Full Circle
(A rumination in 3 strokes)
Stroke the First – Dante’s Laugh
Another cycle eats its tail
While you’ve killed time
Hacking through a Frisco fog
And now you’re hit
Like a mole in headlights
Squinting
At the fact
A circle is endless
Welcome to Limbo
That flag’s still out there
Snapping, flapping
And the crowd’s sweaty
Joke’s on you
Dante chuckles
As you strap on your spikes
Man – Don’t you know?
Gotta be hip
To run with the damned.
Stroke the Second –Odyssean Oddity
In overdrive
Wheels greased
You’re GORGED
On road
But that ribbon is still stretched to the horizon
A long licorice lane
Tugged tenuous to…where?
Dream of flight
(if you please)
Call it a runway
Call you a cab
They’re just
Distorted digressions
By a lightheaded cyclist
Sailing through a sapped psyche
So split-S
And barrel roll
Down the desolate wind tunnel
Of the vortex of your cortex
You’ll soon discover
A midget aviator can still get wind-sheared
Fast as you can shout mayday.
When the whitecoats eavesdrop
On your black box
They’ll start
To find
You never left the ground.
Stroke the Third – This one’s for you
So—
Thought you’d spend Eternity
(Well, maybe just a slice, thanks)
In a beer ad
Grabbing gusto
Well –
You sucked
Untold sudsy shadows down
Got your PR buzz
Time to check your itinerary
When you do
You’ll spot your spot
On a Mobius strip
Crazy coordinates on a hellish helix
With nowhere to go
And no way home
Not to worry
Once more around and
Once you grab that brass ring
You will realize
It’s mostly air.
— Zumwalt (D.C. ca. 1982)
Comments on: "Full Circle (A rumination in 3 strokes)" (25)
brilliant.. wooww!! you write beautifully.. :-)..
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ever spiralling through life . xx
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Such a whirling risk taker–and such a realist. Such honest, fast-moving, bouncy-whirly versifying. I am breathless now!
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I really like this one. Love the words omgoodness!
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this is amazing… wow… love it… 🙂
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think what i like most in your poetry is that it’s so uncliché, there are always fresh and surprising pictures… strap on the spikes to run with the damned…yikes..
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I almost forgot to pull the rip chord…
Bless You
Happy New Year
paul
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Wow and double wow – or should I say “endless wow”? This is a meaty end-of-year poem, Zum: the endless and frustrating circle, the unrealized hopes and dreams, the ambition turned into disappointment. Let’s hope the new year brings some feelings of real accomplishment to this “you” fellow. Very best wishes for a good one – Monica
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abichica, willowdot21, granbee, nightshade130, willofheart, claudia, sonsothunder, Monica,
Thanks very much for stopping by, reading and commenting. Have a great New Year!!!
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This poem has the feeling of jazz. It rolls around inside of a tire going downhill and then suddenly soars with a crazy gusto that’s flicking out and grabbing a brass ring. Whenever I come here I have a really good time.
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Thomas,
Thanks much for reading and for the comments. Yes, there is a very distinctive jazz content to this one!
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Fluid and sharp – again metaphysical – Happiest New Year To You !
Cat x
http://catforsley.me/2011/12/30/kreativ-blogger-nominations-awards-long-overdue-by-cat-forsley/
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Cat,
Thanks so much for the nomination! Thanks for reading and commenting on this post!
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You are soooo welcome ==== i have tucked myself in to celebrate the new year coming in my own style – through writing – listening to music and reading great poems ……So Yeah —- I will be reading Tons and Tons tonight ——– Beauty to bring in the New year —- MY way xx C
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The first line is brilliant!
“Distorted digressions
By a lightheaded cyclist
Sailing through a sapped psyche”
Wonderful art, my friend! Your words and thoughts are always so well constructed and intriguing
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Vampire Weather,
Thanks so much for the comments!
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Wow. I truly enjoyed the ride.
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lorrelee1970,
Great to hear! Thanks for reading and commenting!
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Happy New Year 2012,,,, have fun 🙂
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The Tale of My Heart,
Thanks so much! Have a Happy New Year, yourself!!!
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Yeh, agree with the comment above about jazz; it seems very beatish to me, and reminiscent of Kerouac et al.
Great combination of words and rhythm keeps it fluent to the end.
Cheers and thanks for sharing. Oh, and Happy New Year, and best wishes for 2012!!
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Folding Mirror Poetry,
Thanks much for reading and commenting!
Thanks for the New Year wishes — same to you!
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The pick of Ben Naga’s Newly Discovered Beauties for December 2011.
http://bennaga.wordpress.com/the-pick-of-this-months-newly-discovered-poems/#comment-1029
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Ben,
Thanks very much for picking this poem and honoring it at your site!
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No problem. 🙂
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