Tricky and His Veep

Nixon had a running mate named Spiro. Their combined integrity was zero. Nixon was a paranoid and liar. Agnew was a goon and vilifier. Both fled office to avoid a trial, leaving legacies most dark … Read more

Musical Roots

Most of all, I’d like to thank, the big three, Dylan, Bruce and Hank, Elvis, Van and Jerry Lee, Cash, the Clash and GBV, Cohen, Bowie, Brubeck, Cream, Nine Inch Nails and Marley’s dream, Neil … Read more

Water Is Life

Remember the time when our waters were fine, when the rivers weren’t cloudy all day? When the fish used to swim in the fresh or the brine, before chemicals came into play. But now plastic … Read more

Bypass

Ten years ago today, my heart went on a short vacation. It called me in my dream state from a pay phone at a station. "I’m sitting just outside your chest. It’s really quite a … Read more

Ronnie

When the Ray Gun wasn’t on his meds, he might, off the cuff, say, "Nuke the Reds." Once he’d shouted, like a baseball call, "Mister Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" But he wasn’t able to … Read more

Time, the Destroyer

Life is the wonder socket, a pulse of ice and fire that churns the steam of dreams, a forest of unbidden shadows’ masked parade of time. The prayer of clocks cannot drown the mystery of … Read more

Red Hat

Suddenly, everyone was wearing red hats. Those that didn’t were vilified, even pushed around. Beneath their crimson brims they screamed of country. People without proper hats were scared to go outside. They had to sneak … Read more

Mrs. Ritz

Mrs. Ritz spits out bits of olive pits from the knitted chair in which she always sits. Her entire house is filled with strange mementos. She freely admits addiction to pimentos. She’s surrounded by her … Read more

New Rules of Play

Never pin your hopes on a phantom. Massage your cliff face daily and oil all squeaking parts. Walk lightly on the wire of consciousness. Sweep street smarts to the sidewalk, then run. Smash ideas into … Read more

Pawn with a Cribbage Peg Leg

Games are mathematics diluted in imagination. Backgammon a stepladder of pure numbers. Checkerboard a diamond of bad hops. All war games are spawn of great lord chess. Monopoly is the capitalist Candy Land. Dominoes are … Read more

Rust Belt

A rusting pile of iron ore lies on the floor for purposes unknown. Down on the block an old gamecock has found himself upon the clock and flown. While whistles sigh and poets die, the … Read more

Cats in the Window

Windy and cold and smelling of leaves. Look to the sky, you can see through the trees. Chipmunks are storing their harvest of nuts. Winter is coming, no ifs ands or buts.

Quack Up

Elmer and Daffy were acting up again, and, as always, sporting firearms. They were at a rally in the ‘deep’ south, a sea of bright red hats and dull pink faces. Alcohol had made their … Read more

The Shadow Nose

Snuffling is not sniveling except in certain cases when said snuffler is grimacing and making funny faces, and saying things that sound like lies and are, in fact, not fact, and covering with alibis, a … Read more