1bigblackblog

ART AND THE MODERN ARTIST


observing art in my older years
i am often left bewildered
no matter the media i must search hi and low
here and there and even far and farther
in order to find art that imparts
feelings of pleasure and pleasantness

where are the stories about taking mom for a walk
along the seashore hand in hand as she tells you
of younger years when she'd sneak out the house
to go dance the mambo rhumba and cha cha cha

or the day in a secluded forest clearing
a warm sun and drifting clouds above
wild flowers and wilder grass below
you and marline toss all clothing then
run and play in the valley of our lord

surely there's a well told tale about sheila
the clerk from jake's records who is now sitting
next to you on a beanbag loveseat
in your first apartment as the stereo plays
"....incense and peppermint meaningless nouns
turn on tune in turn your eyes around...."

surely there are such tales out there somewhere
inside someone isn't there?

THE HAPPIEST STORY


pulled my ex-wifee's ford focus up the driveway
and to a stop behind my chevy. preparing to close
the chain link gate i heard my neighbor call
he told me the good lord has taken frannie.
that she passed yesterday evening

always feeling ackward in these situations
i simply said that if there was anything i could do
please never hesitate to ask

later that night and after dinner i remembered
how frannie and my grandmom would get on
laughter jokes expressive faces

and the food

bread pudding with brandy sauce
fried catfish and hot water corn bread
gumbo with crabs and sausages and okra
and with ya-ya too

then i smiled

which is why this is the happiest of stories.

SHE COMES SHE GOES


things were tossed and things were thrown about
there were yells and screams and accusations

a picture was yanked from the wall
and hurled across the room
then she had the nerve to holler
"get out of my bed you motherfucker"

i leaned back against my pillow and
laughingly said "why you silly little girl"
she thrusted her arms downwards
balled her fist let out a hissing sound
and stomped out of the room

again i laughed while picking up
the stereo remote and thinking
"what a silly little girl"

the sound from the radio was quite low
so i pressed up the volume control
a man sang along to the beat of a jazzy organ
these were the words

"dont you love her madly you want to be her daddy

dont you love her ways tell me what i say

dont you love her as she walks right out the door

just like shes done one thousand times before...."