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Self-centered all-out, blinded to all fall-out

We are on a mission
self-centered, all-out
in blazing volition
blinded to fall-out

That’s how the human neighborhood
by self-will been sent crashing
Who looks out for the common good
amidst all egos clashing?

Solidarity ignored
or even outright rejected
can it ever be restored
when we’re scattered disconnected?

Leaving each other in the dust shamelessly
while we’re trying to hog it all, blamelessly!

Are we on a mission
self-centered, all-out
in blazing volition
blinded to fall-out?

That’s how the human neighborhood
by self-will been sent crashing
Who looks out for the common good
amidst all egos clashing?

Solidarity ignored
or even outright rejected
Will it ever be restored
when we’re scattered disconnected

Left each other in the dust shamelessly
while we try hogging it all blamelessly!

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Watch me, Mom!

caption

Baby Anton Oct 2013 in his stroller with Eric leaning over

Anton, aged one, seated in his elaborate stroller and Eric, his old neighbor & ground crew, meet for a morning chat, while Anton reflects:

Mom, Mom watch, watch me, Mom
handsome, unruffled.
Staying serenely calm
by binky muffled.

Mom, Mom watch, watch me, Mom
in my spacecraft seat.
With greatest of aplomb
hovering off street.

So cool by console, at controls
by all adult doubt unfazed.
Topping the baby pilot polls
my many enemies dazed.

But it can’t be a breeze
for my poor ground crew.
Eric leaning in askew
on his aging knees?

We’re two gregarious chaps
who banter when we meet
sporting similar slick caps:
The neighborhood elite.

(p.s. Mom:)
Admirers all keep rushing
squeaky voices gushing.
How do I avoid blushing?
Celeb’s role bit crushing.

 

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Rebuild but it’ll burn again

Our son had to evacuate in the recent CA wildfires

No polite little hint
or mere nudge effete
Open your eyes, don’t squint:
Fistful of browbeat!

The wildfire
its scorching flames
deadly, dire
steady its aims

Soon shall burn again
not wise to remain

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For some of us saps … it’s taps

Erstwhile restraint all gone
guts soft, hearts hardened
Attempting every con
foul fallout pardoned

Society’s strands frayed
way beyond hope of repair
From empathy’s path strayed
face down in ditch of despair

Sunk in our armchair
‘thinking’ now as the herd
Watching the fanfare
until our vision blurred

Been living sardined
soon dying demeaned

+)
-fanfare = here: the ostentatious political lies, media propaganda, endless entertainment, commercials etc
-sap = (slang) a fool; sucker; dupe
-sardined = in cramped, hampered conditions, here: as far as outlook, perspective, context

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Felled by free market forces

We had even planned on expansion
but no longer making the grade
Since lost our overblown McMansion
now dwell in ‘hovel’ without maid

Reality, not erstwhile charades,
humiliating and novel
Tumbling hard in Free Market cascades
spoiled lives crashed now have to grovel

No longer fine china afternoon tea
got dumped hard into Actuality

+)
McMansion = or Starter Castle

 

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Tire squealing through cream cake plethora

Although driving pandemic
by the global tellurian
compellingly endemic
along the coast Ligurian.

High pitched its roar
Panda 4×4.
Shifter on floor
road hugging rapport.

Tire squealing curves vertiginous
wind through hilly cream cake plethora.
Binge worth cake shops indigenous
caloric boxes of pandora.

A swift driving stalk
brings a sweet cake walk.

+)
-cake shop = in Volterra https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g194951-d1861279-Reviews-L_Incontro-Volterra_Province_of_Pisa_Tuscany.html
-Panda 4×4 = https://www.fiat.com/panda/panda-4×4
-tellurian = of or inhabiting the earth
-Volterra = http://www.initaly.com/regions/hilltowns/volterra.htm

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From rustic Peccioli, Tuscany to alta moda Venice

On the occasion of Matt(eo), while staying in Tuscany, visiting Venice. What a Paisan!

Inside a shop in Peccioli
nestled in tight an alleyway
was Matteo munching cannoli?
No, on a Venice getaway!

Deserted hoi polloi
for glitterati
Smoothly he would deploy
with literati

where acing Palazzo dinners
with dizzying crowd of winners

+)
-paisan(o) = someone, here our son Matt(eo), who understands the significance of simply being Italian
-Palazzo dinner = https://quintessenceblog.com/inside-venice

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Morning in a Topanga, CA gulch

In unstirring whiffed cottage jammed
stepping over those scattered
slumbering tightly, mushroomed, crammed
Surfaces gleam beer splattered

Morning of the young artist
tall still in hope, slim hipped
no 9-to-5 trudge ‘valse triste’
bearing still straight, rose lipped

Indolent black cats stir both
white pawed, green marbled eyes
now stretching, compassion loath
killers in cutesy guise

Morning dawns subliminal
in night’s lingering haze
Above rocks ravinial
sun’s first tenuous rays

From above stillness violated
through mufflers crescendo aggrieved
dawn’s purity adulterated
nature of her stillness bereaved

+)
-from above = here: from the road above the gulch
-ravinial = (by license) anything in or of a ravine

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Life’s rich feast has turned thin gruel

To the grocery store goes the hike
after writing a daily verse
Then rolling several blocks by bike
All his adventures short & terse

All gets squeezed in between breathing
finding glasses, wiggling toes
admiring a baby’s teething
plus doors to open & close

Still time before dinner calls
steadfastly without fail
to (just before darkness falls)
take out the garbage pail

Life’s rich feast has turned thin gruel
what a feeble, dismal show!
How’s retirement such a jewel?
Would you tell me if you know?

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Cacophony

The day in nature dawns quietly, gently and unhurriedly. The day in the consumer world is impatiently forced open like a screechy metal sliding door on to the storefront that we have allowed society to become:

Screeching cacophony
just noise & rattle
profane, nothing holy
impatient prattle

But then ain’t our span of attention
as short as is long our pretension?