Lagumbay.com Reflections on Love, Rage, and Fear

Washing women’s clothes
The drag queen gets some strange looks
at the laundromat

A rubber spider
here unceremoniously
failed to frighten me

Forty minute wait
Tumble dry on high — I sip
sixty four ounces

Trees shade the sidewalk
zooming motorists speed past
cyclists passing through

Whites here, colored there
I feel a little guilty
Segregating clothes

Silence is an unwritten psalm, a song of praise unsung,
It is an unspoken promise, an oath not made nor broken
thus kindly accept this humble token bowl of marinara –
Spare us from your wrath, I beg for mercy, giant squid.

The doom I wish upon the world can wait, for now I seek
a different fate than the countless others who are dead
rolled in crumbs of Italian bread.  Lift thy curse
and let me live.  I pray for mercy, giant squid.

The stars now afloat shall sink and the sky
shall be blackened by your ink as every living creature dies –
look kindly with your humongous eyes and call the slaughter off
and keep us safe instead.  I beg for mercy, giant squid.

Bid the world farewell –
Apocalyptic horsemen
are waiting outside

A rhythmic clicking
is a good indication
that your drive is fried.

Like a falling leaf
the sharp sword strikes gracefully
a clueless user

Innocent children
Display enthusiasm
so obnoxiously

Patriotism –
Cook outdoors and burn the sky
for independence

My diplomacy –
Another problem is solved
swiftly with a gun

An entire city
seeking enlightenment from
a book…of matches

An anvil descends –
Coyote with umbrella –
That never gets old

Self-assured patron
confused by the num lock key –
Endless amusement

A new dawn unfolds,
anything is possible
But I know better

The Computer Lab:
Within, we constantly seek
intelligent life

For the world to see –
the ignorance and shallow
Vanity of youth

December reminds me of an old friend
the way certain songs trigger memories
locked away in the mind’s attic, basement.
Like opening unlabeled boxes from a storage closet,
I dust off photo albums from what seems like distant dreams –
a childlike innocence in sepia,
long-forgotten joy fuzzy and faded –
forceful reminders that yesterday was real and true enough.
It is in December that I find an old friend –
my “there he was” as opposed to my “here he isn’t anymore.”
With the festivities and cheer the month brings everyone,
the memories it brings is what I loathe December for.

The flickering lights of a star-lit night
The street lamps burning — what a sight
Gazing at the starry sky
At midnight — my rocking chair and I.

I sang a song forgotten ’bout the brightly shining sky
That it came to mind, I was left to wonder why.
I shed a tear for loneliness as I began to cry
At midnight — my rocking chair and I.

The crow sang merrily, barely audible to me.
He stared back at my countenance, still perched upon a tree.
I felt I was about to die — alone — a sigh
At midnight — my rocking chair and I.

There I sat crying slowly dying — only rocking chair and I
Staring, gazing, still admiring the wonders of the sky.
Lonely singing, crying, dying to smile, I said I’d try
At midnight — my rocking chair and I.