—Photo by Taylor Graham, Placerville
MEMORIAL DAY
—B.Z. Niditch, Brookline, MA
It was always
sweltering desertion
my complete absence
by absolute shore
holding poppies
for my Uncle Jack
who hated the heat
of fractured war
hiding near the sea
by the slanted sun.
____________________
WOUNDS
—B.Z. Niditch
Do not go there
helpless as a child
alone in life's air
until a hurting bird
sings on birch branches
by shore dunes
near calm rocks
of seaweed
about our shadows
a neon butterfly
on my right shadow
shines with first light
along a wooded path
around scattered trees
empty of my initials.
____________________
NEVER
—B.Z. Niditch
Never beneath
the poet's embracing sky
has an innocent sun
touched the earth
Never
have rays of first light
against the wind
spread out words
Never has
endlessly living
out alembic speech
along laughter's rocks
whispered such
joys
at the edge's shore
Nor
has an ode
of futuristic pranks
sentenced us
to nature's folly.
—Photo by Taylor Graham
YOU, BAY OF BISCAYNE
—B.Z. Niditch
You, Bay of Biscayne
on the airy shore
of my childhood
by recurrent waves
at manifold glances
by sand dune castles
which fall
every time you build
amid the color
of faithless return
in luminous bodies
of cut anemones.
____________________
GLANCES
—B.Z. Niditch
Waiting for
your umbrella
on miles of dunes
from the beach rain
like other promises
that do not last
more than anemones
by the sea shore
of a photogaphic memory
jolting my patience
in a red eye
that will not close.
____________________
Today's LongerNip:
LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF DEATH
—Caschwa, Sacramento
(Based on Carl Sandburg’s “Death Snips Proud Men”)
Act I
You missed Act I,
Because this is when
You were born and you
Didn’t know yet how to
Think, evaluate, and control
Act II
This is all the years of your life
When you were sleeping, waiting
In line, or otherwise subject to
Forces beyond your control
Act III
These are the moments when
You gave careful thought
To properly evaluate and control
A situation.
Some of you will
Miss this Act if you blink
Act IV
Finally, eternal sleep.
Family and friends will cry
And mourn and eulogize, and then
Place your remains to wait in line
To be reclaimed by the Earth.
Curtains
Flowers to the leading lady
Good job, everyone!
Now let’s go have a nice meal…
_____________________
For more about B.Z. Niditch, go to community-2.webtv.net/buzz-worthy/TheWorldofBZNiditch/index.html
—Photo by Taylor Graham