Houdini

Published in Houdini (2002) I love using what I’ve got Love not being what I’m not— After a long time of one kind of living, And it was all right, it was really partly good, Full of one-sided things, And disturbing . . . and absorbing . . . almost Every day . . . But Then the new life came along, bringing The joy of reaching, of stretching, of being Effective— This is another place, this is another way, The ecstasy of a woman detective— And what I detect, what I really find Is your body-and-mind and your life and my [...]

Published in Houdini (2002) It’s like a Tap-Dance Or a new pink Dress, A shit-naive Feeling Saying Yes. Some say Good morning Some say God bless – Some say Possibly Some say Yes. Some say Never Some say Unless It’s stupid and lovely To rush into Yes. What can it mean? It’s just like Life, One thing to You One thing to your Wife. Some go Local Some go Express Some can’t wait To answer Yes. Some complain Of strain and Stress The answer may be No for Yes. Some like Failure Some like Success Some like Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes. [...]

Published in Houdini (2002) When you see a woman riding the air Well, you see a woman playing with fire, A woman made of storm and desire And she loves the whole damn zoo. But you can be sure, whatever I do, That I need my beer and bacon too. I wake every night at 4 A.M. And I tell my dreams to the man who is there, Dreams of animals not like him— A woman who rides on fire and air Loves to dream with the whole damn zoo But I need my beer and bacon too. My dreams [...]

Published in Houdini (2002) There are chains— There is freedom— There are keys— And of these, chains are strong Freedom’s endless, keys are great And we Are the greatest of these, The greatest Of these. There are chains— There is freedom— There are keys— And of these, There are those I have seen I have heard And I know I have seen I have heard And I know— There are chains— There is freedom— There are keys-- And the greatest of these Can free the world.

Published in Houdini (2002) I make my magic Of forgotten things Night and nightmare and the midnight wings Of childhood butterflies— And the darkness, the straining dark Underwater and under sleep— Night and a heartbreak try to keep Myself, until before my eyes The morning sunlight pours And I am clear of all the chains And the magic now that rains Down around me is A sunlight magic, I come to a sunlight magic, Yours.