poems by mjh

My first haiku

Wed 09/14/11 at 4:07 am

Haiku may be fun
formulaic poetry —
I don’t care for it.

[inspired by a lackluster Alibi Haiku Contest]

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In Poems:
Older: this simple truth

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this simple truth

Sun 05/01/11 at 1:13 am

I wish the stories all were true
that we love to tell
and I could be again with you
in Heaven or in Hell.
That I could be again with you,
and all our friends as well,
would bring the greatest joy to me
in Heaven or in Hell.

But we all know this simple truth
that on this earth we dwell
in measured days of age and youth
not Heaven nor in Hell. mjh

1/13/06

For my Mom, who taught me language and love.

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Listen to this simple truth

My Virtual Chapbook (table of contents)

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In Poems, The Atheist's Pulpit:
Newer: Mom
Older: Seek Alternate Route
Tags: death, heaven, hell

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Seek Alternate Route

Sat 04/30/11 at 9:47 am

There was an accident today
on the road to Poetica.
A truck tipped over
on the road most taken
spilling thousands of poems.
Some handwritten on loose leaf.
Some neatly typed.
Traffic was tied up for hours
as people stood in the road reading
laughing and crying
and sharing their favorites.
O, the humanity. mjh

3-31-2010

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Listen to Seek Alternate Route

My Virtual Chapbook (table of contents)

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In Poems:
Newer: this simple truth
Older: Songdogs
Tags: poetica

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Songdogs

Fri 04/29/11 at 11:47 am

I met a couple
on the breathless trail
to Pueblo Alto.
They were dressed identically
in long-sleeve white shirts
and khaki-colored nylon pants —
oddly well-groomed in a wild place.
They grinned at me
as they approached,
and I thought I heard her say,
"Hello, Mark."
But how? Did I know them?
I asked how they were and she replied,
"Wonderful. How about you?"
She sang her words
like someone unfamiliar
with human speech.
Only then did I recognize them —
coyotes are so clever. _mjh

3/31/10

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Listen to Songdogs

My Virtual Chapbook (table of contents)

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In Poems:
Newer: Seek Alternate Route
Older: up in the middle of the night
Tags: coyotes

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up in the middle of the night

Thu 04/28/11 at 6:00 am

Up in the middle of the night
on my way to the bathroom
I dropped dead.
Lying in the hall
in my final second,
I saw all to come:
the weddings and dances
the funerals
all the wars
a million suns
rising and setting
a small blue and white ball
spinning before me
forever over in an instant. mjh

10/4/2004

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Listen to up in the middle of the night

My Virtual Chapbook (table of contents)

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In Poems:
Newer: Songdogs
Older: the cure
Tags: death

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the cure

Wed 04/27/11 at 12:47 am

my old friend
is worried about me
coughing roughly
deep in the night
he stands by the bed
searching my face
for a cue
a clue to my
senseless barking
barking
he paces the floor
for hours
he sniffs my hand
ingesting my malady
to concoct the cure
which he administers
in slow soft licks;
“be well, old friend
the pack is with you.”
and I am well again. mjh

3/17/2005

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Listen to the cure

My Virtual Chapbook (table of contents)

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In Poems:
Newer: up in the middle of the night
Older: 101°
Tags: dogs, illness

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101°

Tue 04/26/11 at 1:01 am

101°

Glenn Gould plays Bach
as I step on that distant shore.
Handing my coppers to the boatman,
I look up the bank for you
among the crowd
scanning the new arrivals for
old friends
to lead across the fields
when the dog barks –
1 head, not 3 –
I’m not dead yet,
as Charon’s ferry folds
into the sofa,
where I shiver
in fevered dreams
between two worlds
not ready for either. mjh

first published 3/9/05

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Listen to 101°

My Virtual Chapbook (table of contents)

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In Poems:
Newer: the cure
Older: at this very moment
Tags: death, dogs, dreams, illness, myth

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