Begis and Visay

[In the Office one day]

As he walked by her
he moaned lowly
low on the decibel scale:

"MMMMMmmmmmphhhhh"

Yet she heard it.

She turned, squared herself
held her papers-to-be-xeroxed
like a coat of arms
across her chest,

He smiled.

Said she:
"Look, spoiled brat
I do not appreciate
your sexist sounds
and harassing comments.
Sexual harassment in
any workplace is crime.
So I promise
I will sue your
badly tailored clothes
off your back!"

He quit smiling.

Said he:
"I suppose you think
you're really on to
something here
I happen to believe it is
my living breathing
human right to make
primal sounds
anywhere, anytime.
You're hard line purist
feminine stance confirms
a world heading
for the worst kind of revolution
... Let me explain ..."

Said she, interrupting:
"Just simply say you're sorry
before I reduce you
to a pile of rubble
Barney style...!"

He sniffed,
looked at the floor,
... walked away.


Patrick Darnell (1978)

Now Delicately Old

Here we live like
paupers again
cantankerous old men
look on spent lives
years numbering 83
to 153 -- happy?
They're sure they
married right --
has been a delight
full piece of study.
They mutter, giving voice
to a word describing idealists ...
watching television --
though denouncing it --
its effects on grandsons --
All we ever wanted
to do is write poetry and paint
Painting pictures no easy chore
and poetry must rhyme ...
They did share
the spaces together
who does the dishes?
indifferent to the causes
disturbed somehow,
but always well wishes.
Visions broaden
turned hard with
childbirth...
to live without this?
Young mothers clay molds
a natural process
young girl already holds
pregnant porcelain
but not accustomed
On a street corner
looking for a father
now choice hers
after biology billows
Shaken awaken
blood in the eyes
paupers' cries are bold
... young ones stir
and dogs bellow yelps
once young ...
... now delicately old.



Patrick Darnell (July 1976)

"I'm Cary Ann, I Care about Others ... "

She sat elbows at rest
on arms of the chair
hands calmly placed on
her skirt covering
her rounded thighs
flattened from sitting

Her chair was
Queen Anne ...

Almost her turn
to respond,
introducing herself

Little hairs
on her thighs, bristled
a tiny change took place
... as her heart raced
... her palms got a bit damp,

[...]




Patrick Darnell (1984)

Very Simply Begis

Begis thought
that worlds
began with:
"Stop
"Put in order
"Placement
"Friendship
"Friend
"Patriot
"Friend, again,
"and, the Innocent

not:
"Bleak
"Cryptic
"septic
"Dyslexic
"fried
"imploded
"and, smote ...

Begis thought to himself:
"Apparently the term
of Scott the Worm
as symphonist did score
... poor."

So that Begis further thought worlds
began with end and it all got sorted out
... somehow

"Biological basis for
behavior of Begis,"
thought Begis to himself.


Patrick Darnell

Jousting at the Cross Roads

"Patient horseman and husband be
…If you’re joustin’
…down in Houston vicinities
"With your spit-fire hard hittin’ horse

"At cross-roads danger lurks:
…crossing foes’ lines
…times of the signs
…dark dusky skies
"Pay attention, you’ll stay alive
as Patience is virtue of thine's...

Thus:
...at cross-roads
...you stay on course.”




Copyright © 2010-11 Patrick Darnell