read between the lines
read between the lines.
-zumwalt (1991)
Archive for July, 2011
slabs of concrete
slabs of concrete
grab
pen
man
hold tight as might can
put the reigns in teeth of steel
in jaws of iron
neath mind of gold unmined
steer this silent steed sub-subway speed
over common ground
which tread upon
was forgotten
remembered
and cast incautiously
... permanently?
... coherently?
such hunkish chunks of memory
unevenly
into hand-picked
brick-thick
quick-hardening slabs of concrete
-zumwalt (1991)
backpack and acolyte
backpack and acolyte
with you on this trip
although suspicious of where you’re going
helping you carry suitcases you can’t lift alone
-zumwalt (1991)
search and rescue
search and rescue
one thing I learned from the fire fighters was how to search and rescue
to comb the hills
looking, looking, looking
taking supplies so I won’t fall prey to the wilderness
My greyhound sits on this tabletop
iced down with no staw
the cigarette puffs out its short life
and I peer into the dark
i could use a flashlight
i could use you
i could use you using me
does anybody here need help?
is anyone lost?
is anyone searching?
will anyone here say hello?
is anyone still looking?
is anyone even sympathetic?
one thing I never learned from the fire fighters was how to ignore and
abandon
to forgive and forget
living life in the present
building a future that isn’t based on you.
-zumwalt (July 1990)
the wreck of goodwill
the wreck of goodwill
every dime counted
seemed to count itself
but the pennies were the trouble spot
and the cost of all goodwill.
— zumwalt (1998)
At 11
At 11
CAPTURE TRUTH
answer broadly cast will
ignore
and you will miss
EXAMINE TRUTH
highlights at eleven
lesson in decision
promotion and volition
exception and invention
ARRANGE TRUTH
broadcast and ignore
answer and miss
ask and choose
seek and send
ALTER TRUTH
answer and you will broadcast lesson and invention
ignore and you will miss promotion at eleven
ask and you will bend exception and volition
seek and you will choose highlights in decision
SEDATE TRUTH
ask and seek
ignore answer
BURY TRUTH
broadcast
-zumwalt 1998
Assorted Zumwalts
Collected writings of Zumwalt. All poems posted here are authorized to be posted by the author.
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