RodWords

Selections From 

GOING UP GOING DOWN 

July 1987

         ZION

Zion, 

Shining in the 
pinpoint dewdrop sparkle

on a leaf 

blowing in the wind

across the grass.

The leaf

flips

and tumbles,

struck by light,

inked by shadow.

Stopping,

starting, with

every beat of

my heart.

         BEETLE

The Scavenger Beetle

fiddles his way

through the 

crossed-sword blades 

of my greened-up

backyard, 

he will crawl

up to my tennis shoe

and stop.

San Fernando Valley at night, Southern California

                                                   THRONE

                                                lounging in

                                                the blue and silent dark,

                                                rain

                                                singing on the hills

                                                trees

                                                thrusting lofty branches

                                                from the yard freshly

                                                a'gardened and wet

                                                valley

                                                humming like golden stars
                                                under silvery moon

                                                Right now...

                                                before daybreak

                                                before cars start

                                                and 

                                                the city rattles to life

                                                I inhale

                                                and breathe

                                                thanks to You,

                                                Lord,

                                                thanks to You.

                                                My heart enfolds in hush,

                                                the fragrance of quiet,

                                                dishes neatly in order,

                                                fears gone, hope healthy

                                                future alive, awake

                                                And above, and within

                                                My Father God, 

                                                reigning on

                                                His 
                                                Throne.

         Tiny Lizard

A tiny lizard, baby

crawled up inside our sink,

frightened,

running in circles

'round the rim,

poised, miniature, 

pink flesh against stainless steel,

there he was,

disoriented and nervous,

I think.

I couldn't grab him,

but trapped him in

a plastic butter tub,

clapped it tight

and tossed him safely

in the garden.

Except

I severed his tail.

It lay twitching on

the counter top,

jerking like a bad marionette,

then slowly, it lay flat, motionless,

without a body.

I thought: that's OK.

Somewhere, he's out there,

already

growing another.

Image for a song recorded with Chris Taylor, "Hello James."

SPACESHIPS

Little boy here

wants to play,

doesn't want to work today

wants to sing, and sprounce and say

"Spaceships come,

take me away."

Cassette tape albums with different cover art.

Hear selections from PLAY at rodsounds on Sound Cloud.

SOFTEN

soften

me

today

Lord,

my racking bones

set up for

fracture,

my brain

set for overload,

 my humor coughing,

crumpled up

a crinkle

in the trash.

Oh good grief!

It's only a job.

but it's people,

pressure,

papers piled high

and a voice blaring

"get it done!"
but

--wait--

who's yelling, anyway?

nobody

Lord,

smallest voice

for the listening ear

You are here

I am here

please

soften me.

         SORROWS SHARED

Today they push

the pin into your skull,

in through your skin...through bone,

through brain-flesh

and into the sin

(you never committed).

Into 

the dark thing, grey thing, alive but dead thing

that eats your

life away.

Today they will straw juice from the 

tumor while you sleep.

Then, they will, perhaps

have an answer.

Can there be an answer

for your doe-like, questioning eyes?

This morning, as they

clear space for the needle,

I love you.

Technique (2)

write a thing

don't grade it

pen a word

then braid it

word into word

into word

flimsy,

certain,

dark or light

joy in this:

you made it!