"Morning After Concert"

"Morning After Concert"

Sunday morning after a late night
on the town drinking beers and gin and
tonics - and swallowing second hand
smoke from the butts that lead the
way. First band leaving for Cuba
soon, played a Cuban song with
their instruments which include cello
and bass and bongos like in Cuba
and the crowd files in to the six-dollar
cover charge of the bohemians
of the town - and then she, the
lead of the next band starts to open up
and talk about her bra and America - I
spoke to her in the back later but
not about her bra - and these dirty
ones from Boston came a way to
sing us stories and make me smile at other
people smiling and I drank a second beer and
then watched this 40-something
patriotic Eve dance with her young 20's
Adam and laughed at the drunk
joy but later was stunned when this
sad drunk grabbed my head like
at a sports event and I went
to get laid like an egg who
has never been cooked up a storm
which was what pepper's ghost was - a
downpouring of energy and
gags and even saws cutting
wood on a saturday night and
then we left and ate and left
and slept and the times had changed.

"Smile"

I want to write a story of lasting
euphoria, not one of sorrow and
then I remember and tears of joy
erupt like lava from my eyes.
I'm here, clean and not tired.
I can be seen after all the
long, cold days and I can
yell my songs and you will
hear me and applaud - because
when it all comes down to it,
I am loved by the true
ones, those that remain forever.

I am fully awake.

"Exit"

This is the first poem I'll post here, of what I hope will be many. Let me know what you think.

"Exit"

The sign lies mid-hallway -
The clock behind and underneath -
Forever trapped in this maze
looking for a knowing face
colors are green and sort of
and off-white looking like
spoiled bread on a planned
picnic afternoon yet it rained
and all sleep dream of buying
the ticket to the concert
where drugs tickle and burn - and when
over all exit single file.

Bulldozers as Weapons

By now, I'm sure many or most people heard of today's terrorist attack in Jerusalem. An East Jerusalem Palestinian, a construction worker on Jerusalem light-rail project, took a bulldozer and drove in into a series of cars and the Egged #13 bus on Jaffa Road is central Jerusalem. 3 people were killed and dozens wounded.

I am not going to turn this blog into one that is focused on politics - I think people get enough of that already - at least I know I do.

I will say though of course is that whenever innocent people seem to be killed, on both sides, the talk usually turns to who's fault it is more: Jews or Muslims? Israelis or Palestinians? Right-wing or leftists? Numbers become important - how many have been killed on each side.

Please just remember, for a few minutes, the actual fact that people who had nothing to do with any sort of war, occupation, checkpoint, etc. were killed - for the horrible crime of choosing to take the bus. How absurd is that?

I went to a chamber music concert tonight in Jerusalem - life does go on. The concert was sponsored by a group that is trying to use music to bridge the gap between different cultures. Today's events were called "a tragedy". And then the music started again.

Will people remember those who died 1 week from now? Even 2 days from now?