Two poems by Neal Whitman – we'll be publishing some of his haiku in the near future...


The Can’t Fall Asleep Prose Poem Mantra Blues


A step in the wrong direction; the Bible translated into Pig Latin. It’s out of reach; a cottage at the beach. A rule of thumb; how could I be so dumb! If it’s up to me; biscuits and afternoon tea. First sign of snuffle; brandy and a rum truffle. In case of emergency; call for help urgently. Give me peace and quiet; cancel the anti-war riot. It’s no joke; you are the biggest slow poke. If the length of my life were one day; give me four PM if I may. It’s too late; time to wake to my fate.

 
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 

for poets …
 

there is water for tea
apple for art
work for no money
 
there is a hic for cup
a gate for keeping out
or in
 
there is land for homework
a pencil to put down
a word for rent
 
There are root vegetables.


* Neal Whitman lives in Pacific Grove, California, and somehow, over the past four years, against all odds, has crow-barred his way into a dozen edited online and print journals. He is a retired teacher and is now a volunteer docent (volunteer tour guide in British English) at the Robinson Jeffers Tor House in Carmel.

Tor House is the stone house and tower poet Robinson Jeffers built in Carmel in 1919. He and his wife, Una, moved to Carmel in 1914 when The Great War precluded them from carrying out their first plan – they had planned on Lyme Regis  to live near Thomas Hardy, Robin's role model. www.torhouse.org