the power went out

and interrupted
early morning internet news
not germane
if that

sitting in darkness
i slip into that bungalow
on the beach
in koh samui in '89
moon lit black reflections on the water
broken by her
clumsy entry into my bed
humid breeze the water breathes
without convention we whisper
love
for the broken souls
who find refuge
from the machinations
of hustlers & money changers
horizon plunderers
the pavers of paradise
are given no space
between us

if there's a single truth left
let's consummate it
build orange-green-yellow-red
buddha visions
rice offerings
bodies in transition

--- e b bortz

it looked like a choice

between the self-righteous
and the sinners
but it was more than that
entire civilizations were at stake
there were the blasphemous ones
with no respect
for order & property
if they had lawns
they never cut them
kept planting new shrubs
to squeeze out the old
unleashed & unwashed
burn in hell you say?
o.k...maybe there's a deal
to be made
even
as the john kerrys still
report for duty

the press reported a study today
655,000 iraqis dead
our war
so far
not counting depleted uranium
graveyards to come
not too stiff a price you say
as long as congress approves

where is your vote
among the living or the dead?

--- e b bortz

a friend said i wouldn't write the same on the internet

it took a few years
to shed the pretense
tho the bones are empty
now
i wouldn’t blame you
if you walked that long mile
out the back door
forgot
the culture as a weapon
or a savior
when all else fails
crows always
fly the most direct route
geese always
know the way home
the broken bottles
hold colors of the rainbow
tho the tops
are a sharp cut
& my lips too weak
to hold the gin

--- e b bortz