The 1812 Overture of 2006 (Neves 2010)

This is the story of the pain and the ass

Neither role is played by me

But I work on them in my acting class

That meets every day here by the sea

Lesson 1: Eschew sneezing.

Lesson 2: Keep your eye out of the navel.

Lesson 3: Can you draw a conclusion--

about that heron

standing on the water table?

Okay,

4: fiddle fern.

5: Ribbon candy.

6: Uterus

Here upon the bus

Things lie somewhere between gooey and neat

Me and my baggage and the pain and the ass

Ride the hard seat to the beach.

Lurking Curve

He said, "It's really complex."

I said, ". . . convex?"

"No--comPLEX."

Perplexing

Upside your head/my head

The upside is,

oh yeah, I learned:

I was careful what I wished for

But a crystal ball has

all those lurking curves

To turn you upside down

The worst enemy, I've found,

Is (me)eting your maker--again.

I wish

I could sink into the ocean

and swim into a tulip-shaped tide

I wish

I could remember to ride

the rhythm of the water

and keep the sand out of my eyes.

A grain of sand

will drive you blind.

Trade you an hourglass

for a crystal ball.

I wish.

Small Awe

In a lake in autumn

touch my nose to water

and reflect

Symmetry

when everything turns round hope

Oh, symmetry of hope

and a blur of spokes rolling home . . .

all small awe sent to me.

Years searching for a good fit

One without a pinch

Yeah--tell that to the balloon dog

Symmetry

pinwheels, balls, and breasts

Oh, symmetry of death

and wasted days and breath

through it all, small awe was sent to me.

Who will be your mirror?

and who will be your knife?

Bright light of chaos can pinpoint

tothe rest of your life

Symmetry

like rows of hedgerows

or seventies hair

Oh! symmetry of hair!

Oh, amazing love affair

And all small awe--you were sent to me.

Finder of the Owl

Half-empty glass

menagerie

full-up with

possibility

Possum play

drama queen . . .be

still

be

hold

I want to be

the finder of the owl.

The finder of the owl

through camouflage of doubt

Uncowed by chaos

You know who

The cows come home to chew

Under the rooster

and big, warm moon

Like a runaway plate

Oh, cozy self-hate!

I want to fly into the dark

And see each tiny movement of your heart

I want to be

the finder of the owl.

The finder of the owl

through camouflage of doubt

Uncowed by chaos

You know who

okay, us.

Oh, chaos.

The finder of the owl

when my spirit sings out loud

Uncowed by chaos

You know woo woo woo