Ghost Sickness

A thick, tangible heaviness,
now gone; has haunted
me all summer
It must have been real,
so slick and oily; like
Rules, created in darkness
So Tiredness drew me
into its Lairs, so creepy
so many months
Now not there
It has died with a Form
a swearable body
So It can disappear
to make Itself known
So Real

©2018 Rudolf Kurt Penner

from catch yourself falling listening to Elvis

make the most, they say, of your friends

and Bobby Zimmy will reward you in the End

even though he got SAVED some time ago

and some don’t trust him anymore

 

© 2013 Rudolf Kurt Penner

 

from the poem: catch yourself falling listening to Elvis

(ask for the rest)

One Mountain Lion, One Police Car and One Deer

One Mountain
and One Police car
and one deer

And three trees,
and 2 deserts

One mountain Lion
one woman with long hair
spinning her web

one dried up sea
stretching from see to see point

a rattlesnake wriggling thru

shorten my sentences
with a hangman’s rope
cut with a razorsharp

here we are

bring me a rabbit and a blade of grass

tomorrow’s the nightday

Northern California, close to Reno

one mountain lion
one police car
and one deer

the tracks were laid down long ago
by a featherlight pen

now the pigeons sit on trains
even in boxcars
satisfied by a seed

by a fountain pen

and they were all here

drinking from the well
of the golden snake nearby
asking the camera for a projection

© 2014 Rudolf Kurt Penner

cheer up mr. sunshine

…attending the magnificent sunrise in their hearts

and open arms greeting you

in the heaven of your joy!

a musical note will pipe the tune

and grass will grow under your feet

you’ll work as you walk up the street

and you won’t weep

and ladybugs’ll land on your finger as you hold it out…

                     (excerpt from “cheer up mr. sunshine”. To get the complete poem contact me.)

© 2009 Rudolf Kurt Penner

Calling All Angels

Calling all Angels
All Old Angels aboard;
the Vessel is sinking
the pirates are drinking
the cook has arthritis
the nightwatchman and his stars – are one
the mast is high
in night sea air
the crow’s nest – a perfect example

fish dart furtively
under the backwash
below deck the Angel of Awe
has it out with one of the Captains –
– of Industry

the nightwatchman-watches his stars

©  2012 Rudolf Kurt Penner

XYZANDABC
P IMPLYRAI
NPEARLING
EVERYONEI
NTHEL I NE-
UPQUEUEW
AI T I NGFO
RFR ES HFL
OWERSIME
ANFOOD

©  2012 Rudolf Kurt Penner

Riders on the Storm

Someone playing Riders on the Storm
on the jukebox with my breakfast.
The early piano run tinkling right into my brain
filling my soul with meadows
and thinking of some guy named Andrew Beddows
I could’ve taken toast off numerous tables
or 1/2-deserted eggs
the place is full in such a way;
like tables full of mostly-finished food
and other tables with people
sitting there, mostly waiting for food
and one or two unhurriedly at the jukebox.

Their breakfast comes and they stay with the box
married to the tunes
It’s a day where people are
flush with money
ready to spend. Pit stop, and then
the everlasting energy to shop for a day