Greg Burton’s San Francisco Blog

the little things build up
sand pushed to dune
one grain at a time
along the beach
which wind prevails
depends on location
ripples of earth
yield direction
after the fact
be careful climbing
granular shifts unsteady
footing whispered windsong
siren calls stop
rest before starting
little things build up
misunderstandings
careless words
a moment is enough
camels bear straw dogs.
clarity is not enough
lacking will to see
bones among the sand
polished ivory says
no water [...]

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He says you need to pay
for this passage. He says
the debt was already paid
twice.
She says the boat will sink
anyway, but remember to keep
those copper coins in your
pocket.
When I looked back
You had already gone
nothing left but mounds of bone
dust
He said no pay no
play, but she couldn’t
believe she’d missed the
boat.

– 6/8/2008
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “Redemption”, url: “http://www.gregb.com/2008/06/08/redemption/” });

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Do not buy in to love
It’s not a transaction
Do not speculate in love
It’s not a commodity
Do not trade your soul for love
It’s not that kind of exchange
Do not expect a controlling interest
It’s not that kind of merger
Do not exchange love
It’s not that kind of currency
Do not corner love
It’s not that kind of monopoly
Markets deal in [...]

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breathe in darkness
rely on your eyes
for nothing, now
feel your way
merge meaning
with sensation
a touch - a word
a caress - a phrase
entwined in sentences
connection and desire
sigils traced, fingered
figures erased after
the deathdance
was done.
you say
this isn’t my scene
you say
it’s not what I want
feeling the whole hand
embarrassed and confused
the voice whispers in your head
“now you’ve been marked”
still feeling the warmth
after [...]

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to get to this place
find a crossroads
any crossroads will do
go at midnight
choose blindly
start walking
when you find a river
cross it
muddy banks
clear cold
turbulent center
keep your feet
or be swept away
take a cup with you
when you find the desert
cross it
dust devils
hot dry
sand dunes shifting
keep your mouth covered
lest you choke
take a pinch with you
if the forest is
burning, walk into
the fire.
ash [...]

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with respect to last night
you clearly didn’t get
the memo…. um, yeah…
Aretha spelled it out
in capital letters
but I missed the song
must not be on
your personal playlist
I could respect
your beliefs and say:
Henceforth, you are nothing
Henceforth, you don’t matter
Henceforth, you are forgotten
Henceforth, you are confused
Henceforth, you are an empty shell
But that would be lying
I could respect
the image and [...]

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