Earl Nbody

Three selections from an unpublished compendium entitled Automat(a): Pomes & Pottery

*Morning’s Blessings–

–bestow upon me

Matins benisons,

Further prayer upon pond reflection

In the rectory refectory

Wherein I sort myself.

Descant decanted from Life’s Water,

Aqua curriculum vitae

World without end–

Goes on and on without us,

We being but a brief byte

So important in the moment, but

Barely a finger smudge on past glass pages.

Still I feel blessed

To wake & make this Dawning Song,

Yawning, yawping from the rooftops,

Sounds like Alleluia ululating:

I thank you Dog for most this amazing pain!

Sheer living misery

Without which I am nothing.

Written in the skin,

Wounds oozes

An India ichor of bloodink–

More out than in,

That’s my motto:

Leave it all upon the flat expanse,

Since ye may not get too many mornings–

Best be blessed,

Dress to impress,

Have done.*

*This is what Enlightenment looks like–

–attaining a state

We are constantly trying to

Distract ourselves out of.

Whether through:

Exercise, meditation, therapy, drugs, sex,

Social Media, food, consumptive consumerism–

(conspicuous shopping therapy, anyone?)

Bodypiercing, mountainclimbing, beekeeping,

Cheesemongering, fishmongering–

(mongering in general, really.)

Sourdoughbreadbaking,

Deathculting, scrapbooking,

Chinese Aphrodisiac Cooking.

(the list goes on forever, & ennui never ends.)

New gets old so quickly.

Ah, Life, such are you!

When we’re young we can’t wait to get to it.

By 35 it’s apparent entire.

At 50, feck it–

Is that really all there is to a fire?

The one that’s been burning in the belly

Since time immemorial unmemorable ad nauseam,

This organism’s stubborn insistence on persisting.

& for what?

A decadent boredom whilst Earth immolates.

The very definition of Insanity–

Eating itself in circles.

Replenished in the morning,

We begin again, forgetting hope–

Call it the Audacity of Desperation,

A fear you’ve come too far

To admit defeat at evidence of the Abyss.

Angst at opening the door

Only to reveal, either:

a.) more of the same, or

b.) nothing at all–

Which would be worse?

This liminal dilemma:

Finding myself at a crossroads,

I sat down in the dust to cry,

Since what’s the difference:

Lady, tiger, turnaround

Only to meet the Mower

With a face looks just like Mine. *

*Sadness Upon Sadness–

–twirls the whurldwide World today.

Madness unto Madness

Gonna blow this World away.

Frigging fecking fuck!

My words are so much pointless ashes,

Another Savior’s done been bound

& given 40 lashes.

Tis money makes the bacon burn,

Whilst fickle Fate the tables turn(s).

Beginning for an Ending yearns.

A watched pot never kettle learns.

What matters fax when turvsy tops

Or liddle lamzy divey?

“Forget it, Jake, it’s Chinatown.”

Our Exquisite Corpse looks lively–

Right up till the Big Kaboom,

We brought this on our ownsome.

In deepest space the screaming hand

Feels mighty lost & lonesome.*