Methodical mysteries fill the

endless night with startlight,

firelight, sight, flight of

the planets turning.  Winged mammals

emerge from their darkened daytime

haunted hollow roost; synchronized in

formation, migration of galaxies,

connection, speculation, revelation,

a dead sattelite’s reflection in a

still mountain pond, full pool;

still flowing, not knowing of

beauty or destruction, consumation,

damnation, overpopulation.

Gravity leads the wayward water

downhill, soundlessly slipping past

gnawing beavers to the sea.

Turtles in the deep creeping,

rabbit on the shore nibbling,

owl on the prowl asking not why, but Who?

Concoctions of the mind bubble up,

blended beliefs, pureed practices,

psychedelic homogenization of culture and religion,

abstract reinvention of soulful activity

leads me from the bush to the shore,

to adore the breathe that fills me.

wylder chase 2002

A seed on the breeze

must land somewhere

in order to make a flower.

The wind must blow

through the limbs of the trees

to subtly show its power.

The rain must fall

down from the clouds

when the weight becomes a burden.

If the river is forced

to leave its course,

the sea it will still end up in.

 

wylder chase 2001-08

(sometimes they come a line a year)

#1

 

feathers on the breeze

soaring above the seas with

ease to foreign lands

 

#2

 

she calls from afar

an angel’s voice in my ears

gentle muse come back

 

 

#3

 

two high curbs to cross

for an old veteran man

two broke legs, big heart

 

#4

 

He talked about age

He said it was what ails him

that and the old war

 

#5

 

plane crash in Japan

nineteen fifty three, the draft

chills a drunk Diné

 

#6

 

his aunt spoke English

she spoke to him in his tongue

that is Navajo

 

#7

 

he was mad when he

found out she spoke English good

he now knows his aunt

#8

 

he spoke English well

learned it in Indian school

all braves spoke English

 

#9

 

he learned Navajo

in a Texas Army school

when it was useful

#10

he learned Navajo

to become a Code Talker

not to please his aunt

#11

 

the raven watched us

meet in the gravel between

two high curbs to cross

 

#12

 

a walker rolls slow

in deep gravel real real slow

as the sun gets low

 

#13

 

five drunk humanoids

stagger through the gravel deep

the old man looked down

 

#14

 

the drink stops the pain

makes you want to take a dog

or ask for money

#15

kids laugh in the hall

walls in motel six are thin

after three days here

#16

empty walls of tan

lines of lighter tan between

the big black t.v.

#17

two high curbs to cross

we stood on the gravel there

six legs says he soars

#18

I regurgitate

the memories as I go

so much more to say

#19

pounding feet above

on the ceiling or the floor

children dance heavy

#20

I wrote a song to

to the joyful beating feet

it sounds like this one

#21

how could I complain

steal the joy from under them

churning over silence

#22

unencumbered flight

is not allowed here in earth’s

magnetic embrace

#23

depression is in

America is crippled

focus on the love

#24

locked in houses

watching the bad news unfold

turn it off right now

#25

back in the village

twelve years ago i lived there

in that old brick house

#26

uplift consciousness

connect the shimmering lights

scattered and dying

#27

sitting still is good

so is sweeping wooden floors

and doing dishes

#28

without everything

we would have nothing at all

that would not be fun

#29

 

change the story now

it’s the only time we have

it’s neverending

 

#30

 

work gets done by men

cigarettes hang in pursed lips

nails get filled with dirt

#31

she is merciful

she listens quietly and waits

wind takes her away

#32

these poems are for her

she inspired me to write them

she reads now she knows

#33

she knows i love her

no less than i did that day

when I heard her shoes

#34

this invitation

to live and let go be free

made me sad again

#35

tonight I thought once

a hundred poems is a lot

of sadness to write

#36

the prettiest bird sang

today in the sawed up wood

hiding from the rain

#37

she felt my sadness

she opened her wings for me

she sang soft and pure

#38

immersed in music

liquid lights with Bassnectar

pleasure in my veins

#39

stranded on the road

albuquerque took me in

made me feel at home

#40

i stayed for five days

waiting on the Pretty Lights

with some new old friends

#41

she is my mirror

crouching in the strong wind

in some far off land

#42

collective thinking

harmonious progression

evolving at last

#43

closing off our hearts

caused these ailments here on earth

open up for peace

#44

moving west to east

the artist old man winter

working with snowflakes

#45

a sharecroppers dream

two sun rises everyday

some food and warm clothes

#46

just enough money

to eat for a day or two

after bills are paid

#47

the first drops of rain

make loud clear crisp smacks on tin

wetting the surface

#48

submersing young plants

in a toxic neem oil bath

prevents bugs and mold

#49

circular structures

split the violent gusts of wind

produced in strong storms

#50

the ocean’s center

a place that is hard to find

always in motion

#51

a blank canvas

bent around a plastic frame

reveals nothing yet

#52

solitude sinks in

deep down to the core of self

nothing left but joy

#53

withdraw in winter

to analyze the inside

fix the holes and cracks

#54

take a dip and float

fancifully on funk from

The New Mastersounds

#55

lovely rainbow locks

low down in the dirty yurt

will we meet again

#56

ganja concentrate

some people call it hashish

makes me think a lot

#57

breaking the habit

modify cells one by one

renewal is slow

#58

drove ten thousand miles

over forty days and nights

some days i sat still

#59

food is medicine

one morsel generates life

combat scarcity

#60

the look in his eyes

bewildering hunger pains

flopped on the sidewalk

#61

tonight is the night

the supermoon equinox

synchronize the clocks

#62

flower farmers fuel

conscientious explosions

of freed emotions

#63

food farmers provide

nutrients and vitamins

vital to our lives

#64

only two roads in

one road covered by a slide

one road is holey

#65

i see stars above

shining brightly on us all

cohesive thinking

#66

the frogs say thank you

when i turn on propane heat

in the steel frame hoop

#67

coyote on watch

ear deep in the tall dry grass

the trickster crouches

#68

fire is our old friend

thousands of years passing by

warming humans up

#69

lost ocean in fog

wavering across the ridge

feeling for the shore

‎#70

radioactive
tears pounding on the rooftop
“no need to worry”

#71

rest easy dayglow
child the days are getting warm
live out your half life

#72

Yonder Mountain Strings

play Eureka theatre

we burned down inside

#73

historic hotel

five Presidents stayed inside

wonder how they slept

#74

Soulive and Lettuce

smooth riffery with good bounce

the horns blew me home

#75

the war is over

Osama Bin Laden killed

celebrate Murder

#76

oh why did Tang die

astronautical delight

sunshine in a can

#77

deaf and pissing dog

sleeping on the wooden floor

humbled by old age

#78

strategically

placed symbols made out of light

represent my thoughts

#79

naps in the garden

rejuvenate the body

after morning chores

#80

diffused by the fog

muted colors of sunset

pale green refraction

#81

she brought me coffee

traditional eastern pants

drama and romance

#82

loving illusion

blowing smoke spreading honey

she wanted money

#83

Jesus died for us

Jesus died for Judas too

now that is true love

#84

wide open pages

my soul laid down upon them

read my emotions

#85

uprooted to roam

with permission from myself

to go see and learn

#86

American made goods

are hard to find in the stores

one must search and search

#87

American made words

are freely passed between us

prepaid with dried blood

#88

futures are built

from ideas and culture

working together

#89

futures come to us

past consequence our burden

we can start fresh now

#90

action or non action

the only choice we must make

things always work out

#91

see act balancing

before the iris opens

it buds and grows up

#92

healing wounds take time

causing further injury

slows healing down more

#93

lift each other up

do not tear each other down

stubbornness divides

#94

life is hard enough

plants search for water with roots

animals have legs

#95

war creates chaos

wasting time and resources

people starve and bleed

#96

stop and take a look

what do you see around you

does it bring you peace

#97

needlepoint focus

is required to wrangle in

unraveled heart strings

#98

intentional life

the one we choose to begin

defy circumstance

#99

the divine within

animate inanimate

projecting outward

#100

warm willing able

bodies needed to suffer

for commerce and war

#101

seeking peace with you

that is all I want to do

now and hereafter

 

 

Wylder Chase  2010-11