I went to
a singles gathering
perhaps driven there
by something I could
approximate as too
much time spent
with my own
overly familiar
interior conversation
and ended up
trapped in an
exchange of phatic
sentences
with a group of large
women
in tent like dresses
with weathered faces
and deep gravelly voices
and hands like shovels
that could have knocked me out cold
with one punch
feeling light headed
as if I had slipped
rohypnol
into my own drink
I managed to escape
in the nick of time
______________
market forces
have got to
the honey suckle
the jasmin
and the frangipani
please tap
or swipe
here
to release
their scent
______________
First there was just G-d
then there was me and G-d
then there was me, a wife, and G-d
then there was me, a wife, a family, and G-d
then there was me, a wife, a family, a dog, and G-d
then there was me, half a family, a dog, and G-d
then there was me, a dog, and G-d
then there was just me and G-d
then there was just G-d
_________________
In the night
G-d scatters leaves
upon the carpet of the lawn
so that in the morning
the wedding
of first light
can take place
once again
__________________
everyone
is beautiful
in their own way
and everyone
has someone
who cared about them
at least once
the whole world
is built from loving grace
I don't know how
but I’d like to believe
that even cancer particles
are kindness
in disguise
______________
some journeys
need to be made on your own
in order to realise what holds
both together and alone
_____________
Confusion I
I've been to the west and I've been to the east
and I'm bloated with spirit like a warm bowl of yeast
I've been to the ashram, I've been on retreat
I've sat in the silence, I've stopped eating meat
I'm so enlightened I can't find my head
perhaps it has rolled away under the bed
I've been to satsang and I've been such a whore
and yet I'm no settled than I was before
__________
Cloud
I was on a plane
everything was smooth
then we flew into a cloud
soft and fluffy and pink.
I got lost in that cloud
whatever was outside
was unimportant
we lost altitude
I didn’t care
cloud, cloud and more cloud
oooooooh... cloud
then we popped out of cloud
or cloud popped out of me
the air was thin and clear
hopefully I scanned the horizon
for cloud
_________
Running the City to Surf
The city to surf I ran alone
without a true friend
without a true home
plasticup shards
formed an angry sea
dark footprint of human
loomed over me
from the barbies
the ex cows asked
wistfully:
"what has all this to do with me?"
_________
In Memoriam: Eli
I knew a kibbutznik
who worked in the laundry by day
And at night slipped little poems under peoples’ doors
regarded as eccentric,
as happens in small communities,
he was gossiped about
in the dining room
or after passing on the path.
he handed me a little booklet of his poems
photocopied and stapled
and I might still have it
somewhere
________________
Psalm of Immanuel
eyes
come back into your sockets
cheeks release
your taughtened lips
hands unfurl
your clutching fingers
mind please
drop your story
make way for the
King of Glory
________________________
PROMISE
the all new impressa
will take happy families
on holidays
turn into the driveways
of manicured houses
pull up at hotels
ford rivers and forests
on endless adventures
will never take you
to a job you hate
to a hospital
to a divorce lawyer
to a vehicle accident
to a cemetery
_______
I called the call centre
I was feeling so bad
but then had one of the most wonderful interactions
I've ever had
Guided by voice prompts I gave my date of birth and ID
eventually I heard a click, and a voice spoke to me:
"Did you know it said, "by taking your query online"
"you can save yourself a lot of valuable time"
Then they kindly played me a soothing tune
while I paced up and down
between the walls of my room
I boiled the kettle
made a nice cup of tea
watched a game show ep
upon the tv
did some gardening, fixed a tap
fed the dog who then
fell asleep in my lap
I started feeling a little perturbed
although I couldn't say why
I searched for help on the the website
till my eyes were red and dry
while they played more soothing music
and I clutched onto that phone
I suppose that song repeating
became a kind of glassy drone
on the plus side it helped me feel
slightly less alone
my eyes were getting heavy when after an hour or so
the music stopped and a human voice said something soft and low
"good morning,,,er good afternoon...is there anyone there...hello?
"I'm having this problem" I gabbled "at a really critical time"
"I've tried the website, I've read the manual, but I cannot get back online."
"oh we can certainly help you with that tonight
can I just grab your name if that's all right"
"My name is Shachar", I said, "it just stopped"
"I was working and suddenly the connection dropped
And it hasn’t come back, no matter what I’ve done
Rebooted, reentered, debugged - its just gone"
"My name is Michelle,we can certainly help you today
But first a few security questions if I may."
I relaxed, felt relieved, we were moving along
this woman would sort out whatever was wrong
"Your password please, ends in 13 zeroes...?"
"my password" I stuttered, "I don't recall one of those."
"That’s all right, your birth date and id number will do"
"But I’ve given them already, your cueing system asked me to
You’ve been very helpful, you’re awfully nice
But why do you have to capture things twice?"
"Its for your own safety, the calls are recorded
They’re logged and encoded, in case you’re defrauded
I gave her my id, I gave my date of birth
Gave my address, my weight, my girth
“thank you so much for that Suker”
“Shachar”
“Sorry, Sucker, now why were you calling this afternoon” she said
“Eeets because, medem, aish, my modem router, she is dead”
"Sorry, what did you say", Michelle's voice came down the line
would you prefer to call back at a more convenient time?"
"No I want this resolved now, I want you to sort it out!"
"All right" said Michelle, "there's no need to shout"
I looked out the window
I looked at a tree
It seemed to be much much
much calmer
than me…
(to be continued hopefully)
______________________
Moral Narcissism: “Pro Palestinian” encampment 2024
In the name of
tolerance
we exclude you
in the name of inclusion
we other you
in the name of diversity
we cancel you
in the name of humanity
we dehumanise you
_____________
I sent my poems
to a dying man
so that like pharoh
they would accompany him
into the next world
__________
LOVERS' LEAP
when the universe catches you
in its safety net,
and you bounce
up and down
a few times,
and sigh
and all the vigilance
trapped in the body
evaporates,
and you wonder
why you waited
so long
but know it was fear,
and you glimpse
the ocean of beneficence
waiting to carry you
to places
more alive
than imagining
if somehow
in your clown shoes
you can find it in you
to shuffle
to the edge
and fall
__________________
time took my black head of hair
time took my first guitar
time took away
my innocence
now if time will take
away my "my"
what will remain
and to whom will it belong?
_____________________
HOOKUP
Seeking immunity
diplomatic or crude
seeking immunity
from covid and flu
seeking immunity
from suffering and pain
seeking immunity from loss and the changeful
hook me up
with eternity
now
_____________________________________________
_______
come out Immanuel
from under your rock
come out and take
the air
come out Immanuel
with your pretty green eyes
come out and see
what's here
come out Immanuel
from inside your shell
come out and
wave your claws
come out Immanuel
from the cave where you hide
come out to Life's
sorrow and joys
_____________________________
Back to Basics
I chatted
about the romantic poets
short stories
journals, competitions
to
the young woman
with well manicured
nails
and tight pants
who works at
the chicken shop
next door
and is studying
literature
at university
and thought
how sweet
the visible outline
of the lips
of her cunt
___________
I am driving through
hilly forests
on a winding green
arched road
and alongside me
who has large lactating breasts
and every 5kms or so
we pull over
and she feeds me
_______________
Punishment poems
I have a friend
who went to a school
where misdemeanours
were punished
by the principal
by giving pupils
a poem to learn
off by heart
such as
"The Man from Snowy River"
or "The Lady of Shallot"
which then had
to be recited
to the whole school
at assembly
and while some things
have faded
the punishment poems
remain with them 'til today
for me too
poetry is a punishment
for thoughts and feelings
that remain
'til this day
_______________
