Simile City by Don Kingfisher Campbell

 

 

SIMILE

CITY

 

A

Poetic

Libretto

 

by

Don

Kingfisher

Campbell

 

  

Simile City

 

A family of red roses

Cluster together

Like a solar array

 

A pair of parrots

Screech overhead

Like pod racers

 

Two honking cars

Pass in parking lot

Like dogs barking

 

Air conditioners

Hang out windows

Like bored citizens

 

A couple walk their

Pooch on the sidewalk

Vanish like settlers

 

 

The Adventures of Bao Bao and Dog Dog

 

She thinks we walk with a purpose

To release internal fluids and solids

This may be true, but there is

A higher inspiration: to inspire

Through the nostrils the scents

Of the sidewalk, the lawns, the world

That is the real pleasure, to appreciate

What humans cannot or will not

Focus on, the subtle joys of sniffing

Traces of urine and poopilage

Even flowers and weeds have essence

Yet, just standing in the wind

Might be the ultimate ecstasy

To feel cool air itself caress hair

Then return home to lap up water

Munch on kibble or wet food

Start the healthy cycle again

But first a thorough licking clean

Followed by a nice nap on my bed

 

 

Big Family on a Corner

 

Got a big screen TV today, stowed

the big cardboard box in the back of

their curb parked big black pickup truck

 

Couldn't fit it in the wide driveway,

there's already four big SUV's side-by-side

crowding the slightly cracked concrete

 

The big sideyard tent top is still up, nearby

are the black plastic tubes of mortars

that were fired during the big Fourth holiday

 

Four color coded trash bins have been

set out at the curb, overfilled with stuff

like any other multigenerational group

 

We keep walking the dog by because

they've got seven cameras perched

on the corners of their old house

 

Sometimes we see a white cat sitting

on a windowsill, but no more, two big

new air conditioners occupy sills now

 

Yesterday they had their little bulldog off

a leash, he barked and sniffed the behind

of blind Sukie until he was slapped away

 

They gently apologized and went on with

their familial activities; on a later walk tonight,

we just heard the television as we passed

 

Ars Dogma

 

Stop and smell the grass

That's my motto

 

Wait and feel the air

The ways to be alive

 

Let the afternoon pass

What's the rush to go home

 

When you've got driveway

And sidewalk to saunter

 

You can be a dog even

If you only have two legs

 

So traipse back indoors

Because you want to

 

Go lap up some water

Nibble some kibble

 

Clean up tongue style

Finish with a good nap

 

Then rinse repeat retrace

Those steps you made before

 

What a life for a canine

Or any size being living 

 

 

Scene from Edgewood Drive

 

An airplane crosses the sky

 

Irregular skyline on the horizon

 

Flowers near cars parked in driveways

 

A man sweeps the sidewalk

 

A woman walks her dog

 

An SUV passes briskly by

 

The hot dog stand is not open

 

Aftermath of a kid’s birthday party

 

Trash bins lined up at the curb

 

Sun bakes edifice of new storage building

 

No train on the tracks below

 

Cross the street if you see someone

 

Everyone wrapped up in their own lives

 

A mourning dove hoo hoos out of sight

  

 

Sunset

 

because I saw a bright glow coming

from between the window blinds

I stepped out of my rented house

 

looked to the sky and envisioned

brilliant yellow ragged rams horns

of lit up cloud formations arresting

 

like two raised arms over the Earth

below they widened until they were

spread out like crab claws beneath

 

the sky crustacean an orange ocean

skirting the tree lined silhouette

horizon which led my eyes westward

 

to unseen millions of unknown souls

who no doubt if they were outside

took mental notes or cell phone

 

photos to share with the ephemeral

moving feed of creation itself

switched on not just for hue man 

 

 

Sky whispers

 

Wake up my eyes, clouds in the air,

Like trees reach out try to touch moisture

Clouds in the welkin dance with love

Like white dragons or flapping doves

Me and the trees can only watch and sway

Want generated winds to carry us away

Clouds stretch and become so wispy

Spirits in the baby blue get so hot and dry

Trees are a feeling audience and so am I

Some clouds finger God because they are

So fleeting, so temporary, so repetitive there

One day they are this, they know they can fly

The next they are not, I too wish and cry

Eat me ground, process me, send me high