rough draft:

will you write
a poem for me?

will you stay
the rainclouds on the hill
stay the rain itself
and write a poem
for me?...

will you hold
the door
hold the home
open
where humble afternoons
reside
where quick hello-goodbyes
have time
and write a poem for me?

I will linger on
the front porch
or the back porch
a breath of
jasmine or basil
betraying my secret
self

the rocked becomes
the rocking
the rocking
becomes the rocked

and when the day is done
with just a sweater
on your shoulders

when the circle of
the year
finally finds an end

will you find a song
among the silly and the wrong

and write
a poem for me?

rewrite

it is far too early
in the cycle of the year
for the sunny air to carry
the scent of basil

and yet it does

the garden beds and boxes need
a healthy dose of water
every other day
when rain should be performing
the routine of our work

i am not ready
for the fullness of the orchard

for the ripeness

the overcoats and sweaters
have just been stored
and the rugs still need to be rolled

it is far too early in the cycle of the year
for the starry air to carry
the scent of jasmine
and yet it does

and i am unprepared
so unprepared

for the harvest

if the figs ripen early
they will finish early

and the winter will be long

http://royanthonyshabla.com/books.html

first draft

it is far too early
in the cycle of the year
for the night air to be filled
with the scent of jasmine

and yet is

the garden beds and boxes need
a healthy dose of water
every other day
when rain should be performing
the nature of our work

i am not ready
for the fullness of the orchard

the overcoats and sweaters
have just been stored
and the rugs still need to be rolled

it is far too early in the cycle of the year
for the sunny air to be filled
with the scent of basil
and yet it is

and i am unprepared
so unprepared

if the figs come early
they will go early

and the winter will be long

moon poem:

only the heart bleeds

only the eye
is eclipsed

Why I wanted to about who to where also to after so more people agreed that on are not about has where also not to has such on didn't people will speaks I not knows Courtesy not knows grateful didn't thought I of did on to once not about a a people to a a place and was defines Ah I and not hate he just didn't want to about just does all I didn't about of people are should hate I heartless did killed small's dry 

this is my found poem, a collaboration between bing translate and Yerri José Frankie Chespi

no it was not rape
but it was not love
do drunks remember
if one wore a glove

i went outside to look at mars
there arent many stars tonight so it was easy to find
blinking red and somersaulting like van goghs dream
i may need to have my head examined
or my eyes

hello goodbye
the road awaits
with bumps and grinds
and silly fates

i may move the earth for you
but i am just that way
i may lose the earth for you
but i am here to stay

if my words offend
know that thoughts do have an end
and all will right by end of day
no matter what i have to say

some friends are friends
some friends are buddies
some friends you kiss
and the world gets muddy...

i neither come from the ashes nor will i return to the ashes. i am stardust. that is not the result of some insignificant fire on some insignificant planet. that is the result of the explosion that created god.

that which is private is proudly exposed
that which is public is hidden and closed

there was summer for winter
and winter for spring
i wonder so wonder
what summer will bring

this is the appropriate poem for today (inspired by Therese U. Hernandez-Cano):

my work is benign
my opponents divine
the forces combine
to make me resign

now i take myself to bed
alone is better than being dead
dead is better than living here
where life requires so much beer

time to lay your weary head
upon your silky downy bed
time to sleep the night away
forget about your shitty day

that which is bad will be good.
what would you change if you could?
what will you change while you can?
everything great needs a plan.

http://royanthonyshabla.com/books.html

everywhere and everyday
there is something more to say
everyday and everywhere
hearing more than i can bear

holiday hell / yes you are right

i wanted to make a block print for the winter holidays.  since i live in a cultural wasteland, my choices for art supplies are a stationers that has been going out of business for several years and michaels craft store.

i was closer to michaels.

to the salesperson:  i am looking for a linoleum block to make a print.

salesperson:  what is that for?

me:  you carve it, ink it, and make a print from it.

salesperson:  we dont sell that.

me:  yes you do.

salesperson:  no we dont.

me:  yes you do.  i know you do.

salesperson:  we got rid of everything that didnt sell.

me:  no you didnt.  you have it, i just cant find it.

salesperson:  try another salesperson.

me:  i cant find another salesperson.

salesperson:  (walking away, disgusted exhalation)

to next salesperson:  :  i am looking for a linoleum block to make a print.

salesperson:  what is that for?

me:  you carve it, ink it, and make a print from it.

salesperson:  we dont sell that.

me:  yes you do.

salesperson:  no we dont.

me:  yes you do.  i know you do.

salesperson:  how do you know we sell it?

me:  other people have bought it here.

salesperson:  in this store?

me:  yes (i lied).

salesperson:  well we dont sell that anymore.

me:  yes you do.

salesperson:  I will ask the manager.

salesperson on walky talky mic:  do we sell linoleum blocks?

salesperson to me:  whats it for?

me:  you carve it, ink it, and make a print from it.

salesperson (after repeating and a pause):  we dont sell that.

me:  yes you do.

salesperson:  no we dont.

me:  yes you do.  i know you do.

me:  do you have a brayer?

salesperson:  what is that?

me:  you use it to roll ink on the block to make a print.

salesperson:  we dont sell that.

me:  yes you do. can you show me where the ink is?

salesperson:  ink for what?

me:  (pause)  ink to make a print from a linoleum block.

salesperson:  we dont sell that.

me:  yes you do.  can you show me where any ink is?

salesperson:  aisle thirteen.

me:  can you show me?

salesperson:  (walking to  aisle fourteen, exhalation of disgust)

salesperson:  (leading me back to aisle thirteen) this is not what you want.

me:  this says ink for linoleum block prints.  these are five sizes of linoleum blocks. these are two sizes of brayers.  this is a kit of carving tools for carving linoleum blocks to make a print.  perfect.  thank you.

salesperson:  (walking away, exhalation of disgust)

cashier:  (as i set down a pile of merchandise) did you find everything you need?

me:  (steely stare)

cashier:  (after ringing six items) we cant sell this.  (she was holding the linoleum block)

me:  yes you can.

cashier:  it doesnt have a tag.

me:  yes it does, you just scanned it.

cashier:  but nothing happens.  we dont sell this.

me:  yes you do.

cashier:  (on walky talky mic to manager, sounding out the words) do we sell linoleum blocks?

manager:  i already told him we dont.

me:  (walking out of the store)  and you are right. (exhalation of disgust)