from the today pieces

early this morning i stood at a crossroads
one went north one went south one went east
and one went into the alley of death
the itch and tarzan were on the corner
in cheerful talk about boys on the lam
though they were ill the itch was wet
his broken eyebrow had been patched up
while tarzan fell off the tree his pants
are baggier still and his eyes are darkening

then a pirate cab went by like a flash
the eyes of a woman set memories tripping
as she turned to look back in recognition
and smiled fading rapidly in the rear glass
i crossed the street and went into the alley

allentown...shouting from a summer blow

dark cut loose wild over allentown
shouting from a summer blow
in the evening come with bugs and buggers
a brawl rushed onto the crowded sidewalk
quick to make room and ready
for the kill of one crimson clown
it all started at the billiard table in mulligan’s
when pr lester figured out brilliantly
how to go through someone’s purse unnoticed
then he had to roll for his life kicked
in the gutter banged _cue ball on a break_
something like a petard sounding from a side
street set everyone on a freeze and running
runaway shadows scattering as balls breaking
one body lay still

a dirge rose to the occasion warm and rogue
while some kid was led away by the police
everyone stood intent on the dream darkening
(
they racked up in the chevy
hit the expressway on cue with the sunset
as the radio blasted trash
and with shades of disgust splat on their faces
but it was fear confusion and despair also
nothing to make way in the shadows
but the headlights from a caprice speeding
loaded with a cast to kill

nauseated

may we assume wrongfully 
and interpret poorly the absurd 
in our actions...oh civilization

we are full of facts of life meaningless
_we made them up in darkness and fear_
the phrases spell all and nothing

they are substantial and insignificant

it’s extreme pettiness or grandeur to mask

the trifling ridiculously silly beliefs in full

the bit set in long tall buildings with arches

banners and flags crowning their tops

statues and gargoyles in strategic places

support for much shadow and occasional clouds

the pope in yellow flips and puts on a veil

and it’s reality versus reality interacting

announcing modifying postponing fuckitall

robin williams on the score perfect casting

for pere ubu but we’ll never know

go find imaginary solutions in trees hanged

in harmony with satisfying coloring and economy

of detail diverse material for de sade’s portrait

back to being to be sickened by it

its bare detail moving the beholder on contact

the range from choice to chance

daniel deranged matthew delighted

to die on a rooftop was not his decision

nor was it to die _it comes naturally_

but once with reason handy 
it became a sure option

he could become his own child

dictate sentence on his own being

define his existence then and there

or at any bloody given moment
thus he chose to go along 
but circumstances placed him on that roof

and climax he would reach in a hail of bullets