where
the tongues were crossed from some senseless revolution
wrapped behind the neck where the toadstools lie
ginger and garlic spread their flavors
hunting for carnivores of institution
found politics instead.  the wigs have it
wandering the wings as if there's something to do
forfeiture and wingdangdoodle
at least one word is real
in this half in half world.

denis streeter   10/24/16

edit

the blocks fell before the towns began
shifting up ashes in floating fun
the derigery dresses cow dung for the occasion
less one dress and collar at a time
tricky weeding revolution
code ng solutions benign
as are the numbers nein
all the alphabets were dead ere one.
scholars dressed as tadpoles waiting on the apocalypse
mitigating migration in striped shadowed shoes
more for less in the steeple chase
words reappear, imagined and real
tongue crossed senseless eden
raptured next to toadstools lie
garlic and ginger spread their favors
hunting up carnivores the wigs habit
wandering the wings for someone to do
forfeiting wingdangdoodle
for the real
not that whirl.

denis streeter   10/24/16

really?

the crabs were singing
I dressed their shoes and they cried
there was nothing to do
so I ate them.


I suppose it had nothing to do with their toes
but I kept on singing
nothing to do with my crime
their shoes were backwards.


I finally opened the octopus jar
it was smelly and inky
maybe it was squid
I don't know


I was kidding about the cocktail kit
you didn't really use it did you?
just because I asked you why
it wasn't for coercion.


the onion skins fell off my back
they were discontinued anyway
sold them on line on e bay
can i get my superman one comic back?


I suppose you know the prime was empty
I didn't have any control over that
it was hiding in the corner so I forgot to feed it
at least the cactus isn't dry.


you were wondering about the marshmallows
I'm sorry to say that I burned them
don't worry they were stale anyway
I compressed them into charcoal briquettes.


no I'm not leaving.  just going away
don't worry.  I watered the cat.
he seems to have disappeared
I forgot he was wearing clothing.


never mind the rat traps.  they're already sprung
just leave them alone.  I paid extra for the self load ones.
they're loading as we speak.
damn I forgot to add water.


the rings are gone.  I sprayed them.  they should return.
don't worry.  they were feeling hollowed out.
I think they like the journey.
I'll ask them when they come back.


do you have any ice cream?
the one with the wagglety tail?
I guess that's a children's song.  I don't know.
It just made me think of ice cream.


what are you thinking of.  really?
I didn't know that.  I was only guessing.
you know. pride goeth before the fool.
but I'm known for that.


why do you think this should end?  really?
well okay.  if you really think so.
i'll gather these words together
throw them in the recycle.


denis streeter   10/5/16

waiting

the signs were high
up on the bridge
where the lines rafter
when the feeders stuck
where the truth lies
over boarded creek
when sounds relapse
test their pools
toss their rafters
over fools errand
washing sky
crease overhead
it wouldn't be why
it would be less
washing each line
overboard barrel
it wasn't the time
it was the lesson
signs passing time
waiting for you


denis streeter   9/22/16