Saturday, December 27, 2014

earth note 311

the year ends
with a nest
of osprey chicks
amid the noise of living
without asking
for approval

--- e b bortz

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

the jam

following the death of joe cocker

is running out
from harpoon harry's
     tables
on to caroline street
long after caroline
     left
without being noticed

and where
the hands
voices
rhythms
choose
so springs
every tune of the earth
     deserts & stars
     hard-knock blues
     colors of reggae
a previous life
is always close by

long before officialdom
& hollow authority
foolishly cast
their caste
of street rules

ignored with perfect pitch
every note
     a story

--- e b bortz

Sunday, December 21, 2014

earth note 310

there's a depth
to the shallows
of big torch key
undefinable
with the words
that come to mind
the syllables seem
to slip past me
when i least expect it
the tops of the mangroves
at a distance
appear like a hill
or at least a knob
clustered with the horizon
like a continuous
labyrinth not quite
making it to the water

--- e b bortz

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

earth note 309

the canal jumped
the seawall again
prints of the key deer
left running
the open house
down the road
ended in a hurry

a cloud
of turkey vultures
swarm
for an answer

--- e b bortz
 

Friday, December 12, 2014

window/doorway outta no name key


sometimes the view
is blurred
by distraction
intentional and otherwise

antidote:
touch the water
rub it in you

--- e b bortz

Sunday, December 07, 2014

earth note 308

turkey buzzards
know when to make noise
their wings shout
don't fuck with me

--- e b bortz

Thursday, December 04, 2014

minimum wage job on duval street

key west

to shake a tee-shirt
off the 75% off rack
inflated by 200%
as the cruise ship horn
screams over the seascape
to return
at once
to the pier
before sunset

the fishing jobs
and artist hangouts
are in decline
like the empire itself
so all there is
is the catering
to the high-rollers
international financiers
shift changing
off of wall street

a throng of christian dior
wagging tongues
will never
bring back margaritaville
they're only a whiff
on the sidewalk

a conch highway
can't be bought

--- e b bortz

(published in opednews.com, Dec 25, 2014)
 

Tuesday, December 02, 2014

earth note 307

high tide is higher
this year than last
the canal crept up
last night
and left its mark
at the feet
of the houses on stilts
road has a wet gray
to its face this morning
the bay is upset
wind blasts away
then suddenly dies
     osprey goes hiding

--- e b bortz
 

Monday, December 01, 2014

a blank piece of paper

and a gust right out
of my hands
blowing into the unknown
finding itself
gone & away
below the porch
fluttering on
the bicycle spokes
     ready for
     a journey

--- e b bortz