5 MORE POEMS

[Graham Brown]

saying to the trees as we cut them down
have a nice day
saying to the beggars
thank you
saying to the corporations
as they take us from behind
I hope you like my body
saying to the billions
being made from the war
enjoy
of course I'm a snotty
Englishman long live
America long live
Father Christmas
that smutty pervert
Colonel Kentucky
as we smile our grimace
grimace our smile
as we die from cancers
caused by hamburgers
we ate when we were children
they were called Happy Meals
see you next time
in McHeaven


HOUSE PLANTS

I)
they do not want to be here but here they are
pink blooms of Pelargonium
forest cacti for Christmas

ii)
we praise you & patronize
talk to you & ignore

you are exotic
& members of the family

convoluted Latin
homesick
lonely

iii)
something green is living
in the living room, enormous
Monstera leaves, the secret

life of Philodendron
that can read your mind
breathing

iv)
they're getting hardy, slowly
one day they'll pick their roots up, walk home


LONDON FEBRUARY

my boots are feral, they
are like the river, filthy
they keep moving

the bright lights are going on
in the water, all
the colours of the rainbow
but they are not wild
I gather
up these images like seeds
they are waiting, like leaves
curled up in the bark
of Winter trees, whatever

I have yet to do
has not yet begun


LITTLE SPRING POEM FOR KENNETH WHITE

the birches of the mind, here
we speak the same language

chaotic & joyful, making wine
from the sweetness of rising sap


BACK IN THE COUNTRY

is beautiful

the chestnut trees
their gifts

the forest
mushrooming

with the butterflies
of Summer

are beautiful

the birches
yellowing
like the clouds

is beautiful
as we catch

the last

of the light


(more poems on www.dhammamoon.org)