follower to lead

how can it seem
echoed streets are safely hidden
that caroling is for the living
the ice deer have melted all our hope
dear
in a child of God who cannot cope
here
for loom of dope the vapors of the fume
hath your ramped eyes
the colder still
as if the oxen tongue of love were wooing, and I had lost my humble guenevere
at last of all the market places lit
there isn’t but a Shelley/Keats to writ
where normally the matinee were
moving
I haven’t been a follower to lead
and if I ever see you drawing
windows
building them in boxes tall and square
there in taking naps to feel your healing
with my horizontal lines linear
as if to say she knows no answer
as if to say she thinks of me quite well
the fish with side of slaw goes well with Pinot Grigio
the girl is of a pearl inside her shell.

secrets

stick this writ in draws of breath
blown like glass your elder sent
wrote the note Beethoven heard
deaf ear fled the wriggling worm
destitute a test concerned
regale transcend recall the sperm
that crawled the wall
of no return.

a moon no more

there silence
hand shaking sadly
primrose peace
steal composure
for a plea
my kingdom for remorse
setting suns aside
hidden will
master plan
a lonely man
a tide unturned
a fist full of quip
make it quick
set apart
a heart to be
alone your own
relinquish the fish
recede tenderly
cowardly
a moon no more
would darken skies
that tell of woe some
alibis
have no thought a dimmest doubt
I am alone a darkest cloud
hung up in a sky so blue
alone at midnight without you.

resist the gist

slip into a ripple of sea too bright to sink unseen
with everything we haven’t been you’re everything to me
in some ways greener than the trees in summer sage
in summer wind to trace the ace of queens
a child again pretend do we create
her majestic countryside these United States
still what will of daffodil fulfilled with no mistakes
catch a cold on beaches squall call for water breaks
as the foam blends the bones for fishes washed ashore
flowering grasses growing tall hiding in the rough
a child playful as a pup
her organdy garment soaked above the knee
tiny hearts sewn on her bonnet
where there are skies in eyes so blue to untie the moon and let the
sun be done for a day or two in the backdrop of a set the picturesque
recessed upset of
a light too bright for night-
expect the blessings of the early morning dawn
your heart is strong the angels caught in the mid heaven
sing to return the song they stole drunk on the beauty
of Venus and weary they lay down their arms for peace
for every living being in the universe, listening to their
every heartbeat as they are written
smitten with the love of the elements
gathering stones to honor the present
bring the essential tide to cool
foolish cruelty in the name
of responsibility-as I am but a
hypocrite to resist the gist
of capability.

friend for life

reserved in public places
she holds back
what she may want to say
yet in a candid moment
the sun has broken
through the clouds
when the day becomes beautiful
and the rainy night abounds
she is beautiful
her eyes tell a story
of the love inside her heart
that but for the minstrels
keeps her mind in tune
the kindness in her gentle hug
as blind as I am leads me to
a quiet peace a reverence
common cast when day is past
that raises my soul to heal at last
to all the absurd ambiguity strife
my sweet friend for life
with liberty a sacred trust
an anchor kindred spirit fair
and just
every bit as lovely as a doe in the wood
understanding nobly all is understood
may she always feel as free and as good as tears may cry
as an ever changing sunset
in a most promising sky.

he was there

he smiled encouragement a man of honor
representing family ethics
white collar
mourned the 6 million
they were martyrs
Baruch atoi adanoi-as we light the candelabra
a holy man who hadn’t been to shule
schools of thought fishes swimming opposite in twos
upon the Larchmont lawn the morning dew
he was there but seldom home, were you?
the evening papers Adli Stevenson
he believed in him like no other mothers son
righteous indignation bright external gifts
all that money could buy-two dollar tips
cars boats colleges trips
faithful never able to come to grips
how he loved horseradish on his gefilte fish.

Tolstoy

June Kaplan Painting - Tolstoy
Tolstoy ~ 24″ x 18″ ~ acrylic on canvas

Idyllic

June Kaplan Painting - Idyllic
Idyllic ~ 18″ x 24″ ~ acrylic on canvas