Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Dopplegang


A stranger parallels my line
Padding up and down the strip
Lunging when I lunge
Spooked by my retreat

She's
Thinner than me
More graceful
Almost suave
And strong
Muscled thighs propelling tiny steps

Maybe we're related
Despite her lefty stance
I do detect a faint
Resemblance
Familial surmise

Maybe she reflects
My future
Or my past
Maybe if my inner mirror was more
True
She'd look even more like me
Or I like her

Maybe with unclouded eyes
I'd know myself, and knowing, become wise 

Friday, January 6, 2012

The Fencing Master

In memoriam, Bob Anderson

Hello,
Your name is not
Inigo Montoya


Before you stab and slash upon 
the strip
You have much to learn


Prepare to die

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Resolution


Ease back
Don't leap at every challenge
Just because it's there
Rest
A little bit
Make space to heal, recharge
Renew

Waste a little time
Pilfered from work or practice
Spent on penny-candy: chat & tease & laughter
Caloric fellowship
Building towards a healthy social weight

Attend
To every letter, sentence, phrase
Plucked from the flow,
With utter concentration, but
Now & then
Unplug
From streaming, breathless news
Inconsequential urgencies

Be generous
In mentoring, in praise and
Reconciliation
Accept that people give
What they can give
No more, no less

And dammit, yet again, this year I do resolve to
Remove the tissues from my pocket when I do the wash