Scruples 12 is an old/new poem. The first line comes from a work written in the mid 1980’s entitled Mirage. Reading that poem several months ago inspired a revision, leaving only the first line intact. The rewrite became another Scruples.
By All Appearances and Taking a Hunch To Task were begun last year and recently completed. As a writing practice, I rarely work on more than one poem at a time. These are an exception, with the former finished in February and Taking a Hunch to Task in May.
By All Appearances
Today, at the peak
of my morning walk
along the beach,
I spotted a bottle
which, more than likely,
was marooned by a wave
in league with the tide.
There it lay, lost
and found, glass glittering
in the bright of day,
shifting from green to gold
the closer I came…
What I held up, against
the horizon, was skinned
with moss, nothing
inside beside shells
and sand.
Soon enough I cast
the bottle into
an outgoing current.
Adrift, it looked
like a floating ray
of sunshine.
Taking a Hunch To Task
In the midst of this late shift
he wonders along at a pace
of step and stop.
While listening, the watchman suspects
termites’ re nibbling, more
than likely on the roof…
Which rafters…how many moonbeams
ready to splinter, go for broke…?
Guess turns into groundwork
as he lugs a ladder up,
against the wall.
It’s high time to climb
and seek, look down
on them, warily.
Scruples
12
Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder?
How much depends
on the way it’s concocted—
in a half filled glass, with
or without water, one
to three lumps of sugar.
As for when, anise tastes
bitter from the first sip…
After a few more, spirits
fresh out of the bottle
serve memories right, stir up
mixed feelings.
This posting has no Scruples, these poems stand alone!
While living in Brazil, I would visit my parents during the Christmas holidays. They lived in St. Petersburg, Florida. Tyrone Mall. a local shopping center, is the setting for Reel to Real. At the turn of the 21st century I retired. Most retirees make a speech for the occasion. I wrote a poem —A Farewell email. Fitting Passage is a recent poem, begun in 2013 and finished in 2014.
Fitting Passage
What cargo awaits
the train shunted
into this kind of siding
in the middle of the night?
A lone locomotive
coupled with odd
numbered cars
chugs ahead.
Clear signals keep it on track,
right from wrong
seen as red or green.
The master in charge of the yard
works long, late hours
making haul choices.
Loading starts at whistle stop,
ends in time
for the likes of dawn.
On his darkest watch,
no train can come
and go, empty.
A Farewell email
To: directors@the_greatest_show_on_earth.com
From: mike@residentmanager.com
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our Qatar tour went well. To begin with, we performed
at select locations—only those along trade routes. Besides the locals,
nomads, pilgrims, even sheiks with harems came from near and far.
As for attendance, they came in droves. By mid trip, matinees were
always sold out. The same nightly. Then I added late, late sessions.
Today the show goes on—finally for the last time. After that, as
soon as the troupe´s packed, a caravan´ll take us to the airport. Everyone´s
flying back except yours truly. Our fortune teller saw me living in Spain
for years, writing my memoirs.
And how´s the head hunt going? At our spring meeting
we talked about my retirement. When was clear. That left the question
of succession.
Your choice was Jimmy, the lion tamer. Mine was to hire an outsider.
Someone with an MBA, years of experience, used to travelling on business.
My sister matches like stripes on a tent. Remember her, the exec
from Tusks & Us that bought our white elephants? Since then she´s been
looking for a job. Months ago I sent you her resume with photos.
With kind regards,
Michael
Reel to Real
She’s waiting in a small cafe,
sitting near the bar.
He’s late. Behind her a Cinzano
logoed clock comes into focus.
Now she looks more worried
than angry…on weekends the curfew
begins in half an hour.
They´re lovers. He´s also a spy
for the allies.
She doesn´t know that;
nor what´s going on
and on, under orders.
Two men in trench coats
had dragged him off a trolley,
into an idling car.
Tires squealed. An armed guard
raised a gate.
The interrogation scenes were
too painful to watch.
Close ups showed the agents
beating him–with their fists,
then truncheons.
They wanted names, dates,
not bon mots about the weather…
It´s Sunday. After the matinee
we always stroll around
the mall, window shopping,
looking for bargains.
All aisles cross the food court.
Anyone on our trail would see
us stepping into Hollywood,
where fast food
is named after movie stars.
This posting comprises another trio of Scruples (#’s 9, 10, 11). The previous eight and their posted dates are: #’s 1-3/ December, 2013; #’s 4-6/ March 2014; #’s 7-8/ September 2015.
All share the same leitmotif : “The idea of scruples has to do with ethics and morality: what is right and wrong. Scruples are a kind of moral compass that lets you know what’s right.” (https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/scruples )
Written with the best of intentions, may they be well worth reading.
Scruples
9.
Too bad for the jar
of jellybeans
as a cat
with a sweet tooth
shows up, all
at once, out
of curiosity, on
the top shelf…
Worse comes soon
after, when
he starts pawing
around, by
and large, closer,
closer…
Their worst off
would be
if, in due time,
he devours
the strawberries,
key limes,
every cherry,
a whole lot
of tutti fruttis.
10.
Today was meant for me
to find a starfish
with seven arms, another
map stowed
in a bottle, a mixed bag
of old coins…
The best beachcombing comes
after a storm;
as soon as the tide lies low,
more and more
flotsam shows up…
Whatever does can make
any day’s luck
good or bad, sometimes
in a streak.
11.
Honey—a bunch of Huns
is heading this way—
astride the mountain road,
raging at full gallop.
While I fetch the wagon,
take a last, fast look
around—make the load
good and light.
Those fiends won’t find
a soul to greet them,
much less do their bidding.
If all goes well, we’ll ferry
the river by dark,
hide on the safe side…
Elsewhere, only a miracle
can save our home,
sweet home, from
the likes of them.
The Middle East was geographically far removed from South America, my home ground. What, then, inspired me to write the poems of this posting?
Aladdin on a Divan Overshadowed by Herr Doktor Freud was written in 1988 soon after I moved to Brazil. It was my first published poem. A decade later, without any before thoughts, I wrote Arabic Numbers. The most recent of the trio, The Main Attraction in Marrakesh, was written in 2014.
Aladdin on a Divan Overshadowed
by Herr Doktor Freud
Spot the lamp.
Ogle it.
Then ease into
the tent’s roomy gloom…
Now try your memory.
Start where the oasis
stands at the foot
of the horizon,
highlighted by half a sun
going under
while you’re bent on
sipping spring water
well before darkness.
When it comes
fallen palm fronds
make a mattress
soft enough
for slumbering
under a sheet of stars.
Later, a dream shows up.
It looks like an empty tent
with only a lamp
dangling from the ceiling.
You’re told to enter
through a voice
without a head or tail.
It’s a genie’s,
openly spouting off
about what’s his rub,
and why he wants a stroking.
That’s where you come in,
a child of the desert
with sand in your ears,
armed with a helping hand.
So far, are we in sync, Mr. Aladdin?
Furthermore, was backtracking
the right way
to run today’s session?
Once upon a time
you were gifted with granted wishes
which, in this case,
paired your youth
into before and after.
As such, the latter’s become
a no lad’s land.
Until you’re man enough
to tell the difference,
I’ll sit in for the genie–
grow a grey goatee.
First published in Poetry Magazine
Arabic Numbers
At the back
of the patio
I pat the concubine
with such a light touch
that her skirt neither
wrinkles nor rustles.
Then I vanish
behind a curtain,
reappearing in a lamp-lit parlor
where, on the floor,
there´re pillows for visitors,
a sofa for the host.
A eunuch ushers me to mine. This time
it’s lying
beside the musicians.
The guests’ re friends,
neighbors, merchants from his oasis,
drinking tea, eating sweets, waiting
for the sand to fill an hourglass.
Our sheik´s the richest in Tunis.
Every month he gives away
a girl from his harem
and two gold rings
to whoever she chooses.
But before that her dancing must make
his heart beat like a tambourine,
ours like hyenas in heat.
Tonight he´s promised to unveil
an Egyptian.
I see a face in the hourglass,
hear her whisper my name,
and in the same breath, seven.
The Main Attraction In Marrakesh
On weekdays, as a rule,
the market opens
after morning prayers,
closes before evening call…
The old wall looks like a floor
covered with rugs in a range
of sizes, shapes, magic colors.
Whenever the wind blows,
they wave for attention.
Perfume vendors mind booths
lined with shelves.
They sell by scent, amount,
choice of bottle.
Each promises more
than he can deliver.
The spice stalls make
breathing a pleasure.
Deep draughts, one
after another, bring out
their best and worst.
In a tent armed with guards,
there’s much to see,
but not touch.
Glass counters, aisle
by aisle, showcase rare gems,
jewels fit for a sheik.
Tourists are always welcome,
even those who only
browse, complain about
the dust and heat.
Shoppers with hard currency
can buy whatever they want
without haggling.
Time for another posting of Scruples? Numbers 4 thru 6 were posted in March of 2014. This time, it’s 7 and 8, the latter with an audio file. (Clicking on the triangle initiates playback).As for timeliness, both were written since the previous posting. They are the most recent poems published in Three by 3. The third poem, What’s in the Attic?, was written as recently as the Scruples entries. A first version from 2013 was revised in 2014, which is the work posted.
Scruples 8
Scruples
7.
Bigfoot is back in season, should
show up the more it snows,
leaving fresh tracks
there and then.
After a while, trails will
appear, clear cut
enough to follow.
Mounting a search party
takes some choosing.
Members must be as brave
as savvy, able bodied, get
along well, willing to bear
the burden of proof.
Once mustered, our mission
is to make contact
with this man,
beast, or both.
If it looks harmless and
waves a white flag,
so much the better.
8.
After a while the fountain appears,
as moving as ever, water galore
from the mouths of cherubs
streaming into a pool.
The coins come from elsewhere,
airborne, toss ups
that started out as small change.
They lie, by chance, scattered
about, some sparkling
like new, others mistaken
for moss.
Those down the drain, sight
unseen, might
be twinkling in the dark.
What’s in the Attic?
One small, bare window
above the rafters,
under the roof,
lets all the light in.
During the day it comes
from sunbeams. At night,
star bright and moon glow.
Boxes, stacks, piles
of something or another
have their place.
So does a door
the size of a hatch,
which opens up, shuts down.
Now you appear with more to store.
Not much room left–
shelves are full, space is tight,
air cluttered with ghost dust.
Time to clean out the attic?
It´s long overdue.
Water related images appear in three by 3 postings of July and December 2014, March and September 2013, June 2012.
This posting includes two poems with water imagery. Noah’s Notions was written in 1999 and published the same year. Skimming All the Way, from 2008, is one of my first poems written in the US, post retirement.
Timely Observations has nothing to do with water! It shares with Noah’s Notions the year written and publication by the same journal.
Correction—In the March-May 2015 posting, the first line, last paragraph of Windfall incorrectly read Could the crows change sides… The corrected line is Could the wind change sides…
Noah’s Notions
At first, ancillaries change.
Now it rains too often.
The birds have skipped chirping.
The rainbows are washed up.
Yes, this must be Mesopotamia.
My sympathy should sync in.
It’s pointless to long
after a rosy sky.
For one that went elsewhere.
Besides, I can’t backtrack
with both rivers bridgeless.
Their waters are taking
over my last memory bank.
Suddenly, like airborne flotsam,
I’m hearing even worse tidings.
Their drift’s coming clearer:
some day the sun’ll rise again,
but, meanwhile, there’s
more flooding to be forded.
As I’m lacking a lifesaver
any waterproof solution
needs nailing down—now.
Even ark work which,
though highly spoken of
by the world builder,
still sounds screwy.
First published in Kimera
Skimming Along the Way
He can always find
at low tide, stone
after stone along this beach;
though only a few
land in his bucket,
each as round, smooth,
flat as a coin.
Besides choosing wisely,
he knows how to throw
far, so hard
that, on a calm day,
they skip on and on,
right for the horizon.
By mid morning,
his lot is cast
along with theirs.
He sent them soaring,
above and beyond
the sea’s reach.
They leave him standing
by the shore, holding
an empty bucket.
Timely Observations
Time out has no due date,
though it could show up
should someone stumble,
without waterwings,
into a whirl pool.
There’s no watch in the world
which works so well
as to tell when a will
will be needed for a reading.
The sand thins down, ad nauseam.
The middle ground undergoes
a shakeout…
…as an hour glass’ horizon sifts,
from top to bottom,
from one end to another,
adding both halves together.
So, a clock’s always unwinding,
with quartz hands
counting on pulses.
Then, when a busy body
runs late an alarm rings.
This time without stopping.
First published in Kimera
Critters have shown up in the three by 3 postings of December 2012, March 2013, December 2014. This trio might be the last of their lot.
As for time and place, Windfall was written in 2002, A Widow’s Diary in 2005, both while I was residing in Brazil. Style vs. Content is the earliest of any of the posted three by 3 poems. It was written in 1985, my last year living in Mexico.
Windfall
A bonafide bluffer, the chameleon can lie
flat out on a rock—even when
the sun stares into his eyes,
the wind rubs him the wrong way—
from the front, down his snout.
Still—he doesn’t blink or twitch,
appear to breathe, turn tail
as the crows approach.
Early risers, they’re ready to eat
anything—from the ground up—
that happens to be there.
By dawn the flock’s airborne, soaring,
some on top, the rest circling
lower, around his whereabouts.
In a few more loops, they’ll be
within swooping distance, cawing for blood.
Could the wind change sides,
blow the crows black into the sky,
give him a chance?
There isn’t a chameleon born
whose camouflage hasn’t fooled
scores of high flyers;
nor one alive
that hasn’t been lucky—once
in a while.
A Widow’s Diary
Web…web…what did I expect
from a spider stuck
for months in a closet?
She’s accomplished a lot—
strung her’s up and down,
netted one..two..shelves.
Spring’s arrived. I’ve brought a taste
from my garden, seasonably
sweetened by nectar.
Won’t the spider be pleased?
She’ll have a butterfly
for company, bluer
than the sky outside.
Style vs. Content
“Yoicks,” you sputter
as the hounds bound off,
brindle through the dust,
and the flushed fox
hithers across fields,
under fences.
Helter skelter we trollop
on our high horses
to where
four quarters land us.
And ho to the hunt!
Tally towards the bloody beast!
Sods on the spot:
the last hedgerow
is overrun
by an uphill onslaught,
as our straight away
wins out.
Now victory runs right.
The fox, too tired
for further feeling,
sulks tight.
The hounds badger him
at bay,
until we muzzle in.
Up close
he’s nothing but
poor sport.
The September-November 2012 entry included poems based on my travelling, be it for business or pleasure. Origins on Galapagos, Out of Close Range, and On Andean Time are a continuation. Location wise, the first relates to the Ecuadorian islands, the second to a wildlife photo safari in Kenya, Africa, the third to springtime fishing in the Andes mountains of Chile.
Origins on Galapagos
Lucky ducks, though they’re terns,
that can always bank on
a cornucopia surfacing around them—
marooned onshore pools
with kelp, eelgrass, crabs
clinging to the bottom…
Their ancestors also fared well,
as per my post mortem memory.
Enough to establish a flock of birds
with blood lines tied to flowing tides.
My kind died out long ago,
overcome by an unstable volcano.
Had our wings been bigger
we’d have flown off the island;
or swam away if we’d known how.
Likewise, I can recall when
the first newcomber was spotted
poking around one sunrise.
He appeared alone, but as the sky shined
others showed up, mouthing sounds
like “right here” and “Dr. Darwin.”
Each day they arrived early, left
after hovering over scores of nests.
Naturally, they never saw a feather
nor heard us chirping.
We were no more than a body of ashes
left behind like lava—the darkest part
of the sand they stepped on
while doing their legwork
up and down dunes.
They came close, though,
those curious creatures
that ran around
after every tern.
Out of Close Range
The cheetahs parched, hyenas hoarse,
plodding pods of antelopes,
as a two o’clock sun smelts the veldt.
Between them and the river, men with rifles,
lots of bullets, time on their side, hide
behind a blind made from mud, woven reeds.
Not far off, nor much later, a zebra appears.
He’s all white with a black mane
that looks like wings.
The hunters‘ll shoot high
if he flies by, low if he trods.
One way or another they can’t miss,
unless it’s a mirage.
On Andean Time
By degrees, the lower slopes turn
into a kaleidoscope—
on one side, blue mingles with white—
a split image of the sky.
On the other, yellow flashes—
as bright as sunlight…
In winter these slopes look like
the rest of the mountain—
no flowers blooming out
of season, only near and far
the cold glow of snow.
The three poems selected for this posting relate to the concerns of work. Seasonal Unemployment and How to Succeed in Apiculture were written during the last years of my professional life. They seem to comment on the process whereas The Industrialization of Silk critiques means and ends. It was completed during the first months of my retirement, in plenty of time!
For readers who would like to hear a poem, I have recorded a sound file of Seasonal Unemployment. Clicking on the triangle initiates playback.
Seasonal Unemployment
Once I was a scarecrow
with acres of corn in my care.
I watched generations of seeds
grow up and flourish.
They made me feel alive.
Since then, with each harvest
leaving me less to do,
more to reflect on,
it´s becoming
as clear as clouds
that I´m no longer
needed by the farmer
who made me his
stand in.
Now, autumn´s night frost
freeze dries my stitches,
and every day almost
winter winds pick them apart.
Limb by limb, I´m losing
all my inner support:
straw´s running out,
a broomstick’s severed.
In a barn, somewhere,
there´s a man
weighing his good fortune.
And here I am — over the hill,
facing a field full
of nothing.
How to Succeed in Apiculture
Plenty of bees swarming around
his hive, others flying in,
and out…
With veiled enthusiasm,
he’s there to take stock of the boxes,
prying not to upset any
while looking for honeycombs.
Those chosen for culling
should be found dripping, larger
than a man’s hands.
For stowing, his back’s
strapped with a knapsack
which, like always,
should soon be bulging;
by the end of summer,
much too small.
As for the bees, they’d
be a wild bunch without him;
their nest no more than a batch
of wax branching from a tree
nowhere near this pasture sown
with rye and clover.
The Industrialization of Silk
One summer, with the Empire in full bloom,
the mulberry trees stood leafless,
their branches alive with
tea colored cocoons.
Legend says that some fell
into a bucket of boiling water,
ending up as threads ready for weaving.
The first bolt was rushed to Court—
a fabric so fine it tingled, so light
it fluttered from hand to hand.
Finally, after much discussion
and no consensus, the Emperor decreed
that only nobles who paid taxes
could trade in silk.
He also forbade exporting
the eggs, with good reason…
Outside his realm, rulers
were as greedy as thieves,
and ruthless.
That was millenniums ago.
Now all sorts of bolts, from crepe
to taffeta, are produced, worldwide,
on high-speed looms. And thanks to genetics,
the larvae eat less, grow faster, spin
larger cocoons. Even the dirty work
of boiling is automated; no longer
done by artisans on a small scale.
Given today’s growing demand for silk,
the worms need to be massacred.
“The Likes of Master Shimu’s Artistry,” “Museum Pieces,” and “Priorities in Perfect Practice,” (Three by 3: September-November 2013, March-May 2013 ) were written in English. A friend, Edward Shaw, whose resume includes working as a journalist for the Buenos Aires Herald and the author of many publications on Latin American art, culture and politics, kindly translated them into Spanish.
To facilitate comparison, each original is followed by its translation.
The Likes of Master Shimu’s Artistry
A stream springs up.
Ribbons of currents sparkle
as they curl around rocks;
turning, by late afternoon,
into the deep water
of a long, dark pool.
There and then, its slowly
moving surface features
the likes of Master Shimu
searching for shade
along the bambooed bank.
Are those his eyes
floating among the green leaves
whisked off by the wind?
An eddy enters the picture.
Soon the leaves are drawn
towards it, branching
away on separate waves.
Also, within drifting
distance, the bottom
appears again.
Las semejanzas de la calidad artística del Maestro Shimu
Un arroyo surge.
Cintas de corrientes relumbran
mientras que serpentean por las rocas;
virando, al atardecer,
hacia las aguas profundas
de un charco largo y oscuro.
Allá y en ese momento, sobre la superficie
en lento movimiento, se destaca
la semejanza del Maestro Shimu
buscando sombra
a lo largo de la ribera cubierta de bambú.
¿Son aquellos sus ojos
flotando entre el follaje verde
arrebatados por el viento?
Un remolino entra a la escena.
De repente las hojas son arrastradas
hacia él, dividiéndose en ramas
sobre olas separadas.
También, dentro de la distancia que flotan,
el fondo reaparece.
Él ha visto lo suficiente, sin embargo,
por un día pleno;
entre reflejos
y el espejo que los separan…
Es hora
de dejar que seque la acuarela.
Museum Pieces
for Nora
1
The art in this room
should share a single statement.
It’s supposed to say something
about belonging together,
though every painting
hangs on its own merits.
Now picture the place without them:
nothing would stand out.
Not even art lovers
with high standards.
2
Where do we figure?
Your eyes are searching.
Are they clear about us?
Look at it this way-
as a whole, we’re already
a work in progress.
The problem’s with perspective-
you don’t see us
coming any closer
than walls apart
within the same gallery.
You’re on the side of still lives
while I’m aligned
with moving portraits.
What’s missing is a meeting
space for both genres-
a middle ground
between back and fore.
Piezas del Museo
Para Nora
1.
El arte de esta sala
debe compartir una única declaración,
supuestamente debe decir algo
en relación a una pertenencia común,
aunque cada pintura
cuelga por sus propios méritos.
Ahora imagínense el lugar sin ellas:
nada destacaría,
ni los amantes del arte
con pautas enaltecidas.
2.
¿Dónde figuramos nosotros?
Tus ojos buscan.
¿Lo tienen claro al respecto?
Mírenlo así-
Como una totalidad, ya somos
una obra en proceso.
El problema es con la perspectiva—
no nos ven
acercándonos más
que paredes apartadas
dentro de la misma galería.
Tú estás del lado de las naturalezas muertas
mientras que yo me encuadro
con los retratos emotivos.
Lo que falta encontrar es un espacio
de reunión para ambos géneros—
un terreno intermedio
entre atrás y adelante.
Priorities in Perfect Practice
Not only a metronome
plays a key role…
At the piano
sits a virtuoso.
He’ll tackle anything…
Note the ivory steps.
They slope upward,
towards a dream door.
He’s rhapsodizing
over which riff
might make
a break thru.
Also, what will it sound like?
In real life
a living room
houses him.
The walls wear ears.
They eavesdrop
on steady solos.
Likewise, a low
ceiling listens in.
Those are his
full scale critics,
besides a
small metronome
ticking away
on a table.
That’s their measure
for trying out
latent talent.
All he has to do
is follow along.
Whether the door
will wind up opening
hinges on him.
As to when is up to them.
Prioridades de la Práctica Perfecta
No solo un metrónomo
juega un papel estelar…
Al piano
está sentado un virtuoso.
El es capaz de emprender todo…
Tome nota de los escalones de marfil.
Se inclinan hacia arriba,
hacia una puerta de ensueño.
Con rapsodia, considera
cual ‘riff’ podrá producir
una ruptura.
También, ¿cómo sonará?
En la vida real
un living
lo hospeda.
Las paredes visten orejas.
Escuchan furtivamente
los solos uniformes.
Asimismo, un cielorraso bajo
escucha a hurtadillas.
Esto es la escala completa
de sus críticos,
a parte de un pequeño metrónomo
que va marcando el paso
sobre una mesa.
Ésta es su medida
de experimentar
el talento latente.
La única cosa que tiene que hacer
es seguir.
Si la puerta termina abriéndose
gira sobre el gozne de él mismo.
El cuándo, depende de ellos.
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