SeptOber

 SeptOber

in unsteady steps

in the waning September

that is chased by October

howling winds of the western mountains

whistling the windows

why the hurry?

ice cold from the coast

competing with the desert heat

rocking trees, trashing cans

filling corners with sand

and chasing the world into fall

why the hurry?

walking in unsteady steps 

across the divide between September and October

high desert sun's heat on glass

chill winds when the windows open

a blistering sun and frigide wind 

in a hurry

AL Mendoza 2023

Mad Man Mostly Mashes Words

NO?

 NO?

there is nothing between nothingness and eternity

since nothing doesn't exist

one thing has no center

the other doesn't either

and we are not it

the center of we

the center of nothing

what is the existence of nothing?

and since the eternity of existence

has nothing

and nothing exists

where is the between 

where is the grey area

an area of a thing that has no center

that doesn't exist

the middle of no

the middle of yes

between nothingness and eternity

that doesn't exist

and still it's there

Al Mendoza, 2023

whazz dat?

 when you find what you weren't looking for

or, is it not looking for what you find
maybe not seeing since what is looked for
isn't there

maybe just suggested
vision clear to cloudy from the ground
not mattering if it's mountain or valley
the sky doesn't lie

but we do

Al Mendoza, "Mad Man Mostly Mashes Words," 2023

There Is Nothing To Understand

 there is nothing to understand

the fletch

the shaft

from the tip

to the flight

a pointed direction

an intended target

the air between

along intention

and the sound of movement

and the sound of impact

preparations

the beginnings and the ends

we hold the bow

and sting it's sounds

with intents and results

which are the real moments?

when are the real moments?

which is origin?

where is moments

moment?

to understand nothing

NO ESCAPE

 no escape

having a response

before something is said

welling anger

about something that hasn't happened

an anger response

from that internal thought

you didn't  know was there

it wasn't said

wasn't even there to see

but the internal response 

to the internal thought 

left an internal cut

and it's hated

conversions are not available

not even from ideas of one

no room for them

simmering resentments untouched

hidden fears and angers unresolved

leaving no escape

Al Mendoza, June 2022

 only by measure 

at the beginning we know

only by measure

in love we live

only by measure

by knowledge we seek

only by measure

for living with purpose

only by measure

looking for beginning

only by measure

loving in knowledge

only by measure

living to seek

that measure

Al Mendoza 11 May 2022 

"Mad Man Mostly Mashes Words" 

©

NIGHT

 night

it's a whisper

a breeze hinted

the night

it's a silk dance

to the music

of night

a gentile zephyr

an anticipation

of night

Al Mendoza 2-22

Dreaming of Colors

Dreaming of Colors

the night the colors hinted in dreams 

the light the dark hinted in coming shades 

that anticipation

that shaded whisper

as if the very air were salted

prepared for boiling

and in the salt is the flavor not yet tasted

like a guess like a kiss

what to place in that cauldron

what flavors do those choices make

we prepare the preparations

we summon a memory

 the next is better than the last

we have to start the fire

dreams of colors

tastes of that anticipation

memories made to summon that last

that cauldron 

that fire

of anticipation

A Mendoza, 2022

WHAT?

 What?

what it is

is to know not

as true

to know both

it's not

and when it is again

then, it is not

"Mad Man Mostly Mashes Words" Al Mendoza, 2022

2022

2022

The first sunset over a Texas bay

in decades

where are the mountains?  

i suddenly missed the mountains i lived by

those eternal canvasses of light, shadow, desert heat and winter's snow caps

moving water pushed by winds unrelenting

drifting snow rushing to its resting place

so alike in rage and power 

so different in taste and feel

move the water to the mountain it becomes snow 

move the snow to the bay it becomes water

eternal are the lights, shadow, and wind

to be only a man in snow

to be only the singular in water

we are shadow and wind

a witness to the mountain

 Al Mendoza, January 2022