Greg Burton’s San Francisco Blog

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

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

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

“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

“Most copper does not change to gold
For any philosopher’s stone.”
— Rumi, Outdoors and the Passion of the Grass
——————————————-
“No means no”, she says
slyly flashing a glimpse of thigh
“I don’t know means no”, she says
looking coyly over her shoulder

If you can’t come to me naked
Stripped of pride, stripped of shame
Unadorned beauty….
Stay home.

If yes is not in your lexicon
and the Shield of Confusion
defends you from the world…
Stay home

If no is your response
to breath, to joy, to
pain and sorrow
Stay home

Stay out of my nest
Cuckoo, lay your
eggs elsewhere
It’s time for mine to hatch.

———————————————–

I’m learning to spot the little hooks
attached to the fishing lines
when the hook is set
I thrash around
she blames me
for swamping her boat

Next time she’s trolling
She’s gonna lose her line.
The hooks are dull and shiny
too easy to spot, the line
easy to chew through
it won’t even
rock the boat

5/26/2008

To be read by two people to each other:
first - in an ironic, cynical, “knowing” voice by each
second - in a sincere, grateful, “innocent” voice by each
third - in a factual, detached, “objective” voice by each
fourth - silently to themselves
————————————————————–
Thank you:
For teaching me the difference between night and day - Crown
For teaching me projection - Wisdom
For teaching me resistance - Understanding
For teaching me how deep sleep can be just what you need - Compassion
For letting me look in the broken mirror - Power
For dancing your choreography - Beauty
For helping me unravel the threads - Eternity
For giving me no choice - Glory
For making it all about sex - Foundation
For making it all about me - Kingdom

–5/22/2008