Triggers and Consequence
Even confuzational curtains drawn aside
manipulating the punch-up show stayed hidden
Fogged atmospheres, the concocted narratives baffled audiences,
distracted attention, fooled understanding the marauding scenes,
mutating plots
In multiplications of storied drama murderers drifted away,
rapidly changed costumes, adopting military uniforms, or disguised
as wealthy citizens, bought security companies, weaponry enterprise
The leader’s brain: bullet-driven—vision of peace
blown from the skull to organic debris misted behind open
and pausing limousine—that high noon of blood
imaged decades later into seething jet fuel fireball writhing
from a tower’s side—new morning of incendiary snakes
startling the suspicious world asleep
The leader’s brain stolen from study—
as steel beams and columns of the broken towers were taken—
confirmed state preference: hazy doubt over clear inquiry.
Heart’s glow prohibited from incipient wars
—moans of soft songs to sheltering night cradles—
Half-century past now mystery failing
avalanche of falsified justice leaves memory’s image
black glass shards traumatized fragment
shot the old women cowering in the ditch so did many
half million children’s deaths a worthy price genocidal
drone slaughters hide in degraded words collateral killings
Spy-run propaganda outfits—insult it is to call their products news
intelligence, or art
Death squad stalkers of resistance killing peasants
killing water and land protectors, organizers
journalists, scholars, killing priests and poets
Malevolent colossus is groaning
flexing steroid-pumped muscles,
showing its teeth against a mirror
War-toxic greed zones advance a venomous suckering
disconnect separate and hide
thunderous networks of our knowing
the moistened mercies that intersect
the lamps that flicker off at dawn
~
Relaxing the Heart
storms raging
boats a‑burning
stop watching flexed muscles
stillness
a spark
walk in garden
empty handed
holding a hoe
~
Paint in the Wreckage
In all the wreckage sparkle shots and bangles
tattoos hairstyles straight-on camera angles
triply violent language of the gut
bucket blam bucket
tell a lie in the groove bucket
face fulla juice bucket
shuck bucket
empire punch
a post chain
a shackle settle down
in the nosecone’s nacelle
You just a vid trip in someone else’s drama
we’re at ring side seats me nd mar-a-lago blondie
hootin’ n tootn’ the slavish scene
I’m’a catcha breeze take me on out
Outside the shirtless sun
paces back and forth barefoot
begging on the hot pavement
~
From the Wounds: Quaker Oats Factory
Yeah you know for sure
putting our minds together
we’re connecting with mind itself
mind that permeates all matter
earth the universe
yeah you know for sure but
yeah you know for sure but
the cannibal spirit has stolen our face
smiling on every purchased package
We’re still here in the current, minds of one mind
sitting council on new ground
where air’s the exchange, water is traded
minds together see our minds apart
kindly face the formerly world
kindly face the formerly world
~
Submission
Lost sheep that seek their fold wander among editors
passed hand to hand
as irascible coat-soiled vagrants
Eventually incrementally home bound, learned, bleating
mapped pastures to the poet of where they might live,
gambol, frolic and bounce, content to be viewed, loved,
even chanted or sung, filed, or ear-marked, forgotten
after only one verse, but that one verse: trippingly cool
~
Philip Kienholz received a B.Arch from the University of Manitoba, and was formerly a Registered Architect in Manitoba and Northwest Territories, Canada, and a Certified Project Management Professional; now retired he is still a Certified Arbitrator, and Certified Permaculture Designer. He practices gardening. A favorite author is Gerda Lerner; inspiring artists: Thomas McGrath, Charles Bukowski, and Rosebud Ben-Oni; a favorite book: The Systems View of Life: A Unifying Vision by Fritzjof Capra and Luigi Luisi. Periodical poetry of past two years is at Wild Roof Review, Gravitas, Train: a poetry journal, Free State Review, Unpsychology Magazine, The Write Launch, Genre: Urban Arts, The Halcyone Literary Review, Burningword Literary Journal, and forthcoming at Lucky Jefferson and Nine Cloud Journal.