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

yore not listening

cameras sop insistent orbs
gathering bones inside me
hopscotch one maker to the next
I could have used a valentine
but that's beside the point
the point is dogs have vests inside their trousers
the door is open and the spleens have come in
it's not good to be unaware
your not listening
the trout have five children each morning
the eaves give out each night
snowboards sail in kitchen kettles
walking space boards in spackling time
your not listening
it's not good to be unaware
the tonics are out hooting again
give them a spare tire and they'll keep quiet
a blistered bum keeps the towels wise
preaching in canned worms till the trout go sprouting
birds undersea split peas to find ham worthy
your not listening
how many times must I tell you
listen to the practicality of my words
the bills, holidays, present finding,
extra extra do all about it
pine my pores with extra lunch boxes
feeling lucky in pressboard stilts
the long jump bowed out for a gin and chronic
rabbits feed their crows to tame the swallows
ostrich your imagination. give them toes.
your tables are empty, your parties are slow
you must do and give, do and give
you
are
not
doing
enough
ask the shadows
they do more than all of us combined
the eaters and the pinwheels sigh
they too want to be wise

denis streeter 11/27/17

frivelled abone

all the ducks were brawn
blinking moon in cans forlorn
the tacos gone
corn and guacamole
tribunal hot potatoes
lunch too soon
blistering chaos thereafter
horses seam in doctor unicorns
trusselling gunnysacks unpleasant dreams
suitcase fuels doctored empty
who controls, baker or taker
sordid show, the crap tables rise
strangers blow in dangerous faces
all in frivelled places
[oh frivelled is a word. no it isn't]
cotton bald, tulipped and grown
weeds in soury willows
twisted corners trace hides of narrow tides
raiding those improperly tied
altering blows and peeling spaniels
dressed in paper towels
drowned in spirit mask
know knot crown entrails
hug but don't embrace
drums of kicked up snow
pastures gnome and grown
gather undersea abodes
those abone enrapture flown
orange spreading rafters
postulating pastures labored toes
fights and screams each letter blown
hounds in snuffled shadows
all that winter spent
bottom down to up
some eraser fed
letters cross in words behind
puzzled left alone
nonsense in a different tune
frivelled brawn abone

denis streeter 11/19/17

missing hats

sadless shapes fixed set down
washing with a britches pun
louding for a quick wrong
tables cry the sun's at bay
the onions ate at tea rise
shadowing tongs embittered trees
eating a table sat behind me
the writing was wrong but the books taste right
left with a bit of sausage and cream
none of the crackers and sauce
they get soda bad
isotopes bringing them down
dancing with a plate of peas
saucer sausage an ounce of cheese
another tequila sunrise
understanding got misplaced
under the alcove i guess
they were hungry and the grass wouldn't do
neither would the glass, and they were at fault
don't know why, just their luck
only fault lines, the volcano grew
lava malcontent
books grew like ashes, ent no good
others grew from holes, half potted, half potty
it's how the derelicts grow, have it with fries
they grow from shelters
open the door, they have cigars, they'll buy you a round
live in a topiary with a dish of soap
the soup was burning so they put it out
rabbit a dish of sauerkraut
one dish warm the other high
mystified
nose bent, belt off, shirt cold
ketchup with an odd of eyes
don't know what's next of wise
define nonsense! they demand
shadows skulk in early morn
they don't know the eyes aren't
shades don't dream, they draw
no one is what they say they was

denis streeter   10/31/17

predictionary

guidance chose gold, as flower meets fancy
stakes sold other direction
meeting tells fiction
tales of wonder all for diction
nary a clue and a wisecrack mind
corners canary
calling my name, parroting words
sliding trombone
slicing the net membrane gone
on acid provide
sick to the poor
potatoes subside
nothing to eat
cabbage or tricks lie wasted
crimes riffle rhymes
all the beds talk in riddles
spittoons walk empty, no justice inside
a full moon spittles
spinning tales illiterate
directionless horizon
no continuity
no nothing is something
hiss rearrange
orange are apples
sun dries align
something goes down
flour or egg
no matter
words type themselves
without any mutter
mood pieces strain
some other design
mothers the batter
marks the decline
utter wet noodles
trouncing out usual
depression mount
enter the pan
looking for blather
litter undone
words repeating
sleeping in rafters
searching and dratting hereafter

denis streeter   10/29/17

why the ostrich

washing the badminton net
knots floor over the wise
hinting vegetables falling
toothpicks not far behind
the lab rats were running
sure as trout fries
lice in the pudding
pick pocket deep
all the junkies store their johns
right quick
not enough time
laces undone
slow slow quick quick slow slow
dancing not meant
cooking show over
wising green beans
over and over
nothing to do
washing vegetables just to be cool
the labyrinth hot, doors no
pudding dance in the middle
washing their spool
catwalk done in
dog doors swung open
casper unfriendly
stools stood drinking wine
get the vegetable cup
v8 running
car or drink. what do you care.
isosceles between covers
mints flow back
cartridge in middle
blacken or lighten
lignin returns without a word
does not pass go
turning unravels, root looks good
grass fries for no one.
trespassing doors
no longer a reason

denis streeter   10/23/17