Pictures from Life's Other Side

Gogyohka 5/4-5/7/10

2010-05-07T21:11:00.003-04:00

lilies of the valleyon the coffee tablemingle their shady perfumewith my sweaty feetfrom gardeningtoo many screensbut eyes are, toothey're machineswe love robotsshort circuithaunted by failureswant to be someone elsethey have their ownwe are not alonefeels like she's been gonelong enoughto be coming homeuntil I realizeI'm still picking up socksSpring's smellbuzzesfrom the bathroomthe sulfurin my

Gogyohka 5/3/10

2010-05-03T21:14:00.002-04:00

angerrocks the boatthat makes the wavesthat floods the beachthat drowns the childthe eagle on the pine branchdidn't even look at mestaring at the sunsetfrom the earliest dawn in Americanostrilsfull of socksbrainchokedby a blanketthe beepingmorning alarmstelling everyoneon time or latethe clockgoes aroundand aroundso whyis it still dusty?

Gogyohka from Cleveland (4/20-4/25)

2010-05-01T19:37:00.001-04:00

Important documentsBlack robesCommandmentscannot justify melike all this laughterSo many windows!Heads at deskspointing downLight shining inShining out, tooeach linea corner in the roomtaken awayuntilI stop hidingHer grandmotherBorn in a tipiOne birth certificateLost in a fireNobody accepts copiesSpring’s songEarthwormspushing uptulipsFrom wet dirtA boy in the woodsturning over rocksWalking

Gogyohka 4/17/10 (written 4/14/10)

2010-04-17T20:58:00.000-04:00

after the computer screenall daylooking in your eyeslike looking through a telescopeinto another universeTake all the nerve endingsgather them upand weave theminto a hammockIt will support us foreverWalking up the stairsof Grand Centralat 5:30means walking through a cloudof coffee breathon three wallsof colorone drawingof Barack Obamain Black and White

Gogyohka 4/12/10

2010-04-12T22:18:00.001-04:00

great golden dayawakeningsomedayI will besomeone else's horizonmy hand reachesfor your shoulderno matterwhere you walksteady in every storm

Gogyohka 4.9.10

2010-04-09T15:38:00.001-04:00

My webbed duck feetpaddlinglooking for somethinginside methat is solidthings I want to dothings I have to doI sit in my canoewith one oarpaddling in circlesprogressin lifemovesat the paceof a doggy-paddleone daywithout worriesone dayto see the airand you best of allmy bodyis very bigbut sometimesI don't have enough spiritto fill itDo me a favor,life?Stop sending mepost cardsCome back to meThis

Gogyohka 4/6/10

2010-04-06T20:17:00.003-04:00

be my dance partnereveryone!let your breath fill my lungsI trust youto lift me in the airIn the elevatorwith a chihuahua"His name's Shakespeare.""Oh yeah?""He's a drama king."A morning without sunlike nothing's happenedbirds everywheretelling methink again, buckoI have two legstwo lipsone brainand magic fingertipsreaching into everythingmy nervestell my bodyto be afraidof everybody and everyonemy

Gogyohka 4.3.10

2010-04-03T20:37:00.000-04:00

the tattooed cursive "D"on his handlike a rubber stampreturn addressfor a body lost in New Yorkdust kicked up on a roadproves we never travel alonethe sun bathes many travelersand threads their eyesdust to dust

Gogyohka 3/31/10

2010-03-31T20:28:00.000-04:00

sing a songhelp us restwe need peacefor a long timeto let our wounds heal

2010-03-30T21:53:00.002-04:00

Gogyohka--not one poemor twentybut the hands joiningto write themjust likeinnocent until proven guiltyI believe I canuntil provenI can't

Gogyohka 3.29.10

2010-03-29T17:04:00.001-04:00

the young woman on the trainbeing sketchedby the old man in the trenchcoat"How far you going?""All the way!"I know and believeI am a poetbut if my wordsvisit you insidethen part of you is, too

Gogyohka 3/28/10

2010-03-29T16:52:00.002-04:00

what is this feelingseeing backs of housesfrom a train?I am contentfeeling rails under my legsMy soul snarlsand rears backand shiversIt's an unbridled marethat will not tamewe take birch barkshedding in curvesand put themon our armspretend we're superheroesmy best wedding giftwas an atlas of Mainefrom my aunt and unclewith post-it note flags"I want to take you here!"

Gogyohka 3/27/10

2010-03-27T20:55:00.002-04:00

everyone knowsthe man in earmuffsfeeding pigeonsbread crumbsfrom the sidewalk benchall night it's bad dreamsall morningI'm mean to my new wifeby noon I'm leaving a messagesaying how beautiful she isthe cold came backbut the market is fullof butts and thighsjigglingin black compression pantsyou know what?let the March wind blowlet it ripinto my lightning heartand bolt my head up

Gogyohka 3/20-3/25/10

2010-03-25T15:58:00.002-04:00

getting well againand my skull risesback to my faceand pushes my eyesback out to the worldat Union Squaresquinting in the sunshineI see waves of peoplecrashed out on the squareto sleep or eat or visitand make the concrete brightsomeone tappedmy trunkthis sugaring timemy sap sweetensanother's pailthe early bloomslook just finepoking out of brown WinterBut I'm a treestill heaving up my sapthe

Gogyohka 3/19/10

2010-03-19T21:08:00.001-04:00

being in lineat the bureaucracylike being inthe esophagusof someone with bad breathif I grab holdof your collarit's because I'm shaking toogiving up on youmeans giving up on methank you universefor a physicsthat only lets mefeel one mistakeat a time!

Gogyohka 3/18/10

2010-03-18T21:20:00.002-04:00

fat sparrowschase skinny sparrowspigeons chase sparrowsand feeder seed chattersonto the schoolyardout walkingsaw my first daffodiland wrinkled up at itthe sun was too hotit made me sweaty mad

Gogyohka 3/16/10

2010-03-16T20:17:00.002-04:00

Green scarvesGreen jacketsFleece and nylon and fringed grassshooting upfrom Brooklyn streetsThat squirrelThat squirrel!Sitting on a stumpIs it realor is it stuffed?Whenever I hearDad's knife on steelin the kitchenit's like the ghostof Grampie appearedfirst magnolia budsare outin pink-tipped whiteSpring's lipstickcoming out of its tube

Gogyohka 3/13-15/10

2010-03-15T20:22:00.001-04:00

trying to makeeveryonehappymakes meunhappyhave to wantto besomethingmorethan famous"spring weather"isn't daffodil fingersand new warmthor showersit's both together

2010-03-11T21:50:00.002-05:00

after so muchfutzingwith my new wedding ringyou'd think I'd rememberto wear it moreshe pours the potato chipsinto a bowl"Why not eatfrom the bag?""Because I won't stop!""Hit your headagainst the wall enoughyou're boundto make a hole.""In your head!"at Grand Centralbodies rush aroundI remember the wavesand the undertowburying my feet in sand

Gogyohka 3.9.10

2010-03-09T22:09:00.001-05:00

Have youever seena yellow crocus?It’s reminding mewhat sunshine looks likeThe hill holdsa carpet of crocusesthick enough for a sultanOn benches the mentally illsit and swayA man in black leatherexits the gardenon a March dayFlexes his fingersand stretches his neck

Gogyohka 3.5-8.10

2010-03-08T20:56:00.002-05:00

snow tide lowersto reveala dead pigeonbloodless and unfedto the Earththe cotton cloudof new marriagemeets the dull thudof old debtsand somewhere thunder's heardfirst green fingertipsof daffodilspart the snowto make roomto spread their yellow palmsin the laundromatthe old woman can't believe it"They just took it--and what will they get10 dollars for a phone?!"

Gogyohka 3.4.10

2010-03-04T16:05:00.000-05:00

Spring buttercupspound outof the mulchlike the impetuous sunfrom behind a cloudthe myth of progressthat old tired tigerI'd rather remakeevery moment overnew its own best way

Gogyohka 3.2.10

2010-03-02T21:37:00.005-05:00

watch the rushing meltwatertoo much for the storm drainand rememberno human beliefcan stay solidthe widowfixing flowersat the graveresolves to nevertake off his ringthey prop the door open ("Hiya Lou!")the coffee smoke from the roasterdeafens all the buzzing peoplenobody coughs or slows--"Hey Frank!"shoveling bags two at a timetwo about laughing in my face:Laugh in my faceIf you face me grimit

Gogyohka 3.1.10

2010-03-01T20:10:00.005-05:00

oh, pen--be my memory awhileand let the words put on paperkeep themout of my brainfragmentsof starsare scatteredall aroundmy mindspacethe wind todayblew fresh and lightbut March is coyflashes its bloomerseasy as kiss your cheek

Gogyohka 2.28.10

2010-02-28T20:47:00.003-05:00

we can arguetil we're bluein the facebut insteadlet's just dancelooking at the uniformsof each countryin the Olympic closing ceremonyI wonder how manywere made in China

Gogyohka 2.27.10

2010-02-27T20:28:00.002-05:00

the asphalted streetwith its neverending lights--good for walkingthe dirt under the treesgood for findingtrue moralitymay not comefrom doing what others wantbut followingyour desire insiderestlessnessswarms around melike angry beesstinging every partthat would let me sit

Gogyohka 2.25.10

2010-02-25T20:25:00.002-05:00

a wet thumpof snowfalls on my coatlike someonetapping on my shoulderSpring heavesbefore it burstsBuds and bloomsBut first--groaning water up the the trunkBury mewith the dustin my eyelashesLet the worldfind a microscopic museumundergroundbiting my fingernailin the showerI smell the soupI madefor dinner last nightnot snowso much assnow conesfallingfrom the skyI walkto the back roomand four

Gogyohka 2.23.10

2010-02-23T22:55:00.003-05:00

shhhhhh-lean inlet the blood in your earstinglehear the crocuses coming?they're in the rain on the roofkeep my eyes brightas snow in the darkkeep my pants widemy steps talland let the wind whisper my songtoday was likewaking up in Clevelandand not knowingit if was 9 in the morningor 3 in the afternoon

Gogyohka 2.22.10

2010-02-22T22:55:00.002-05:00

she'll never paint againshe swearsthat old beauty problem?someone else's nowshe'll be fabulouswanna get wildfall off the canoesmash the icesmell my palmsscuffed with pine pitchand maybelove happenswhen you tryto think of a wordand someone appears

Gogyohka 2.19.10

2010-02-19T22:26:00.002-05:00

married a week agoway up highwent down the elevatorbut can't tellif there's ground beneath meMy hasidic landlordsitting at the tablenext to heatless radiators"You think I need your money?I'm a believer."rubbing my facerubbing rubbingI want to rubthe wrinklesfrom my brain

Gogyohka 2/18/10

2010-02-18T21:07:00.001-05:00

The snow plops downfrom the branchesThe heavenswant to havea snow fight

Gogyohka 2.10.10

2010-02-10T17:39:00.001-05:00

drop the grocery bagsunlock the doorbut firstwork out the stingcold claws won't unclench

Gogyhoka 2.8.10

2010-02-08T20:31:00.000-05:00

this line of mittensspeared on gate spikeslike headsof the deadwaiting to be claimed

Gogyohka 2-7-10

2010-02-07T17:45:00.001-05:00

getting marriedin a weekthinking abouthomosexual experiencesat 7 years old

Gogyohka 2-6-10

2010-02-07T17:44:00.001-05:00

life meansbuilding up& breaking downover & overforever again

Gogyohka 2.5.10

2010-02-05T22:39:00.001-05:00

glass falling on glassmakes me cringethat hard soundof stubborn ideasrefusing to budgewhen I thinkof how hard it wasto learn to walknot getting to Japan yetseems paltry

Gogyohka 2/4/10

2010-02-04T21:56:00.000-05:00

my faithis that I believepeople can changeafter seeing so manywho don't

Gogyohka 2-3-10

2010-02-04T13:51:00.000-05:00

the sunglitters downlike someonesmashed an icicleon a mirrorfacethe windshook the snowoff the eaves--a horse shook fliesoff its tail

Gogyohka 2/1/10

2010-02-01T20:51:00.002-05:00

a little lifewith many joys(a few disappointments, too)starlight glowingpast the street lampFirst of Februarylined up at the Cash Advancepaper handsshined by the windclutch their benefits checks

Gogyohka 01/30/10

2010-01-30T21:09:00.002-05:00

todayI am the stepchildof hopethe strained relationto that old orphan, fatethat shy boybreaking sticksin the New Hampshire woodsfound a rusty railroad spikeand held it for his future

Gogyohka 1/28/10

2010-01-28T22:22:00.001-05:00

don't waitfor someoneto inspiresmile in my facegive a stranger a handthe bare hedgebursts into the songsof sparrowsand the brancheshave feathers for leaves

Gogyohka 01/27/10

2010-01-27T21:51:00.002-05:00

opening my sensesto a starling pecking at thawed seedshorses huffing out visible breathfrom their fleshy nostrilsmaking heartbeat stewgive me a kitchenall dayand then a chicken backa cauliflower stalktender oyster pearlsdreamedof mentrying to be my fatherwoke up spinningin night's confusing infinityno oneever got moneyrichfrom being generous(I mean stupid rich)peoplefacts haunt me

Gogyohka 1.26.10

2010-01-26T23:12:00.001-05:00

bureaucracy--moving througha linethat movesto another linesome feminismmakes meashamedto bea manmost of the timethe colorof my skinmakes mefeel guilty

Gogyohka from God Knows When

2010-01-25T21:17:00.004-05:00

Here are two from today, I know that--after the interviewhe shook her handit's not enoughso this mother brushes his hair aside"She's giving you a blessing."telling myselfdon't be afraidlearning something newa chance to be rebornand become a child againOh, HaitiI think of Figarodown the streetand the bright blue children's costumeson West Indian Dayno onewill everbe beautifulfor youso shine shine

Gogyohka 1.14.10

2010-01-14T21:21:00.002-05:00

after 25 yearsat Grampie's graveNana praying straight on her canebright August SunOlivia and I weed around his nameif you're boastfulwatch your back because every daynow matter what it sayswill feel like an attackif you're humblestay that waybecause every sidewalk crackand verbal thumb tackwill just be play

Gogyohka 01.14.10

2010-01-14T10:00:00.002-05:00

Before the old manwiped the winter dripfrom his noseit was a rain dropfrom a spring branchWalking around all dayinhaling etherI leave the houseand New Yorkputs me in my placeSitting across from his bulldog faceI point to his MLK pin"Which speech is that?""I have a dream."He doesn't look at me

Gogyohka 01.12.10

2010-01-12T22:25:00.002-05:00

planningthis weddingknowingI'm never aloneour best socialismFor John:He scratched his ankleuntil it got rawthen he scratched some moreStopped three weeksand everything healed The birds are singingCan you hear them?Sparrows in the bare branchesbelting it outlike church bells ringing

01.10.10

2010-01-10T21:10:00.002-05:00

In one breath I saycan't cross all borders fullyIn another breath it's"Kon'nichiwa!"adding-machine vs. fingerpaintI thoughthe never hadanything to saybut it wasn't thatnobody ever asked him

Gogyohka 1.09.10

2010-01-09T22:46:00.002-05:00

everyone's pain is their own greatestdon't laugh at someonewhimpering over a stepped-on spiderIt might just be practicefor the death of a mothereven in 1933 Americaslurping thin soupbehind wide gray hatspeople got marriedand a stranger smiled

Gogyohka 01.07.10

2010-01-07T20:33:00.002-05:00

2010Ok thenI'll write 2010 Gogyohkaand read even more by youNow everybody!make your tearsa bubblefor all the other tearsmake a puddle, a stream, a riveran earth in orbit

Gogyohka 1.6.10

2010-01-06T15:24:00.001-05:00

winter babygluttonfor warmthgrasps and sucksmother's breastyesterday was my birthday, and this G-poem came to me late in the night, right before I fell asleep. I think the greatest sacrifice mothers make is childbirth, and it is the greatest honor of humanity. Cold, biting death-filled winter only emphasizes the depth of this vital maternal spirit, that gives so much so we can go on.

Gogyohka 01.05.09

2010-01-05T17:15:00.002-05:00

wake upto facebook wall postsfull of Happy Birthday!shining secret friendsmake me feel goodto the dentiston my birthdaywhen did I get so old?still not dreamingof lost teethmake politicsmore than complaintscarry signs of the deadto those responsibleteach love always

Gogyohka 01.04.10

2010-01-04T20:30:00.003-05:00

On Gogyohka Junction I called this one "Heart Sparklers":grabbing a handfulof glitterI throw stars in the skywaiting somewherefor you to make constellationsthe knot won't untiefrom getting pulled hardertug'o'war tightens ropesend of violencebegins with one unclenched fist

Gogyohka 01.02.10

2010-01-03T16:33:00.001-05:00

If the cold windcomes hardlet it comeI'll squint my eyesand keep walking

Gogyohka 01.01.10

2010-01-01T20:44:00.002-05:00

hope the doorto your horizonis unlockedor if it isyou find another oneLet me come into your lifelike rainor an oops puddleAlways thereor imminentkeep finding theseon scrap paperin my phoneon the computerGogyohka graffitiwanna find the edgesthe moment two stop textingor when the brain chemistry set reactsto first seeing a future loveand make them continuous

Gogyohka 12.30.09

2009-12-30T17:13:00.002-05:00

When I saw those twotalking about heroin addictionin that movieI knew they were once loversand not yet ex-es

Gogyohka 12.28.09

2009-12-28T20:08:00.006-05:00

our little Christmas treein the windowwith the sun setting behind itgives me comfortlike a mini Mt. FujiIf you lose someoneit hurtsbut everyone else seems closerThe darkest skyhas the brightest starspretensethat old whorewearing costume jewelryand talking in rerunsa bad game of make believe

Gogyohka 12.26.09

2009-12-26T20:03:00.002-05:00

went skating at Bryant Parkand fell downnow my upper butt hurtson the train going homebright faces wishing Merry Christmasorlast nightwent skatingand fell downnow my butt hurtson Christmas morningwant to write a poemto stop your heartmake the blood danceshut your eyesand let your wings grow

Gogyohka 12.23.09

2009-12-23T23:18:00.003-05:00

What's called civilizationsounds like a sum of agreements"It's not that easyYou can't just snap your fingers"Time's old trick of permanenceMy father stood upand said noto a room full of menleaning back in their chairsstill full from lunch

Gogyohka 12.22.09

2009-12-22T18:39:00.002-05:00

America, please--be beautiful againThis Decemberfilled with smiles and sparklecan lastmy youth dreamed up idealssneered at imperfectionswhatever washed away my castlesnow waves are enoughand more

Gogyohka 12.21.09

2009-12-21T13:46:00.004-05:00

washing the dishestemper breaksglass shards on the groundrage won't resolveonly circulateyou can rebuilda buildingbutyou can't rebuilda treethe cleared pathwayhas a skimof snowpolka-dottedwith peedon't tellMr. Kittysleeping in the snow-reflected sunabout the splash and slushof the melted sidewalks

Gogyohka 12.20.09

2009-12-20T11:19:00.004-05:00

These accumulated over the past week like the snow piled up on the sidewalks in Brooklyn:Already know I'm backGo down the stairsto the train platformand hear steel drumsplaying "White Christmas"Driving to the airportwe see the border signsfrom South to North CarolinaOnce in the airthe only lines left are highwaysthe city street's moodthe moment between two songsplaying on a jukeboxthe trash cans

Gogyohka 12.12.09

2009-12-12T14:21:00.003-05:00

On the train platform50 whiskey-breathed Santaschanting "Ho. HO. HO!"On the train a prophet--"When the Word came, it was like a sword..."the husband standsin the winter sunscrooging his facehis wife coos at an infantdown the sidewalk

Collected Gogyohka 12.7.09-12.11.09

2009-12-11T15:21:00.004-05:00

NationalismNew flagjust out of plasticrun straight up the poleand waving alonein the winter wind "He's the kind of guywho looks at his shoeswhen he tripsover his feet.""Oh yeah?" Gettingolder--practicefor the momentready?The fracture linebetween thinkingand believingDon't need no flowersto feel the Spring windClimb a treewhen youngto paint

Another Guest Gogyohka Poet

2009-12-08T22:15:00.006-05:00

This one is Peter Fiore, author of the first published collection of American Gogyohka Poetry, Text Messages. Peter has been a wonderful companion on the journey of promoting Gogyohka in this country, and since meeting in October his advice and energy has meant a great deal to me.[Peter and his granddaughter Linda Fiore, who also writes Gogyohka]in misty rainI see my

Guest Gogyohka Poet, Aidu Taro

2009-12-07T20:05:00.005-05:00

Hi everyone,If you follow my blog regularly, you remember I posted a poem by Mont. Well, you can call him Aidu now, and here's another Gogyohka I especially like from his English body of work.after picking white rosesin our small gardenI set them secretly in my wife’s pillowcase an evening of May [a photo Aidu took of a white rose growing in his garden that didn't make it

Gogyohka 12.06.09

2009-12-06T16:57:00.002-05:00

Does anyonehate prisonmore thanJohnny Cash?Born with barsStill haven'tfinishedthe mix tapeof my heartnot enough tracksThe birds perchedon the highest branchesof the treeoutside the housing projectsare singing in unisonI don't livenear whitesI livein a sliceof chocolate custard pie

Gogyohka 12.04.09

2009-12-04T11:42:00.003-05:00

my outward expressionshave been madeso many times nowthey're lined into oneheart's river keeps flowingsuch a razor's edge!cynicism's sneeror staying not naiveseeing the wounded birdforgetting the wounded birdDecember BrooklynPeople singingand dancingeven ifthey don't know it

Gogyohka 12.03.09

2009-12-03T14:53:00.004-05:00

we asked him what he wantedto do for a living"I want to lay in a hammockwith a glass of winelistening to jazz"The bright blue sky so warmit makes me deliriousI set my head downwalk fast on the sidewalkPast the drunk fingering his bottleneck

Gogyohka 12.02.09

2009-12-02T15:23:00.003-05:00

The bare botanic gardenlets me see the reflecting poolSeems so much closer--an oncoming winterpromises intimacySomething she likesstanding before the emptied poolwith an islandof dead cat-o-nine tailsSomething the scarfed old woman likesLost in a waterfall of facesand wanting to beOnly one way to avoidachieving yourselfEasy to hide shouting alone, tooWalking the streetscould get hit by a busfor

Gogyohka 12.01.09

2009-12-01T12:16:00.003-05:00

outsideI see my breath for the first timesmell the sidewalk dryingmixed with the heating oil truckApples rotting on the treeSpraying the tilesthinking aboutwhich store sellsthe cheapest bleachI fell down in the bathtub

Gogyohka 11.30.09

2009-11-30T19:50:00.003-05:00

If concrete giantsare skyscrapersthen is the skybleeding?Needles inject cloudsA book improvesfrom staying openfor all to readI look on the horizonand see the titles of a thousand waiting hearts The Mexicans just laughedwhen he told themhe was American"No, no, no--We're Americans."the futurenever quite existsthere is onlywhat you're willingto keep doingThe addresschangesbut I am

Gogyohka 11.24.09

2009-11-24T16:00:00.002-05:00

A gaggleof teenagerstromping up Spring Street"You drive a PriusYou're not Jesus Christ!"My past hangsa chandelierabove my headWant to shake itand watch the dust glitterWisdom of a Mad Old ManAmbitionWhat of it?Most just walk down the roadAsk for a glass of beerWe dare not say itIf you doubt your songstand before the tree of birdsThe silverstreak jaycatcalling the blues hum doveThe oboe duck

Gogyohka 11.22.09

2009-11-22T10:09:00.002-05:00

Everyonein my familyhas bathrobesBorn into a countryof freezing morningsMy past--a chandelierabove my headI'm reaching to shake itto watch the dust glitterLaying spread on the pillowhe is a stuffed animalReal hair doesn't comein galaxy orangeI want to pet it back to life---Don't know about "pet" as verb for lien 5. Originally it was "stroke," but that seemed too sexual.

Gogyohka 11.20.09

2009-11-20T12:16:00.003-05:00

When giving a giftI don't chargebut neitherdo I askif you want itWe aren't caterpillarswe have many cocoonsnot just mitzvahs, confirmation, quinceañerosmany passages to crawl out ofand emerge standingno flower, methe hypnotist orchidor the nymph daisyBut a sucker bee falling in themnever dusting my legs

Gogyohka 11.18.09/11.19.09

2009-11-19T12:35:00.005-05:00

we'll start with yesterday:checked under the band-aidafter three daysfinger gash already healedResolved never to feargetting wounded in love"White boy!""Hey, white boy!"turning my head"You look good today."don't half believe it's meMetro North Train going to MahopacThrough the seatsa man recreases his Wall Street JournalRaging red bullfrog flapfolding over the white collarAnother asleep in his

Gogyohka 11.17.09

2009-11-17T16:51:00.002-05:00

Gogyohkaislife'spausebuttonTodaythe daffodilsfeelthe furthestthey've ever beenAfter watchingDancing with the StarsI get ready for bedrip off my shirtlike a Latin dancerReason gets up earlyto wind its clockwhile feelingsleeps indreaming of dancing past the metronomeThe generations of mencrowded into a roomelbow to elbownot knowingwhether to talk or listen

Gogyohka 11.16.09

2009-11-16T17:09:00.003-05:00

Bending my breathto capture the street smellsnail polish, leather, perfume over sweat and smokeLeave mine with the pavementhoping to be rememberedWe are the answersOur fingertipsfinding each otherAsk me anythingI'll answer with your songThere are diseasesand YouTubeand all that--yadda yaddaBut what's most contagiousis fire

Gogyohka 11.15.09

2009-11-15T17:18:00.003-05:00

Ok, so I lied: I'm going to keep posting /everything/ here. This'll be my little gogyohka repository. But I'll also pluck a few out to put on the Junction. Plus you can read poems by many others there, so I hope you all will feel welcome to check it out. Enjoy all things!All these leavesand people walking on themdriven to go up or downfrontward or backwardMysterious--still motionIf I

Gogyohka 11.14.09

2009-11-14T12:53:00.002-05:00

When you set outwith sail raised high and proudyou pray the clinksof metal against mastare the whispers of windI hope everyone will visit and join Gogyohka Junction at www.gogyohka.ning.com (it takes two seconds). Many of my poems will begin only appearing there, in the Forum. Thank you for reading and enjoying.

Gogyohka 11.13.09

2009-11-13T15:14:00.004-05:00

when hurtI look for Faulthidden in the bushes of sadnessI just find hermaking out with BlameMoney may notbe the rootof evilbut it's at the rootof many fearsever wake upand havethe dayalreadypassed?The beauty of buddhism?It'll changeBad times won't lastGood times neitherGive up toys and boo-boos both

Gogyohka 11/12/09

2009-11-12T14:55:00.002-05:00

Soldier's mom on camera"How can they be safe?They're at war--"holds her eyes"I can't do this..."

Gogyohka 10.10.09

2009-11-10T16:02:00.002-05:00

Poem postsfrom Japanarrive on my screenevery morninglike a basket of dreamsTeenagerscall us outwhen we're afraidto be ourselvesand love us when bravedrum circlenext toa school for the deafsomehowstudents are dancingthe leaf carpethas turnedthe squirrelsinto crashing giantswith thorhammer tailsA woman aloneskates a wide marchunder the treessmiles at the racketshe's kicked upwalk, if you want,on

Gogyohka 11.9.09

2009-11-09T14:52:00.003-05:00

riding the bikeno beggarsmaddened screams just a blureven ambulances a minor dangeronly connected to airbrown heat stabs my headthrough the branchesaround the trunkcomes the mascaraed eyethe pause of a woodpecker

Gogyohka 11.6.09

2009-11-06T17:32:00.004-05:00

When my landlord's not lookingI snip a few sprigsof rosemary and sagefrom his meticulous gardenNothing's free from himthese dayslooking downwhen I walkbut just to see the leavesbrown and piledthree nights of rain and gustswill takethe sweep of autumn leavesout of the treesand into its handsOthers believe youwhen you believe what you sayJust make sureit's notthe only thing you believetwo square

Gogyohka 11.5.09

2009-11-05T14:57:00.003-05:00

every seaton the trainis filledexcept the onenext to mineto say someonehas strong opinionsisto have oneyourself

Gogyohka 11.4.09

2009-11-04T22:42:00.003-05:00

The flame attractsnot for the brightnessor its warmthIt reminds meof my ownin the market's bustle"Oh, look--just look over hereCameo apples.""Making a cameo appearance..."From the broadcast boothcomes Joe Buck--"4-1 Yankees"and Tim McCarver--"4-1 Matsui"

Goyohka 11.3.09

2009-11-03T21:09:00.001-05:00

If only my visionwrinkled like my faceto see the wayI am seenI look fresh and newThe gourds hangfrom the upside down V'sof dead vine-braidsAn old heiferwrung bag-drygotta admitthe first poemsmay have been bestworried about green shootswith feet littered by leavesThe windburned suncatches the red licorice leavesof the Japanese mapleBaby monkey fingerscurling for foodWhenGogyohkaasksHow are youit

Gogyohka 11.2.09

2009-11-02T15:43:00.003-05:00

Scenes from the NYC Marathon (11.1), specifically in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn:Two eyes, yesTwo ears, sure,right on--but remember:One heart pumping outOneGospel choir singing so hardin frontof the Baptist Churcheven white boys on the avenuehave to smilemarrow jigglingoff the concreteonly mile 9a marathon runner knowsthe privacy of achievementthe women tapping in heelsthe man lost in his

Gogyohka 10.31.09

2009-10-31T11:54:00.001-04:00

You can refreshthe prunesin brandybut the wrinkles still showGrow plumsWalk proud and opento notice the inchwormand cloud shapes forminglight in your heartSum the total self

Gogyohka 10.30.09

2009-10-30T12:16:00.003-04:00

I pretendit doesn't matterbut I worryabout moneyevery dayThe most profound persondoesn't askWhat is the meaning of lifebut creates their meaningsand lives with them"I got some change the other daySix dollars sixty six cents."The prophet on the subwayisn't moving to the next carHer legs shift weightCome on down to where I livebig brother, big sisterTalking about bright daysand brighter dawnsJust

Gogyohka 10.29.09

2009-10-29T11:43:00.003-04:00

Booming from buildingsBooming from their lawnsBooming into the TVafraid of silencethese babies getting old300 millionwasting awaywith "I do what I want"the new diapers aloneenough to suffocate the restmushrooms waitfor the right conditionsto appearbut mushroomsare always thereTo all the teenagers:Normal peopleare peopleyou don't knowvery wellRun from the sunAll you'll seestretched out and

Gogyohka 10.28.09

2009-10-28T15:36:00.001-04:00

"Ma'am?" She looks upfrom a plastic bag tent city"You forgot your cucumber.""Oh--thanks!" Stands from the strollernow empty. "Celeste...Celeste!"

Gogyohka 10.27.09

2009-10-27T21:13:00.001-04:00

can't tellif the changing oaksare camouflagingthe buildingsor the other way aroundthe web of humanityextending outand linking uscan also reach backand choke

Gogyohka 10.26.09

2009-10-26T16:46:00.003-04:00

her hair such a fiddleheadneck into hollow bodythat I only wondershould I bow the stringsor pluck them?so many faces behind wordsdripping downfrom the wax pooled up in burningits intentions eitherto play or win

Everybody, Please Welcome Mont!

2009-10-25T11:01:00.005-04:00

Mont is a Japanese Gogyohka poet and new friend I met through the Gogyohka International BBS (http://www1.rocketbbs.com/412/5gkintl.html). We have since corresponded through email and he has been kind enough to post one of my Gogyohka on his newly created blog (you can find it in my "Good Others" list--it's called "The Lovely Earth").Now I have the pleasure to present one of his Gogyohka and a

Gogyohka and Revisions 10.25.09

2009-10-25T10:53:00.003-04:00

Ain't singin to tell youof some trouble I hadThis here bluesis just the storyof a good man gone badApathy's coils tangle meWhere are we going?WHERE ARE WE GOING?Are we there yet?Can't see my feet movingSome fixes:I carry the scarsfrom reaching for starsthat turned into barsIn the mirrora robin fidgets on a wireIf generationswant to get alongwith each otherone can't think it's betterApril's

Gogyohka 10.24.09

2009-10-24T11:02:00.002-04:00

on a couch older than memy uncle's viking beard turnsHis mother's ice cube eyes flashas he shows off something fancy"Not bad for a Mick from Brewah, eh?"I see him counting before he standsSee his kneesstill remembering morning basketballI love you, UncleI love /you/Yaya,DranmaEven "cracker"Nana sits fast in her chairsmiling and fullIf generationswant to get alongwith each otherone can't think

Gogyohka 10.23.09

2009-10-23T09:50:00.003-04:00

Walking alongbegging with my faceof the blackboys passing byCan you make me feel somethingother than fear?Sour smell in the showerA block into outsideit hit me--the bile and Kraft parmesan obscenityof ripe Gingko berriesSummer sunsame color as the last leavesSky lovely blue enoughfor a polar bearto drown inNot even off the planeAlready know I'm back"I saw them back in 1957--58?--no, 57-with

Gogyohka from Maine 10.18-10-21

2009-10-21T20:09:00.003-04:00

Just got back--couldn't make it preciousand so couldn't teachto keep it within even public wallscast the net widerwider stillalmost Novemberand stillthere are rosesstill roseswedding dress roses, pink, and whiteDad in the front seatfull of presentsof his gabby giftwatching his water wheel thumbstwiddle and churnso excitedabout seeing usand the hikehe fell overhis dogthe dog will markthe tree