A life is finite
the point of eternity
just beyond the edge
what bridges the gap
all of the points in between
every direction
no story is told
in a linear fashion
from one perspective
echoes all around
the ground underneath our heads
the sky holding us
-
JuneHaikuWriMo 23
-
JunePoWriMo 22
Nothing says we hate democracy like
shutting down debate on how people vote
or more accurately how we count them
or more precisely how they do not count
late stage capitalism’s latest stage
minority rule is the only rule
worth enshrining in the filibuster
those who govern least govern even less
amendments for a new birth of freedom
conveniently forgotten as so much
incidental paperwork not a part
of originalist philosophy
that government of by for the people
shall not perish unless we just let it
-
JunePoWriMo 21
The cat in the storm underneath the chair
pressure of the moment bringing comfort
in this out of the ordinary space
not quite hidden nor out of sight neither
waiting here until conditions improve
fog on the windows inhibit bird views
sound shudders thick on the wooden grain floor
let the other cat play himself a fool
traversing the stairs like he owns the joint
four legs square with my skeptical world view
if you cannot see me I can’t see you
my invisibility is the point
storms do not abate themselves with our will
if we don’t hide do we know who else will?
-
JunePoWriMo 20
Day gets as long as it’s going to be
cats find a new box to hide their toys in
the fear of missing out while everyone
is out may be real now staying at home
is the variant to worry about
the in person option now the default
there’s no going back to traffic light signs
as phases of what we should not do now
that we’re open nothing’s going to close
the open ended problems discovered
by taking time to pause and to reflect
will have to remain unsolved as we go
from one crowded arena to the next
to show up—what the next virus expects
-
JunePoWriMo 19
History is always showing up late
taking credit for events long since past
only to achieve its significance
in retrospect and even then fading
into some long awaited reckoning
indefinitely deferred by actors
still taking up the limelight on the stage
shrinking overripe strange fruit in the sun
racing to criticize other theories
that might displace their mediocrity
with the merit of recording the facts
every historian already knows
structures constitute the only country
we’ve ever known and it’s not even past
-
JunePoWriMo 18
Walking around the lake
the path narrows such that
you cannot tell the last time
someone else walked this way
close enough to the edge
the water may overtake
all flora and fauna in its wake
almost but not quite
at the far side a water park
hundreds of cars parked nose
to nose barely enough space
for the sun to burn fragile skin
frogs croaking in response
to cackles of school’s out kids
while the path around the lake
remains almost pandemic quiet
we may be marking new treads
along with cicada emergence circles
the whole circuit takes less time
than we thought it would to traverse
back at the skate park parking lot
nearest car idles while driver naps
waiting for energy to be expended
summer heart a loneliness hunter
-
JunePoWriMo 17
Now that we’re open
people are driving their cars like maniacs
crossing seven lanes of traffic
without even signaling
just so they would not miss a turn
that if they had missed would mean
going around the block
which they were going to avoid
by any means necessary
either they spent so long not driving
they have forgotten how to drive
or the fact that the roads are now
repopulated according to the whims
of who never really had the choice
of staying home or going to an office
that was never going to appreciate them
and suddenly there are places to be
despite deteriorating driving skills
the opinion piece I read today said
that this is America’s Renaissance
that the pandemic disrupted daily life
in a way few emergencies have before
and shaken things up and cleared the way
for an economic boom and social revival
now they are bursting out of the gate
racing to be the first at the red light
that arrives late and always lasts too long
-
JuneHaikuWriMo 15
Fish chases turtle
under the bridge while birds fly
kamikaze style
across the meadow
dancers dance in white dresses
waving colored flags
paths littered with storm
easily crossed if you know
where to plant your feet
graduation pics
framed by unadorned nature
return to normal
herons fly in space
geese ascending the shoreline
new paths lead us where
we’ve never been before: home
-
JuneHaikuWriMo 14
The thunder arrives
one cat on the other cat
sensing discomfort
unknown vibrations
all the more mysterious
by this behavior
could we not also
respond to the elements
by kneading biscuits
on top of our backs?
The storm an excuse to touch
each other gently
Joshua Keiter 