The Crazy Phrases Contest on The Last Friday Night Train by Jim Babwe

 

This Poetic Libretto may also be viewed on YouTube as a video.

Now revised, here is the new link: https://youtu.be/isbIr5Y0Ox0

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

The Fake News by Jim Babwe

 Please click on each photo to enlarge

This poetic libretto may also be viewed on Jim Babwe's website...

RECURSIVE MULTIMEDIA

Dogs Love Trees by Don Kingfisher Campbell

DOGS

LOVE

TREES

A

poetic

libretto

by

Don

Kingfisher

Campbell

She lives in a world of noise

In the middle of the quiet night

She hears footsteps to the bathroom

It's late and she's sleepy

In the morning she senses

Doors opening and window

Shades scrolled up and open

Then comes cooking sounds

Click click of activated stove

Sizzling wok, stirring wand

Welcome odors arrive to table

She lifts herself, saunters over

To get near the meat content

A few bites of human food

She heads to the aluminum

Plate of kibble she knocks into

Laps water from a proximate tray

It is time for a walk outside

Swinging of iron gated entry

Paws on the concrete driveway

Occasional passing car

Distant construction bangs

Across the street one smells

She barks back in response to this

Sighted fenced canine protecting

After whizzing on grass lawn

Grandma's boots jogging in alley

She sniffs patch, inspired to squat

The crinkling of plastic bag

The closing of trash bin

The resumption of trotting

The tug of the leash helps

But she knows instinctively to 

Step on familiar smooth floor

She turns and turns in a circle

To lie on her beloved bed

Proceeds to lick herself clean

Sometimes nibbling too well

Removing a tuft of fur because

She misses her vacationing master

If we go out without her

Sukie can hear the inserted key

And wake up from a nap

Terrestrial

Thanks for the sun setting

How the red aura settles

On the dark mountain range

And far below the silhouettes 

Of buildings lit with signs

And traffic lights multiplicity

Closer still homes rest on

Their concrete foundations

Supported by packed earth

And cars in the driveways

Also parked by the curbs

And sidewalks between them

A woman walks her dog

A man steps into his vehicle

Each their separate ways

Then the cracks in the street

The cooling air flowing

Over all, over all, over all

Father's Day Morning Stroll

A mourning dove coos for a partner

Who flies to the branch above to meet

Together quiet in the tree for awhile

One squirrel chases another up

And down the trunk and around 

They scurry off to the next arbor 

Husband and wife walk their dog

Over sidewalk and alley to spend

Cool fresh time in such company

I love to sniff the world

 

I put my nose to the ground

There I have found the odors

I seek in my day's existence

I need to whiff the concrete

Looking for traces of you

Where you last did pee

I usually detect you around

Clumps of grass smelling

Much like what came out

Then I am compelled to

Take a nibble of remnants

You left behind for me

My master doesn't approve

But understands it's my

Nature to take and give 

Something for you too

To Inhale my sweetness

Exited from the same hole

The universal messages

We send to each other

Just to say I think of you

Even though we haven't 

Met I know you smell so

Good you inspire me

Blind

If I couldn't see

I'd be playing

Pinball with the 

Sidewalk too

And I would feel

Every bump

Each dip in

The concrete 

I'll hear birds 

Chirping above

The close whoosh

Of passing cars

Feel cool wind

Rushing over

My moving body

In the morning

I guess I would

Learn my favorite

Sense would be

To smell all

The concrete

The grass

The urine

The exhaust

And the air

Between everything

Will always be

The best sensation

Huntington Meridian

Bushy trees like

giant broccoli

Pointed tall

pines undermatched 

across the street

by church steeple

Towering palms

on side of road

sway like pom poms 

over elementary school

on opposite side