P O E T S ON THE LINE
a continuing anthologyFounded by Andrew Gettler & Linda Lerner
NO. 9 & 10 T H E M I L L E N N I U M I S S U E
Edited by Linda Lerner
LONNIE SHERMAN
The Darkness of Death Again
THEY ARE PLOWING THE FIELDS OF ORCHIDS
DOWN IN TO THE FLAG BEARING DIRT
BELOW THE DOGWOOD TREE
WHERE MY FATHER IS AS COLD & AS
STIFF AS OAK
THEY CAN NOT DRAW THE SMOKE FROM HIS LUNGS
OR THE
REASONS OR THE ROSES HE HOLDS DEEP IN
HIS STOMACH.IN GRACE
THE DISTANCE IS TOLD BY
FIDDLES
THE NIGHT IS COLD W/WITCHES &
I'M LIGHTING THE CANDLE THAT FOLDS
AMONG THE RED BLOOD HE
HELD IN THE PALMS OF HIS
HANDSTHERE IS NOTHING
FLOATING IN THE AIR
ABOVE THE GRAVE
NOTHING IS ALIVE IN
THE CEMETERY
NIGHTTHE CORPSE IS QUIET IN THE
PINK ROOM
WHERE IT LAID IN THE BROWN
ROOM IS
100 YEARS AWAY
AS THE SKELETON REVEALEDREVEALED THE MAN AS
CHILD
& THE WINDOWS WERE SHATTERED BY
ENVELOPE THE REASON FOR DEATH O BIRDS
EXPLAIN THE REASON FOR
DEATH & THE
HYMNS THAT FOLLOW.& THE SONGS HAVE NO REASON
JUST THE WINGS OF
BANJOS
ONLY THE STRINGS OF SPIDERS &
MICE
EVOLVE HIS GRAVE IN TO ASHES
IN TO WORTHLESS PRAYERS
OUT OF SOME MEANINGLESS BOOKS & SONGS.I LET THE SQUIRRELS & LEAVES
PURSUE HS BONES
HIS SKIN IS OLD &
GOLDEN
HIS DREAMS A
WHISPER OF ASHES
A NIGHT FULL OF THE
REMEMBRANCE OF
MEREMEMBER WINTER
RECALL ALL CHRISTMAS
UPHOLD ALL ANGER
CONCEAL ALL SHAME
UNDERSTAND SEX & DRUGS
LAY DOWN ON
MY MIRACULOUS WOMANSEE THE DEAD STARS FALL MY FATHER
ENCLOSE ALL SWEET EMOTIONS
FOREVER IN THE
SCHOOL YARDS
MEET DEATH IN THE DOORWAY
SO SECURE
FORGIVE MY BLINDNESS
UNDERSTAND SEX &
ALCOHOL
HERE ARE THE YEARS GIVEN UP
BY THE STARS &
TRAINSTHEY HAVE GIVEN THE FLOWERS
TO THE POOR &
INSANE
THEY HAVE ALL GONE HOME TO SLEEP
HAVING DONE THE DEEDS
THROWN & LOST IN THE
BOTTOM OF THE WELL
THEY HAVE GIVEN THE FLOWERS TO THE OLD
TO BRIGHTEN THE SKY W/
OUR YELLOWS & BLUES & THE
DARKNESS
OF DEATH AGAIN.
Nadine From Nowhere
THE GIRL WAS SITTING ON THE COUCH
FULL OF HEROIN & WINE &
MARIJUANA
SHE HAD THE ANCIENT EYES SO HEBREW
THE FLOWERS OF EGYPT IN THE
PALMS OF HER HAND &
THE VOICE OF LAUREN BECALL IN
THE BACK OF HER THROAT
15 YEARS IN THE HOT BELLY SHE SAT
ESCAPING NOW IN PERFECT WHITE & BLUE
MORPHINE IS EVERYTHING SHE SAID
HER MOUTH ON THE FRINGE OF FAILURE
JUNK IS THE DREAM THAT
DREAMS ARE MADE OF.
LONNIE SHERMAN
Sleeping
SHE WAS SLEEPING ON THE WINDOWSILL
I WAS INVOLVED IN THE BOTTLE AT HAND
SHE WAS A DREAM AWAY FROM ME
I WAS ENVELOPED IN HER MIRACULOUS SKIRT
WE WERE WRAPPED IN THE NIGHT LIFE
WE WERE ALL ANYONE COULD DREAM
WE WERE EVERYTHING
THE LAW
WOULD ALLOW
LONNIE SHERMAN
from The Wisdom Of Night Spiders
john lee hooker
knew the secrets
left behind
in mingus'es hat
john lee hooker
knew
detroit in the 50's
the hot sweat and screaming
streets blue
and streets red
the longest groove
running from here
to hell and
to here
again
john lee hooker knew
it was the
4th chorus
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