Greg Burton's San Francisco Blog

Mercury Rising

admin0 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:03:27 +0000

Fractal overlays

Patchwork World

admin0 — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:29:46 +0000

On closer
examination,
it didn’t
appear to be
a brave new
world after all.

Someone had
recycled the
fabric of reality.

Small Things

admin0 — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:29:03 +0000

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 here
check at the next
mirage

– July 10, 2008

Inside the Bubble

admin0 — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:48:23 +0000

Redemption

admin0 — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:32:22 +0000

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

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off the market

admin0 — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:36:57 +0000

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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symbology

admin0 — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:38:01 +0000

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 the bruise fades
you return

–6/4/2008

getting here

admin0 — Sat, 31 May 2008 22:44:06 +0000

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 and soot
trees in flame
cover your skin
or be consumed
take a burning branch
just in case
plunge the branch
into the cup
inhale the steam
scatter the sand
draw runes in it
with the branch
when you can
tell me where
you are here

–5/31/2008

rererererererere

admin0 — Thu, 29 May 2008 22:46:22 +0000

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 say
You’re a cat
in a doorway
who refuses to go
in or out
But that would be lying

I could say
Don’t let the door hit your ass
on your way out
but it’s too late for that
after you’ve bared your bottom
Isn’t it

so listen up, or
not
Respect is wiping your feet
on the doormat
before you open the door
learn which is which
how to tell door from
doormat before
you knock again

–5/29/2008

Negation

admin0 — Wed, 28 May 2008 08:22:15 +0000

“She makes the sign of the teaspoon, he makes the sign of the wave”
— Paul Simon
————————————–
not:

a very good dancer
a blank projection screen
Merlin locked in hawthorne
Nimue locked in fear
Pandora’s box
the Wheel of Fortune

your fantasy
your fallen angel
your knight in shining armor
your damsel in distress
your head on a platter
your pride and joy
your little bit on the side
your shame and disgrace
your dirty little secret
your worst nightmare
your sweetest dream
your master
your slave

asleep
——————-
5/28/2008