ITHURIEL'S SPEAR

 

 

John Berbrich



 
 
 
 


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A John Cage Christmas


silverware clicking in the kitchen
pages turning, rustling
logs snapping in the fire
a kettle whistles
voices, laughter from the tv room
drip-drip-drip, a leaky pipe
crinkle-crackle of wrapping paper
jingle of keys
lips kiss

outside
snow falling, soundlessly



 

Architect


just give her a "fact"
& she starts building
a fabulous fantasy taller than skyscrapers

all puff & powder & cloud
then give her a second "fact"
& half the city is destroyed

but she starts building
sturdy girders, beams
of light criss-crossing like crazy spider webs

& the delicate city grows taller, taller
then toss in a third "fact" & after the collapsing
shattering glass & crystal

reconstruction begins, the spires
brushing the blue belly of the sky
the city walls growing, piling higher

block upon heavy block
keeping out unwanted invading "facts"
a city she can believe in

 


 

The Zen Seminar



7:30, said the sign
Room 201
Learn to contemplate Emptiness

7:10.  The first to arrive,
I sit in an empty chair
And look around.

7:30.  No one has shown up.
I stare at the blank walls.

7:55.  I'm still alone.
Not even the instructor has dropped by.

I sit, contemplating
The empty room.

 


 

Ponderous

 

Slow & languid,
Lazy,
Soft & sluggish;

Rolling in mud,
Trudging,
Glum & fumbling;

Stumbling alone,
Solo,
Full & sullen;

Gluttonous slugs,
Swollen,
Fat & flaccid.

Indeed: ponder
Us.