He takes out the trash, or makes dinner

thinks he's cleaned the whole house

he's not capable of being quiet as a mouse

full of self-praise

himself, he amaze

selective hearing and speech

sometimes hard to reach

never practices what he preach

loveable and incorrigible

he's not interchangable

Hubris…
how abhorred am I
that bulls
surround me
all my bones
lay scattered—
a chaotic abacus

What is it
I hold?
— hubris?
this stunted form
my crippled spirit

forest creatures
stray
far from me
wolves
bark
at my shadow

What is it I own?
—hubris ?
alone
By whose
name do I go?

Richard
Spindle-shanks
David
Hobble-foot?
Which of these am I
how are monsters named?

Someone turned the colour up

I now see
blood roses smiling
and kookaburra laughs
colouring my day

babies breath wrap
the columns of the night
black pearls glimmer
its crystal Windows

Jasmine wafts
flowering the breeze
a touch so soft
its velvet hand does tease

Senseless
in this bliss
this wonderment
I am thankful

someone came back from the dead

My mother,

seeded by mischance,
a nuggety woman,
cross grained
impatient, full of gall,
slaps my heart with nettles

hits with sticks

so that I will know
just
who
she
is.

My mother

never much cared for children,
charcoal, turpentine and paint
invade the kitchen table and the floor,
thin blades for carving wood
ambush fingers, toes, feet -

stab my hands.

Avoiding your eyes
they're guilting me
my inadvertent sighs
you, I pity

Whatever we had
for me, it's gone
I'm a coward
we carry on

Creak Creak.
The wooden steps beneath my feet as I walk deeper down the dungeons corridor. The light of the lantern above leads me, though I know not where. Brick laid walls are all I see, the dimensions seemingly coming closer with each step.
Turning and turning, lower and lower.
Haunting vibrations run through my spine as I hear a shrill noise. Bellowing voices call out below, like cries from the depths of hell.
Further still, I venture.

A destructive cuckoo in the nest
trouble causing what he do best
he'll put your patience to the test
with one eye open he like to rest

Loves being an annoying pest
mischief chasing with zest
I'd like to cough him of my chest
My temper he play with and molest

I held him longer on my breast
my favourite, my maternal lust
my confession hidden in his dust
Love so explosive, I could burst

sensuous slide of candiru
microgram of the guinea worm
established vectors of swine flu.
ebola's soul in frightful form

of the pandemics something more
duet required, eyes glazed with hell
vectors unleash the oozing sore
and we all kindly open cell

two to four and four to eight grow
nibbling faster through us they go
cures obscure and circus lure blow
hucksters twitch from the tree moon's glow

The rise and fall of notes
enhanced by lyrical quotes
not all genres float my boat

its a certain beat
that gets me tapping my feet
out of my seat
like minds to meet

Choice of music
can have a motive
just 'cos its emotive
many a romeo
chooses disco
shown his moves
to get her in the groove

Whatever music you choose
pop, country or the blues
it can be a great muse
accompany you when your down
or pick-u-up, remove your frown

I wear red shirts now
Not black
Sometimes
I comb my hair
And tie it back

White roots show

I still smell of darkness
And the crow