Monday, November 4, 2024

Wet Streams


 Wet Streams


In this dream

I was paddling

Up a stream

It seemed

So real.

Pray for Nation

 We paused at 6 to pray for America and the vote tomorrow.


Beauty be not caused


 Beauty-be not caused-It Is-

Chase it, and it ceases-

Chase it not, and it abides-


Overtake the Creases


In the Meadow- when the Wind

Runs his fingers thro’ it-

Deity will see to it

That You never do it-


Emily Dickinson 

c.1862


Gulf Fritillary among the iron weed

Before the fall


 Before the fall

John Clare Stokes


We envision ourselves forever with the young

The race we can still line up and run


And maybe some are given feet ever strong

Others, we are just grateful to limp home. 


Little Shoals

Suwannee


Upon slipping on the slippery rocks and having to crawl up the bank and limp back to the vehicle

Hey Hey goodbye


 Na na na na na na na na

Hey hey goodbye

John Clare Stokes


Nada will you please put another forty-five on?

Spin Wooly Bully for our beau Johnny Cone!

How we loved our Friday night pajama parties,

Crying in the chapel with the birds and the bees.

Now you tell me mamma Bishop's with Desmond and Marc?

That just leaves you and PJ to spin Petula Clark!

Sock Hops at seventy Oh still soothe the soul,

Kind of a drag, but it's not unusual you know 

We sure believed in magic from ole Roy Oribson,

Help! Where did our loves go?

I can't help this feeling we're

On the Eve of Destruction!

Fields of Summers all


 fields of summer's all

by john clare stokes 


in the fallow fields of fall

there lies a long lost ball

kicked over the goal of old

when the uprights were two

and the boys I am told

were measured by feat

but tonight around the

trampled tiger head

we name the fallow field

after the one

who lost the ball

took to alcohol

sat beside the Madden

Super ones

and to Jesus late

did come

So future bums

who make it big

can gather round

the purple tiger

and aspire

to have a fallow field

named for them.

Sunday, November 3, 2024

Driving

 Took a big step when i drove the hour drive home today from Williston. 


The Love of God

 It was good to attend the Williston Church of God and see old friends. 



Theron’s thalo

 So still on the Suwannee tonight 

at White Springs

I could hear the brush strokes of Theron

Dipping and stirring

tannic with sand

Blending them

Downstream


Nikki too


 Billy too


by john clare


she gave her left arm

to always be with the one

who was as a brother

not a blood brother

but a brother

and that was as good as

a brother

and i would have given

my right arm

to have had that

one night moment

of conception

and Nikki too

was my own....

Was well


 All was well-ordered

At the stately red Georgian

The peaceful path winding

But who was minding

The stranger who paused

Who saw

The raising of the hand

Announcing his presence 

Things just haven't been

The same since

All was well-ordered

at the stately red Georgian

Before the shadow stretched

Up the peaceful path winding

No one was minding.

Against the migration


 Against the migration


When we heed a call

Perchance o’er the shoulder

Behind, not always ahead

Against the head long migration

Against the wind of cliche 

Against even the natural way

The flock will chide and protest

This way

This way is best

This way we must

Yet the heed to turn compels

The call to dwell

Alone 

If need be

To find this source

That calls.