the behoovers

all the poltry spotted hens
get back in line again
the traffic light out, the guns were in
gums break out in sage brush fire
all the drafts were burnt
the soiled dressing filed
the bone chipped preachers
preschool etched hives
it didn't matter how it was found
it was always better by the pound
the doctors hadn't figured
the dioxin were yoked
arrived by graveled snow
pulled by rabid rabbi
all the odd sniffs left
it wasn't beyond their boundaries
just beyond their know
it behooves them
gets up the roar and snows them in
ahem ahah amen amen
and the justice sword scours brushes
meant to beat the paddywacks
but the trombone got loose
left town with the moose
or was it the flutes and saucers
either way it shelved approval
first of two dope offerings
one at school, one at altar
but the hemming was too fine
nothing could be dressed up like that
put Solomon in a stitch
romans in a halter
the big cheese stepped down
all those golden steps
laying eggs ent easy
and the communists tell you why
lay one posy in a row, jump around, flack a boot
then the boss lays his finger on the rosary
but it's already been roasted
the pot caught the lid
smokin'
and it was downhill from here
once the judgment got afloating

denis streeter  2/11/18

storybook

the sordid solutions worked into faces
one direction to the next
working tunnels to justice
the jury is out
comatose a spell
right hand directed what left didn't know
right left unwrong
that itchy thumb
hitching a ride to the sun
wandering pictures of salads wined
it wasn't always that way
when juice spilled and picked up manners
other times windows shattered
too much construction
the baths disturbed the wrenches
the wrens disturbed the verbs
all that destruction worked into vowels
dampening towels
shores laughing to keep clam
the wilderness opened that day
officers keeping tabs
when the lightning bolt came
too much wine to succor
cannonballs
sutures the drink
in line for another
cannonballed
where shores swap letters to pictures
listening to irons
littering highways in vowels
burdening busloads of towels
snowshoes their depth
cannonball specs
horizon travels higher
in shadows a burden of war
testing shots with swings
crossbow wins
lacking understanding
that willful swing
answers war with sleeves
up to knees swiping pictures
danders to dandelion
all that blows is neutral
don't know where it stands
the mud is messy
behind shelters searching
all the pieces went black
looking for a time that itsint
but better
the officers bent way
their toothpicks are wrong
their laughter non
but made for strong sutures
setting up wind for supplies
the flies flew longer
watching wind for clues
there were pieces in the shine
i picked them up and cradled them home
they needed yearning
it was before the world began
i needed lessons

denis streeter  2/4/18

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

it is done

there was nothing left in the school
a dried muffin and a spool
the fool was empty and the food had gone
the sad behind the counter
exit stencil without harm
one deck to another
why reshuffled
it wasn't the answer they desired
not enough for the soul
a tunic contrived a flying cap
the ribbon wasn't called
writing above the wheel
just a shine in the storm
drinking kettles the fire was burning
when stealing the sand
rafter change the table set
chairs the stools rearranged
a bit of shelter
the weather changed the fools yipped the wolves mange
half were green and half were blue
they hadn't changed their tails
the weather eaten fireflies to horse
stars sent eaches to far kept bars
tar reach grab of ocean
whining under moonshine
cryptic goats shivering reins
pains in scotch where rivers fly
shadowing the knows with the nots
risk was shirking no one gleaning
weather shoved a dance away
it had to be ill defined
onions shopped for ladders moonshine bought and sold
dead as delivered
sugar wrinkled wrappers 
it had to be ill defined
wandering along for the ride
letters empty realigned
rippling rafter dogs said nothing
wolfing howl q'ed no more
song too lean
old times the teeth arranged
candle steamed its crooked core
wrong but sheltering right
left behind the icy moor
water restore, washing wax free
drying sun set the trays
lunch a lonely hour
snow in blithe sublime
there is no shelter
a manger a star a light
three kings set the night
stories told, scripts revised
revisionists roared writing wrongs
reading wept when wrote
truth dredging pools behind stools
wandering rules
nothing nixed the shelter
the bones were free
alive alone
stone seals open
it is done

denis streeter   12/24/17

Humility: Humor's tale

I'm one of those people who's never sick
I've figured anyone who called in sick was either lazy or lacked discipline
I remember only one time during K through 12 when I was sick
It was grade school and I was walking up the steps when I passed out
I was sent to the nurse's office who called my mother
wondering why she sent her son to school with a fever
It humiliated her, so I made sure it never happened again
I come from a family who's never sick
So when I came down sick and had to go to the doctor
she said I had pneumonia
i looked around the room to see if someone else was there
but no, she was talking to me
how could that be?
I'm one of those people who's kind of gotten sick
how could I have pneumonia?
sure I've had a fever, but it only lasts a couple days then I'm back to work
I'm one of those people who's hardly ever sick
I figured anyone who called in sick was either lazy or lacked discipline
it's what i've always thought but never said
Now I've been laid up for 5 of 6 work days
I was sick 2 days, came to work Wednesday
because I wasn't sick. it was Employee Shopping Day
I wanted that extra 10% off
I was coughing up phlegm on Wednesday night
So I called in sick Wednesday morning
No. Wait a minute. It was Thursday morning
I barely know how to call in sick
My doctor said to call in Thursday and Friday
and i even mess that up
did i say Wednesday and Thursday or Thursday and Friday off
I wasn't sure what day it was
I always feel incredibly guilty
sure it's okay if other's call in sick
they have good reasons, I rationalize
because it's generally not a good thing to say
they're lazy and lack discipline
so when i got a call Friday morning from the HR director
wondering why i wasn't at work on Friday morning
I didn't answer my phone
I had it turned off
didn't get the message 'til 5pm
why would anyone want to reach me during the daytime
Besides, I was sick
So I was angry
i'm sure i said i wouldn't be in Friday
the doctor said i wouldn't be in Friday
I'm not sure i said i wouldn't be in Friday
But i was sick, so i'm not sure of what i said
i'm often not sure of what i've said
I'm a very careful person
so i know
they are lazy and lack self discipline
but now
what does that make me?
i'm on codeine, ampicillin, and an inhaler
because I have pneumonia
but I couldn't have pneumonia
sometimes i wish ignorance was bliss
but i can't, because
I'm one of those people who never gets sick
aren't I?

denis streeter 12/10/17