Accessory

deafly amused 

I take whatever she gives me

steal the rest

an accessory to these 

and other modest 

crimes

jppestana november 30, 2016

The Sycamore Or Less

who really decides

without warning

when all the leaves will fall 

december

my sycamore leaves

my shade of night

struck down by some clumsy moon

perched in its pale branches

like some plump wingless bird

some thoughtless wind 

off this snowy mountain 

are gone

like so many memories 

lost to me

like the 

leaves

I rise

tidy up

the cold black room

dusty with stardust

a speck of star

struggling in a cobweb

wakes what's left

of the night

in me

jppestana novenber 30, 2016

Morning After 

slip carefully out of your 

dimmest thoughts

ebbing sleep

slip into your slippers

walk the long hall with half closed eyes

you are immersed in the half light

helpless in the wicked

tricks of darkness

middle night

pillowed in the revelations of everything 

that have never occurred

occurred but never 

remembered

jppestana november 29, 2016

Frog

paco

when you are done

with all your croaking

hopping around
your small pond

splashing off
the muddy bank

your hunting eyes

will still see above the water lilies

unfurl your long capturing tongue

catch the shimmer
of the moon

reflection of

the eagle

that is

you

jppestana november 28, 2016

Ice Cream 

when the same words intrude

shape his imaginations 

same poem

different flavor

jppestana november 28, 2016

Immolation

the red leaf fiercely rolls across the road

like a body burning rolling

slapping at itself

trying to extinguish the wind

fanning at its flames

jppestana november 27, 2016

Mindful

this is only the end

not snow

falling

on frosted

leaves

snow

falling

to a

melting

sky

jppestana november 27, 2016

Tesuque (ta-suki) to sarah-

in his mirror

she twists her strands 

the very air
slowly curls around her finger the forevers
some futureless dream
weaves her words
warm scarves of affections
almost lost sorrows
stares into her stares
radiant secrets
mystery
of her

she speaks mountain

mouths moving clouds 

their blurred sun

they hear the low echoes

rustle rumble of her hummed melody in 

twisting branches 

of the same tree 

a thousand 

or more 

times

she scatters her verses freely

pensively seeds her own earth

they are crowded 

alone

secure in the nature 

of her silenced desires

tesuque

jppestana november 26, 20

Holiday

waldo's  heart

canyon 

is filled with stars

spilling over the mesas

stars 

hung 

in 

junipers

jppestana november 26, 2016

New Mexico In Moon

in twilight deeply blued

the moon is gypsum

in a rim of gold

from his house

across the blue mesa

the snowless white mountain shines

smooth to his touch

brighter than the sun

the moon coated in honey

warms his heart

brightens his core

sugars his tongue

next to him

he reaches for her loving hand

cactus needles

pierce moon beams

honey drips from

his fingers

the land is

raw and

sweet

new mexico

in moon

jppestana november 23, 2016

Pilgrim

I am a man
as much as a man needs to be
more than the sum
of simple
pleasures
rapturous
cries

I am mystified by the drifting wisps
chilling mist of self
to speak with myself
and hear nothing in return
is more common than the dust
on these words

drunkenly untethered
let loose with the wildest
lifeless shadows
of light falling snow
starless days
starless nights
I am a poor enough pilgrim
shrouded in a cloud of doubt
walking this hopeless road
without a prayer

deciding to finally face myself
my idle amusements

I offer my eyes to the sun
in exchange for sight

jppestana november 22, 2016 ( in progress)

Destiny 

she is elbow 

leaning eyes

gleam

in 

inviting

window

she is destined to become us

here in the thin slices

of blinding light

quick surrender

of our shadows

anonymous

dusk

jppestana november 22, 2016

Yeso Moon

the road is more sky 

than it will ever be road

a vast veil of pale blue everything absorbs

the dry ground waiting for rain

a few worn out clouds

nameless distant mesas 

the same trains containing

framing the horizon

the lone crow shadows him

owns the pioneer tree

the old mesa hotel

follows the two wire

timeless trails

of air

knowing

wind 

rhythmic

wings

a tree almost emerald mushrooms

just above a dull forest of cholla

cattle mostly still

face away

stand around

round stock 
tanks

antelope frozen in place

chew stare at the intruder

thaw in their hurried running leaps

white cheeks

in the juniper

she has little to say

amazed at the all 

of nothing

he is taken

infatuated

by the 

cool 

soothing

smile

of the 
yeso

moon

jppestana november 22, 2016

Nearing Winter

when they speak
their words fly by quickly
like a burst of wind undefined
coming out of nowhere
dying in its first breath
moving nothing at all
not a worn leaf
not a tall blade
of thin grass
praying for
spring

jppestana november 22, 2016

The Station

the trains forever roll rolling
rail through his dreams clovis
for his dreams lightly whistle 
the lonesome land
lonesome songs
roll rolling through lingering night
elevating shadows
of silos
stockyards
whole towns
pulled along
with him
from the station
locomotives pull the freight
push his crazy reasons for being like this
seem a mile long maybe longer
he shouldn't be here
it's the one place
he could be

jppestana november 19, 2016

End of the Road

the bitter wind screams

sweeps the timid streets

fields of tumbleweed

sky of clouds

buries the fence house

at the end of the road

sun at the end

of the wind

jppestana november 17, 2016

Uncorked


this wine sweetens his memories

cures the absurdities

like a gold leaf unwinding

in a backwards breeze

jppestana november 17, 2016

Late November

brave geranium!

why bloom now

you are only one flower

in a memory of many flowers

tonight callous winds

will bring the first frost

I feel the hard cold

already breaking 

in your bones

jppestana november 17, 2016

Wink

take this all away from me 

this piece of me

and these puzzling words 

will perish in 

this feverish 

heat

go ahead 

bury these earthly words

in shallow graves covered 

with clumps of clay 

followed by shovels 

of black earth

searching 

curious

worms

I am fine with it

exchange them all for some

heavenly gibberish

angelic gazes

one 

divine 

word

wink of

god's 

eye

jppestana november 16, 2016

Weather Report

I want to push past the clouds

weather the blue rain

peel away what passes for sky

whatever lies behind

take a peek at the absence

vacancy of everything 

put my ear to the moist ground

listen for the imperceptible sounds 

dear to earth

her

jppestana november 16, 2016

Not Saying

I am bored by the sun

thwarted by its inspirations

haunted by its shadows

torn ragged by its all

I imagine it is bored with me

by the way it ignores me

glares at me

but its not saying

jppestana november 15, 2016