~it very nearly breaks my heart~
~every time my brother goes to prison~
~the first time was the worst~
~he had a wife & baby son on the outside~
~we were young & I wondered~
~how he would survive that place~
~face the days alone in that crowded cage~
~all our lives I failed to protect my little brother~
~I wrote songs about how he must feel~
~sent him a couple bucks when I could~
~for zoom-zooms & wham-whams in the joint~
~sang my heart out in the band~
~the songs started out like this~

~A Vanishing Face~

~if truth were a sparrow & I learned to fly~
~I would never again walk to catch a lie~
~if moments were forever & days could be years~
~love was a rainbow & happiness fear~
~I would drown in a moment of fear every day~
~color my love with your smile & say~
~I love you today & yesterday too~
~only tomorrow will know what to do~
~I’ll hate you never, love’s kindling feeds the flame~
~I’ll always hear whispers of your sweet name~

~my clothes may be ragged, these shoes may be worn~
~my shirt may need washed, these underwear torn~
~only the sparrow knows of the seed~
~dropped down from heaven, our love to feed~
~clothes do not matter, the heart tells the tale~
~success is not beautiful to those who fail~
~my love & your love, two hearts as one~
~summertime breezes, summertime sun~
~remembering touching, the softness was real~
~no words to express how it made me feel~
 
~blue eyes turned hazy, a vanishing face~
~I reach out in vain to be back in that place~
~I don t really blame you, these bars I can’t climb~
~& I’ll never forget the last time~
~no, I’ll never forget the last time~

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A Vanishing Face was published by
Flesh from Ashes
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~time lords~ 02/20/2012
 
~the bell rings~
~we march off to church~
~momma said get on the bus~
~the bell sounds~
~we turn our spoons over~
~the screws count them before~
~they return us to our cells~
 ~toot-toot goes his horn~
~the bartender boss~
~bouncers ready~
~eager to bounce you out on your ass~
~last call you crazy bastards~
~it’s been a hound's age since I used an alarm clock~

~time lords~

~hell~
~ain’t that easy~
~who are you woman~
~your batman face~
~runnin’ down your eyes~
~I went to bed with a queen~
~woke up with a prisoner~
~you never know~
~who you’ll wake up to~
~when you close your eyes~
~mirror~
~you are a liar~

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~fell victim~ 02/19/2012
 
~I saw a bunch o’ citizens~
~doing “the crawl” on a downtown street~
~it was skid-row when I was rockin’ & rollin’~
~now they call it lodo~
~cops erect chain-link barriers~
~to protect the rich drunks~
~firemen spray their puke off the pavement~
~what the hell difference does it make~
~who wins a baseball game~

~fell victim~

~once the big city night~
~travels your veins~
~you are prostitute~
~slave to its unions~
~no jesus~
~no mary~
~to save you~
~to enslave you~
~your appetites fuel~
~a destiny~
~a compulsion~
~to self destruction~

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~Galloping Sin~ 02/18/2012
 
~the problem is~
~well they are numerous~
~but the man who comes to save us~
~is the one momma lies to daddy about~
~the one we lie to momma about~
~hell he touches us all~
~in every private place~
~he is a devil in our flesh~
~a parasitical worm in our brain~
~a spirit devouring energy sponge~
~death cannot be so dark as this~
~he rode a tall horse~
~until it bolted & ran away~
~I saw it once in a cloud~
~he won’t let us look up anymore~
~all he wants us to see~
~is down here~
~is right there~

~XVI.  Galloping Sin~


~hunter gatherer~
~destroyer we~
~fall prey to gluttonous appetites~
~lust; the broken wing, desire~
~folds a stilted bone against~
~the breast of breast of~
~father provides~
~no succor to innocents~
~meet in low dim night spaces~
~earthen floor scattered about~
~dust motes lined down under the bed~
~tied to the butt crack adulterer~
~naked & throat full of blood~
~threatening gulp~
~sneeze denied~
~tied to the feet of horses drowning~

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published by Howling Dog Press
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~Quodlibet~
~The Hundred Bites~
~I~

~our communication stolen~
~prisoners & parents controlled by handheld devices~
~in the hands of schoolchildren & screws~
~what the hell you gonna do~amerikan family?~
~don’t ask me fat boy~
~you sold us out when the citizens voted you in~
~I didn’t have anything to do with that shit~


~I. Dead End Traffic~

~friday afternoon~
~it is a long drive home~
~woman on the telephone~
~dead animal in a pickup truck ~
~stiff legs pointing wrong way up~
~driven by an eater~
~of venison into the open~
~trapped at once~
~maybe she’s talking to her man~
~sure as hell can’t drive~
~that thing is stuck to her face~
~could be she’s trying to talk it off~
~ain’t no free rides~
~in a land of gypsies~

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~treasure~ 02/14/2012
 
Picture
~Kathy & me~
~as a man working the soil~
~so I appreciate my daughters & sons~
~imagine a friend for life~
~that is a long time~
~& so the five of them are~
~imagine the harvest perpetuating itself~
~so it has~
~further gifted with a partner to share the love~
~complete the circle~
~family~
 ~so it is done~
~a joy to keep – a~

~treasure~

~I used to get aggravated on holidays~
~trying to choose the right gift~
~something special for loved ones~
~telling them not to worry about me~
~my agitation was sorely exasperated~
~if I happened to be broke at the time~
~never seemed to have enough money or credit~
~to cut loose & buy whatever I chose~
~I confess I was as excited as everyone else~
~{except the children}~
~wondering what was in that package with my name on it~


~my folks have long been gone~
~{is there anyone left who refers to their parents as folks}~
~siblings blown away/scattered by the winds of life~
~as if they exist in another realm of time & space~
~as do I in my tower of word~
~I have lived long enough now~
~experienced the big ol’ world~
~seen folks alone~~all the way alone~
~yeah, those folks & others~
~in alleys & penthouses~
~islands adrift in wandering crowds~

~I ain’t easy to know & I know it ain’t easy~
~through all the struggles of this life~
~there has always been someone who cared for me~
~there to pick me up & know~
~when to turn away & let me go~
~my mother first & children~
~before & when she passed away~
~we held one another always~
~starving & laughing~
~feasting & weeping~
~round the family camp our fire~

~grandchildren~
~when they place a gift in my hand~
~are likely to see a tear~
~a smile visiting my lips~
~what greater gift is this love~
~I have always held~
~& a tear for those who don’t~

~a weighty pride to bear alone~
~that hunger to reminisce & share~
~the good love for the little ones~
~& their folks who were my little ones~
~I slept with a ghost who knew these parts of me~
~she listened & never complained that I kept her awake~
~she seldom slept & neither did I~
~I treasured her existence & promised myself~
~to always be loyal & true to her~
~that one day she would answer~
~hold my hand & kiss my face~
~be folks with me & one day it was so~

~this is for Kathy~
~my treasure, my wife~
~the unexpected joy~
~she has brought to my life~

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~there is no recipe for love~
~when it starts & what it does~
~unique & specifically wonderful~
~it creates a glow within~
~that reaches out to transcend our being~
~we may see through the eyes of another what it means to possess…~

~a window & chalice & key~


~if we had a window~
~we could tie ribbons in the trees~
~hang a crystal mobile in its frame~
~enjoy a prism of colors~
~each & every time it rained~

~if we had a chalice~
~we could sip from it each night~
~fingertips meeting to touch~
~sharing the blood of our love~
~& daring to love too much~


~if we had a door with a key~
~we could lock away our sorrows~
~begin again & learn to be~
~lovers and friends as we were~
~if we had a window & chalice & key~

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©artwork & words conceived by & property of
Tom (WordWulf) Sterner©
A Window & Chalice & Key 
was published by Skyline Publications
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~alfalfa dreams~ 02/07/2012
 
~the epic~
~reptiles & dust~

~with a narcissistic bent~
~if I don’t love me~
~who will~
~ponders the would-be philosopher~
~& there ya have it~

~these are a rage~
~& a sonnet~

~# nine~
~alfalfa dreams~


~in some pastures alfalfa~
~sweet scent of first love~
~& the death of reason~
~weight of passion flower scent~
~rolling in the haymow~
~old men on car trips~
~roll down the window & dream~

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~the epic~
~reptiles & dust~

~when he was a boy~
~daddy bought him heelies~
~so he could smooth glide~
~through the last few years of his life~
~before he was a number~
~on the wrong list~
~before he was a soldier~
~gone before he was~

~these are a rage~
~# nineteen~

~one nation stands~

~trouble with politicians~
~when their women demand new shoes~
~they are apt to ask what color~
~choose a nation~
~a people~
~name them enemy~
~steal their skin~
~walk first on~
~then in them~
~to hell with penny loafers~

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~Reptiles & Dust~
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~soon after the turn of the century~
~Quodlibet won the Marija Cerjak award~
~for avant-garde/experimental writing~

~Quodlibet~
~The Hundred Bites~
~XV~

~never knew a preacher~
~who stood down easy~
~except those too timid~
~to stand up in the first place~
~it is a sad fact~
~that too many fathers & mothers~
~talk down to their children~
~there is so much~
~daughters & sons could teach them~
~they grow away from the knowledge~
~the why they are here~
~pigeonholed & block-dammed~
~encouraged to be all they can be~
~most of what they are not~
~naturally~

~XV.  Children/Song of Life~
    
~listening to children’s voices~
~most anytime the all-day long~
~these whom never see a stranger~
~treads silently ‘neath the midst of them~
~a mourning service assembled~
~attended by bearers~
~one chosen spoken~
~of rabbits alive in the heath~
~children what they need to hear~
~no rambling list of qualifier quantifier~
~what you are & what you have become~
~need know only they are loved~
~each nomad seizes love on the run~
~a leaning toward moving spaces~

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