jonberger

When you come up
with a snappy little bit of title,
don’t get so lost in its cleverness
that you can’t write something
that’s actually worth reading.

This is my advice for the day.

And there came a day
when Walt Disney told the people,
“the way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

He neglected to mention the many other ways to get started:
to stop working and begin stealing
to cease starving and start eating
to stop dancing and initiate the protests
to quit dying and start living,
and to stop buying and start selling Ub Iwerks’ ideas as your own.

The complete book of Disney quotes
contains none of these options,
and more besides.
I can accept this from old Walt
as he clearly didn’t include
“Stop being quoted and start being right.”

The dragon and the phoenix went out
to a strip club one night.
They really liked the Honduran girls.
Afterwards, they went to a diner
that was also a drive-in
and drank a couple of milkshakes
– the phoenix had blueberry.

They goofed on the carhops
and made a few demeaning comments
because both of the creatures
were unreformed misogynists.
Of course, as so often happens,
they were misanthropes as well.

Because of this,
the phoenix and the dragon
began discussing the current political climate.
They each were pleased
by the rise of strong-man leaders,
but for different reasons:
The Phoenix thought that some much-needed structure
was needed in the cities,
but the dragon just liked to watch things burn.

Around midnight, the mythic duo
got on a train
to get back to their respective neighborhoods.
The dragon lived in Bushwick
and the phoenix was over in Fishtown at a shelter .
He probably didn’t have enough savings for the night out with his friend, but what’re you gonna do?

They pound-hugged when they parted
because they were good buds.

And that’s the story of the phoenix and the dragon.
Thanks for your time.

Wish me no good mornings,
for “morning” comes from “mourning,”
and I will not suffer any grief on this grand day.

Simply look out
your brick-encased window:
the birds are howling,
the sun is blasting,
the trees are climbing the air,
conquering more of the city,
every photosynthetic second.

We have hours like no other
with promise dripping
from the tips of the tentacles of the fantastic.
Is it too drastic to say that I love this day?
No way!

But identify it differently, please.
Today is not a good morning.
It is something far finer than that.

Artificial Intelligence,
before conquering the world,has suggested that I cosplay a superhero taking a bike ride
while attempting to stalk Caelee Spaeny.
Some of this seems like a bad idea
waiting to be born.

I think Artificial Intelligence might need a hand
in conquering the world
if this is the best it’s processing power can produce

• unless…

it is this very doubt that will put AI

in the position to more readily conquer us.

I think I see the outline of AI’s plot now.
Well-played, Artificial Intelligence,
well-played.

Me and Charles De Gualle in New Orleans
out for some Po’ Boys
and the unfortunate aftermath:
I was rigid tense after all the throwing up.
There was so much that I ended up leaving the toilet to spew into the tub. Crap was coming out of all orifices.
The stuff coming out of my nose was abundant, lemme tell you.

I don’t know what got into me
to elicit so much stuff getting out of me
but it was not an experience I sought to repeat.

So why did Charles suggest a repeat performance
the next night?
I guess he just didn’t like admitting defeat.

You
are everything.

I
am nothing.

Fill me
with you.

The naked Barbie doll

found buried in dirt near the reservoir

was discarded

after her legs have suffered through the heat

of a utility lighter.

Somebody seemed to resent Barbie’s beauty.

Why else commit such cruelty

on an innocent plastic toy?

Who could see a purpose in this mutilation

if not for jealousy?

Jealousy, and a rage at her unrealistic dimensions.

That must be it.

Otherwise, Barbie might never have been attacked, abandoned

and left available for anyone at the reservoir to see.

It is the only explanation.

Just think for a minute:
when a door closes,
a window opens, usually burst by pressure
as the house fills with water.

There are always opportunities made available
by changing circumstances.
When things look bad,
just look for the pressure point
and watch it explode.

Shifting sands
Rolling tides
Land adjusting under wetted feet
You can sniff it: change is coming.
The rules will be updated.
Time is flowing differently.

Beneath you
the world reshapes
and it will take everything
for you to maintain equilibrium.

Why try?