Monday, August 29, 2005

I'm So glad (Jim)

I’m so glad.....

Madonna.
120 Mil
on her recent tour.

And here....
I chose performin’ poetry as my career

My new dental implant,
one tooth,
just cost 4 large –
and my plumber,
nice guy,
well, the other day he offered me
a ride in his new Bimmer.
Seven series.

But still glad
I chose poetry.

It has its advantages.

No fear of bein’ mobbed
when I pull up on Broadway
or gettin’ jobbed
by my agent.
And’ll always have
my artistic integrity.

Which I can’t
eat, beat
spend or send...

...Yet, bein’ a basically simple schlub,
I leave our current galaxy of superstars
to their overbuilt manses
and tabloid romances,
searchin’ for their Page Six fix
with their assorted retainers
personal trainers
and other clinging hangers on.

And as one who can’t much sing or dance or act....
or operate... ...or plumb...
but loves words
and chasing small truths in public
y’know...
...it suits me.

Jim Keller
July 7, 2005
© 2005 J. Keller All rights reserved. World Rights Reserved.

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Everything and Nothing (Jim)

Everything and nothing
I am.

Now I am mostly me –
but also a bit of thee –
for, yes, I’ve learned
I’ll be different when around you
(or you) (or you)...

....and that I’m everything I’ve ever seen –
every place I’ve ever been
every thought I’ve ever had
every good and every bad...

...n’ all the crap I’ve ever owned
or coveted
or mocked
or feared...

...and everyone I’ve ever loved –
and haven’t –
and who’s loved me –
or not.

You can’t separate
the person from the place,
the smile from the face,
nor myth from fact,
nor thot from act.

And however much
we might wish it were not so,
for us, virtue requires
the notion of bad –
while happy’s bearings lie
in being different from sad.

We savor youth
...because...
we age.
And sadly,
only anger lets us know
content from rage...

Is it gratitude we lack
more than gravitas?

No matter –
We are what we are...
And for humans,
every yin will have its yang.

Moreover, death,
death’s the coda,
giving context, urgency
and juice
to life –
just as peace wouldn’t be a tenth as valued
in a world that’d never known strife.

Everything and nothing
We are.

Everything and nothing.

We need
everything.

We.. ..need....
......nothing...


Jim Keller
Sep 19, 2004
© 2005 J. Keller
All rights reserved. World Rights Reserved.