poems

 

Dawning

Thanks for making me wait
In those
Lead boots
I was enlightened

I first noticed
The seventh floor,
Is a high open platform
Above the Earth.

Grounded
In fact
The gravity of my position
Became apparent

It made my feet soar for
One night
I really saw the Moon
Just below

I know my feets
Will be less heavy
Handed
And whistle
Softly

© ted knerr, 9/2/87, for michael and dara with love

 

Sweet Things

Who will come to stand behind my lonely chair

.........................and stroke my hair.............with pastry pies?

See how my eyes.................these glaucous orbs

....................that once did raucous............glitter...........now are dim

To know who tolls the bell fair Venus
 ....................................now no longer sends...her cherubim

And if a bitter.......grape was trod to fill my cup

Hell..............who would fardels bear...........I'd rather sup

On fine viands................and tasty usherettes

...............and succulent coquettes.................and lady-finger hands

So please before I rage as the light dies

...........come....................stroke my hair

.....................................................................with pastry pies?

............© ted knerr, 10/6/64

 

 

Owed to Horace

 

I see a man on guard
Barricaded in a far station
Desiring but fearing discovery
Revelation.

What is your secret
The desperate gleam
That felled your wrought
Heart and stilled your spleen.

I can never hold
Your sadness and the bright heat
That floods the plain
Burns in my childhood
And lifts a loving pain

Though you live a hundred years
In nineteen eighty eight
Do you yet rest
In your old torn state

Has peace come
To ease your brilliant mind
Have you found repose
To breach the old confines

The ego trammeled sphere
Of mirrored, layered walls
Stepping on air
He falls

Free
Into a world above
And I can only speed him
With my love

© ted knerr, 11/16/88, the centennial of my father's birth

 

Reflected Light

 

I seek a few words in your memory
..........a few words only
To mark the path of following
.................your soul in its growth along a line

Beginning where
.......................and where to end?

A line marked of words recorded
.........an act of service
.....................to pass the message on

But the earliest
...........inhabitant of the words was you

Lifted into early light
.............................................you rainbowed them

To us
..................standing along the dark plain

Still unconvinced
..................................in spite of their radiance

 

© ted knerr, 10/21/91, the centennial of my mother's birth

 

 

Passing Days

 

And................foremost........is

............c o n f r o n t i n g................the pile........of

Massed failures........that
.................preclude....the..........whole.......issue.......being..............resolved

.....And...give........the..permission.........and..find
.................................................................................................forgiveness

 

Start.......to..produce.......the...........most focused...........beam

........A.........western..................w..i..n..d........................a..s..c..e..n..d..s

Steps..........into.............the..portal...........salutes....us

.............T.r a n s f o r m s..........all...sorrows...................and....our

....G r e a t - h e a r t e d..........soul..................................................s.....o.....a.....r.....s

The.....vagabond.......thoughts.......disrupting......flow...............must......cease

Nurture............green.............awakenings.........of.....the......soul.........in..our....Tenure......here

.....................................Adopt........a.....vital..................stance

.............................................................................................................No........lead........pants

.................................ted knerr, © 1994

.notes on the poem Passing Days

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