A Place In the Blue

he leans toward shadowed hills
roll of thunder
favors them over sun filled meadows
spring flowers spreading in spring grass
bay horses run from him in a winding wind
bathe in dust buck in joy
the barn  gray with age
leans in the same wind
he doesn't say much
she much the same
sitting on a broken cottonwood
sipping cold beer
he wonders
wanders in his distance
the spring creek flows through her
a blue heron spears
she splashes  laughs at a blue sun behind blue cloud
he takes it all in
claims the moon is blue too
they speak in hesitations
a word or two
here or there
nothing more

Alone With Ghosts

the sun dust swirls burning in choking dance
through smoke  blind  you run from the death
of ghosts
the rhythm is to the drum
to the drum
to the drum
lightning strikes dry earth
sparks the tongue
the songs are a cry for the more pleasant death
black skies horizon more blackness 
drown the thunder drumming
oh yes anguish is this dance
oh yes 
blood to mud
oh yes
to smoke covered sun
alone
he is ghost
soaked in the screams
and bleeding
dusk




JP
9.23.09

Fair Haven

at the fair
neon girls squealing in sneakers run

a
ferris
wheel
circles
slowly

cups

spills

a
sugar
sun

JP
3.21.06

The Bucket

well into the well of it
to deep to hear the splash
it fills itself
sinking in the tug  rope
of unseen hands
pulling at nothing
it remains empty
a repeating emptiness
dripping faintly in the wishes
toss of a child's coin

JP
9.22.09

Libby, Montana

Sunday Prayer

no priest in this church
no sermon for the congregation
no one here to hear the preaching word
sing the hymns
kiss the cross

only a halting breeze

crush of autumn leaves

a few nervous birds

weak sun

blush of
blue cloud

you


JP
9.21.09

The Last Rose

horse's breath rises
to a colder sun
before me
sweetgum leaves
ripen deep plum
rub a thickening blue
in its branches
chickadees cheer me
cheer my little day

I am out and about
doing what may
or may not
matter
looking for more
wanting something

find it before a white window
the last rose of summer 
cradling its skin in old hands
it is the deepest of reds
deeper sadness
an older sun sinking
behind a line of ever nearer trees





JP
9.21.09

Musing-Parade Poem

I have a sudden interest in weaving very condensed story lines/episodes into poem. Ballroom & Parade.
In "Parade" I am seeing the destruction of lives by meth, destruction of communities and local economies by the abuses in our only now matters financial/corporate systems and the ever present threats to the environment.
On a small trout river I was passsed by racing jet boats and airboats. Yes, Everglades boats. Deafening.
In town everyone gets to burn out on main with prizes and concessions. More noise. More contaminant.
Bonita (beautiful) is a composite being based in the terrible reality  of the lost lives you see on the streets across Montana.
Things will never be the same in their lives in the destruction of their childhoods and young adulthoods by what is a true epidemic.

JP

The Parade

she sits by the kootenai
throws river stones  making rings  in a bubbling sun
a tiny cut darts into dark rocks
pierces the rings
I see a dream flash crimson
deep between her blues and greens

on main in libby squealing tires burn out to win the prize 
it is a long line of shifting gears burning long lines of rubber  asphalt  exhaust  applause
smoke  choking  hangs
drifts dead over the festive street  
today is their parade
I am here for it
her hollow eyes
I think she may be the thinnest girl
in all of montana

speaking only to her river
she is question and answer
she calls to me
asks for a cigarette

I'm bonita
they're killing this you know 
it will never be like it was
nothing is

I could only nod
silently hoping to see a cutthroat rise   maybe jump  high
in the thin
but lingering
smoke

JP
9.16.09
Libby Montana

Ballroom

watch johnny tango
johnny tango can dance  fix cars
spotlight on johnny
from eldorado his music is tango just tango
annette from texarkana is all red head taller than tall
they say she is the best colorist in texarkana
their dance floor is yellow oak  worn slick
she is flowing silk and heels
a torn stocking  fishnet  black
a damned metal chair
she wants to cry
be perfect
she is braver that that
she only cries inside
ready they throw their heads back  
arms taut  extended
perfect cheeks
their music is emphatically buenos aires
they move as one
little rock cheers
ending  johnny has tears on cheeks
annette lowers her head
they stand with wet clutched hands wishing   praying
the judges raise their cards
they have won
little rock roars
they kiss their tango kiss

9.14.09
JP

My Own Devices

go ahead now
unlock the clouds
open the sun
everything that can ever be is
everything that is
is with me
or gone

now please leave me
to my own
devices
there is a teasing sweetness in this breeze I wish to feel
then her perfume
bare back
whisper of her linen dress
greenest leaves
wild blackberries
now I wish forgiveness
for leaving my head in the clouds
for losing sight
of nothing
at all

JP
9.10.09

The Way Back

walk with me
speak in trees hickory
birch
sweetgum
you ask me something
or other
tell me
I am but a struggle in
and out in the blue 
pale and
deep
I walk in your thoughts
you mine
maybe the blueness gathers round  us  the sun  skies
then day breaks apart
scatters in our trees
in the dry quiet
we listen for our night
any unfamiliar sound
to find our way


JP
9.11. 09

Fourteen Mile

the clark fork
gives back its first light
light rain settles on rainbows  cutbows  cutthroat
the sun has fallen away
only bull pine push through drifting mists
a bull elk calls
the echo following long past the casts
the rise
the fall  of small trout  wet
in gray air

JP
9.10.09

Geologic Remains

on this earth
clouds are winter
lay on round lakes
wet meadows
eyes

the day moon hangs itself
dangles above me
before her
and after

in deep canyons
more white cliffs become red rims
white cliffs

without knowing
ancient shadows draw close
restless
they are a new lake of clouds
the remains of me
a moon away

JP
9.10.09

Now

now is slow dark rain
dogs sleeping
hidden in mist
there is some moon
but not to see
not now
only feel
or not

JP
9.10.09