Reminder

Hey, Poet –
You get beyond my ken
you understand
and then, my care.
I wonder still
whose ear or will
or command
it is you seek
when you speak and look at me.
Who the hell do you see
swimming upstream
in your river of five-dollar phrases
whose praises
are the ones you’d kill for?
Tell them your dream
in that language known by so few
and spoken by none

but, Poet –
send them the bill for
your rhyme-less scheme
and send it first-class, too
as soon as it’s done.
You get beyond my ken
you understand
and
------ I gotta run.

~ Ralph Murre

Here's a reminder -- we'll be reading at the New Harmony Coffee House in Appleton, Wisconsin, on Monday, November 2nd, at 6:30, I think. We promise not to get beyond your ken.

Twilight

late afternoon

late autumn

a shade of blue

~ arem

I'm proud to say that another of my pieces has been published at the excellent ezine "Haibun Today". Have a look at http://www.haibuntoday.com/ ~RM

Bringin' Up Bud

" . . . an' da two a' dem so young an' whadda dey know about da world an' now already dey gotta toddler an' what kinda Ad-Van-Tage kin dey ever give dat kid? No kind dat's what. But I tell ya, what's it matter, aina, Marge? What's it matter? I mean lookit what we did for our kids, huh? I mean lookit how dey turnt out ennaway. Ya do what watcha kin, Marge, but it's a crapshoot I'm tellin' ya, it's a crapshoot . . ."

~ RM

Looking Up

LOOKING UP

Does the sky today
with its twelve cranes
neatly folded and calling
in gourd-throated rattles
look something like the sky
on that Friday I was born?

That day in 1944
our 386th bomber squadron
accidentally
hit a house in Belgium.

Was anyone home?
That’s important to know.
Were they aware
it was The Good War?
’cause that’s important to know.
And will folding a thousand cranes
really bring peace?
That’s important to know.

—Ralph Murre

first appeared in the Museletter of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets

Confection

Have some candy, my sweet.
No, it isn't medicine
and I never bring meat.
I'm your wonderful parent
after all,
so eat, eat.
Then we'll buy a plaything
for your right hand
and another for the other
and one for each ear.
Have some candy, my dear.
Now, what would you like --
A German car? An Italian bike?
I've a chocolate from Godiva.
Please, uhhh . . .
charge something to my Visa,
your D's a good enough grade.
You deserve a little treat --
more candy, my sweet?

~ Ralph Murre

conflict

cranes calling

from the north

church bells

from the south

cranes win

~ arem