Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Charlie in the trees

charlie says to me

'god got to be like man, god got to understand'

and to me, charlie stop making sense


tommy say, he talk about the bottle

he say 'stay away'

'the devils fingers hold the glass'

and tommy got class, so he make sense


the nameless in the streets

they don't say much

they just drink that cheap wine

two dollars and forty nine cents


myself, i tell me

'you got to listen'

and i hear myself, i do,

and i start to make sense


god, he tells me to

have faith, but god?

it don't come out

to much


my fingers, the man's fingers

grab that bottle

they tell me, well,

they don't talk much, they just hands


say something tommy!

say something with class!

you just say what god

meant you to say!


me and tree charlie,

we got our bench in the woods

we got our bottle

yes god sir, just leave us be


Sunday, June 8, 2008

The Thirteen Doctrines of Benjamin Franklin



(Eat Not To Dullness)

After a breakfast of eggs and toast

(Avoid Trifling Conversation)

Ben slaps his mistress across the face, knuckle to cheek, and demands

(Let All Your Things Have Their Places)

To know where she and Jefferson were during the last congressional session

(Resolve to Perform What You Ought)

While he was considering a revolt against the home of his father

(Waste Nothing)

He threw the breakfast plate at her and asked her again, reserved with rage

(Cut Off All Unnecessary Action)

She says nothing.

(If You Speak, Speak Accordingly)

"Deborah, Thomas is not to be trusted. Are you?"

(Wrong None By Doing Injuries)

Ben takes her silence in stride. She removes the shattered plate and egg remnants.

(Avoid Extremes)

Ben leaves the kitchen and the weeping woman without speaking again

(Tolerate No Uncleanliness In Body or Habitation)

His large frame blocks the sunlight falling on his Philadelphia hardwood floor

(Be Not Disturbed At Trifles)

Rocking in a chair, he tastes the colonies' butter on the back of his tongue

(Rarely Use Venery But For Health Or Offspring)

He returns to the kitchen to console his mistress

(Imitate Jesus and Socrates)

Before meeting with Jefferson at Independence Hall.