THE EVE

THE EVE

sleeping by evening

up by AM

busy at PM

eating at evening

night reserved to watch

and see the sunrise

to witness night to day

living for the moments

of sunsets

the builder knew what he was doing

now following the ARK

and witnessing the dome

moving at the speed of eternity

catching every moment from the speed of light

in stillness

realizing

the Earth does revolve around us

and so do the stars

so many stars revolving around eternity

what does eternity revolve around?

And the moments

of sunset

waiting for the dome

of night

just to see

a sunrise

today

the Eve

12-31

A. Mendoza, 2017

THE EVE

THE EVE

sleeping by evening

up by AM

busy at PM

eating at evening

night reserved to watch

and see the sunrise

to witness night to day

living for the moments

of sunsets

the builder knew what he was doing

now following the ARK

and witnessing the dome

moving at the speed of eternity

catching every moment from the speed of light

in stillness

realizing

the Earth does revolve around us

and so do the stars

so many stars revolving around eternity

what does eternity revolve around?

And the moments

of sunset

waiting for the dome

of night

just to see

a sunrise

today

the Eve

12-31

A. Mendoza, 2017

8

 

8

the octave
8 notes
8 days of the nativity
a music and 8 in octets
the music of birth
2 bodies that make 8 limbs

one sound
the harmonies layers
4 twins
discovering enlightenment
in death
and living to talk about it
in the scales
of one and two

in the balance now weighed

for magic
and out of the hat
to discover enlightenment
and in the sound
above the layers
speaking in music
noting all 8

in 4 twins
dividing death from enlightenment
and living to talk about it
listening to the music
the birth in harmonies
layers of discovery
every octet one sound
the music of birth

and living to talk about it
the scales in the weight
and the magic two
a note 

an octave
in the balance
dividing from enlightenment
death

A. Mendoza 12-2017

 

8

 

8

the octave
8 notes
8 days of the nativity
a music and 8 in octets
the music of birth
2 bodies that make 8 limbs

one sound
the harmonies layers
4 twins
discovering enlightenment
in death
and living to talk about it
in the scales
of one and two

in the balance now weighed

for magic
and out of the hat
to discover enlightenment
and in the sound
above the layers
speaking in music
noting all 8

in 4 twins
dividing death from enlightenment
and living to talk about it
listening to the music
the birth in harmonies
layers of discovery
every octet one sound
the music of birth

and living to talk about it
the scales in the weight
and the magic two
a note 

an octave
in the balance
dividing from enlightenment
death

A. Mendoza 12-2017

 

Short Story

New Year’s Penance

On a New Year’s Eve he walks into the casino at sunset.

Dressed well but in out of date clothes the tall, gray haired man steps up to the bar and orders a drink.

After getting his order and while sipping on ridiculously expensive scotch walks around the parties in the casino while sipping with great relish the magic contents of his crystal glass.

As he finishes his drink he walks up to a black-jack table and lays three chips on three spots to place his first bets.

He wins more than loses and starts to gather a healthy stack of chips.

Then, tips the dealer and the cocktail waitress generously finishes his drink and collecting his winnings

and walks back to the bar to order another.

And now, with a bag full of chips in one hand and the expensive scotch in the other he tours amonst the partying revelers around the tables, finishes it , and then steps up to a poker table.

He again, wins more than losses.

As the countdown riotously is announced at midnight everyone breaks into song with auld lang syne he stops and takes in the scene and with a smile tips his glass to the adjoining guests for awhile and then returns to the tables.

He still wins more than loses ’til dawn.

It was a long night and his chips have stacked up and there was a buzz about “The old guy” who’s been having a good run at the tables.

The casino owner having walked over to see what was happening suddenly stops and turns ashen at the sight of the man.

”Hello old friend” he greets the casino owner.

“Been awhile” he continues.

“Where have you been?” The casino owner was not used to being so confused.

“I thought you died” in his surprize his voice had become very loud.

“Doing penance” replied the man.

“What?”says the casino owner visibly shaken.

Putting a hand full of chips into a pocket and pulling an envelope out of his jacket he signs the receipt for the check and places the check into the envelope.

The man walks over to the desk with a stunned casino owner following and generously tips the clerk with instructions to deliver the envelope to the address.

“What are you doing?” In a near panic the casino owner watched the courier take the envelope.

“The winnings are going to some charities” Smiles the man.

“But, you never leave anything on the table” The casino owner was well out of his comfort zone.

“Penance?”

Smiling the man walks out of the casino, then, disappears.

A. Mendoza, 12- 2017

Short Story

New Year’s Penance

On a New Year’s Eve he walks into the casino at sunset.

Dressed well but in out of date clothes the tall, gray haired man steps up to the bar and orders a drink.

After getting his order and while sipping on ridiculously expensive scotch walks around the parties in the casino while sipping with great relish the magic contents of his crystal glass.

As he finishes his drink he walks up to a black-jack table and lays three chips on three spots to place his first bets.

He wins more than loses and starts to gather a healthy stack of chips.

Then, tips the dealer and the cocktail waitress generously finishes his drink and collecting his winnings

and walks back to the bar to order another.

And now, with a bag full of chips in one hand and the expensive scotch in the other he tours amonst the partying revelers around the tables, finishes it , and then steps up to a poker table.

He again, wins more than losses.

As the countdown riotously is announced at midnight everyone breaks into song with auld lang syne he stops and takes in the scene and with a smile tips his glass to the adjoining guests for awhile and then returns to the tables.

He still wins more than loses ’til dawn.

It was a long night and his chips have stacked up and there was a buzz about “The old guy” who’s been having a good run at the tables.

The casino owner having walked over to see what was happening suddenly stops and turns ashen at the sight of the man.

”Hello old friend” he greets the casino owner.

“Been awhile” he continues.

“Where have you been?” The casino owner was not used to being so confused.

“I thought you died” in his surprize his voice had become very loud.

“Doing penance” replied the man.

“What?”says the casino owner visibly shaken.

Putting a hand full of chips into a pocket and pulling an envelope out of his jacket he signs the receipt for the check and places the check into the envelope.

The man walks over to the desk with a stunned casino owner following and generously tips the clerk with instructions to deliver the envelope to the address.

“What are you doing?” In a near panic the casino owner watched the courier take the envelope.

“The winnings are going to some charities” Smiles the man.

“But, you never leave anything on the table” The casino owner was well out of his comfort zone.

“Penance?”

Smiling the man walks out of the casino, then, disappears.

A. Mendoza, 12- 2017

A Place

A PLACE 

when there is 

no place

and space

doesn't exist

and yet does

everywhere

no advantage to take

 of the weak

never to be

clear

which is master

who is slave

and then a place

that doesn't exist

that is the advantage

a place 

a space

of everywhere

where there is space

that doesn't become place

where it is clear

that it does

to no advantage

a  place

A.MENDOZA, 12-2017

 

 

A Place

A PLACE 

when there is 

no place

and space

doesn't exist

and yet does

everywhere

no advantage to take

 of the weak

never to be

clear

which is master

who is slave

and then a place

that doesn't exist

that is the advantage

a place 

a space

of everywhere

where there is space

that doesn't become place

where it is clear

that it does

to no advantage

a  place

A.MENDOZA, 12-2017

 

 

IMAGINATION

 

IMAGINATION

December’s chill

warmth from Lorca

a gift from Hafiz

in all sizes from Kerouac

flowing along with Ferlinghetti

stretching as far to Plato

arriving with Sophocles

Sophocles “sometimes as work begins to flow”

Plato “God is our guardian and we, Possession...”

Ferlinghetti “...there is no end to the doors of perception...”

Kerouac “tell the children the little otay story of magic”

Hafiz “Greatness

      is always built upon he foundation

      the ability

      to appear, to speak and act

      as the most

      common

      man...”

Lorca “...What man can travel this long road

and not fill up his soul With crazy arabesques?...”

Especially when swimming

in the rivers of 2500 years

like an ocean’s spray

or a thunder storm

and a lightning flashing

giving sample to what is

in the darkness

as an unseen force

rips open

peeling away

both comfort

and complacence

revealing joy

eternity is too big

and the storms leave no guess

stand or hide

I need that concentrated

imagination

A. MENDOZA, 12-2017

IMAGINATION

 

IMAGINATION

December’s chill

warmth from Lorca

a gift from Hafiz

in all sizes from Kerouac

flowing along with Ferlinghetti

stretching as far to Plato

arriving with Sophocles

Sophocles “sometimes as work begins to flow”

Plato “God is our guardian and we, Possession...”

Ferlinghetti “...there is no end to the doors of perception...”

Kerouac “tell the children the little otay story of magic”

Hafiz “Greatness

      is always built upon he foundation

      the ability

      to appear, to speak and act

      as the most

      common

      man...”

Lorca “...What man can travel this long road

and not fill up his soul With crazy arabesques?...”

Especially when swimming

in the rivers of 2500 years

like an ocean’s spray

or a thunder storm

and a lightning flashing

giving sample to what is

in the darkness

as an unseen force

rips open

peeling away

both comfort

and complacence

revealing joy

eternity is too big

and the storms leave no guess

stand or hide

I need that concentrated

imagination

A. MENDOZA, 12-2017

A SOLAR MOON

 

A SOLAR MOON

So
It's not that I don't love the Lord
but
I can see just fine from here

the solar night lights
over come the dark
over come by the full moon
the next step
re-chargeable moon lights
with their batteries
as promise to fill

and the new bio-luminous trees
sweep in the chill in the full moon breeze
in the cold fall night
that silences crickets
putting frogs to sleep early
and owls tucked into their nests
and rodents snuggled into their furs
after gorging on my garden

I'm just fine here
in the moonlight's crystalline frost
the glowing earth as a reflection
needing to make no promises
for another night

a full moon light
a next step eternal
a luminous sea
a solar nite light
I can see him just fine from here

A. MENDOZA, 2017

A SOLAR MOON

 

A SOLAR MOON

So
It's not that I don't love the Lord
but
I can see just fine from here

the solar night lights
over come the dark
over come by the full moon
the next step
re-chargeable moon lights
with their batteries
as promise to fill

and the new bio-luminous trees
sweep in the chill in the full moon breeze
in the cold fall night
that silences crickets
putting frogs to sleep early
and owls tucked into their nests
and rodents snuggled into their furs
after gorging on my garden

I'm just fine here
in the moonlight's crystalline frost
the glowing earth as a reflection
needing to make no promises
for another night

a full moon light
a next step eternal
a luminous sea
a solar nite light
I can see him just fine from here

A. MENDOZA, 2017

HARMONY

HARMONY

to take every sound

and

make a rhythm

to fling at death

a roaring

a thunder

against the darkness

wonder

that counter point

a harmony

with a beat

felt in the silence

a breath

a whisper

a tapping

touching timing

like a rolling surf

across pebbles

uneven rattling

into a harmony

a thunder against the darkness

a roaring eternity as rhythm

a harmony

wonder

to fling at death

as counterpoint

the drum

against the darkness

a taping

a whisper

that touches in time

an uneven surf

against the pebbles

a harmony

A. MENDOZA, 2017

HARMONY

HARMONY

to take every sound

and

make a rhythm

to fling at death

a roaring

a thunder

against the darkness

wonder

that counter point

a harmony

with a beat

felt in the silence

a breath

a whisper

a tapping

touching timing

like a rolling surf

across pebbles

uneven rattling

into a harmony

a thunder against the darkness

a roaring eternity as rhythm

a harmony

wonder

to fling at death

as counterpoint

the drum

against the darkness

a taping

a whisper

that touches in time

an uneven surf

against the pebbles

a harmony

A. MENDOZA, 2017

COLOUR BEGETS COLOUR

Why concern for destiny

where there is only the moment

where there is only the living


colour begets colour
sound begets music


a theme that beats
moments beget living


destiny begets emptiness
not completeness


the living is forever
the string that is music


that knot of finality
chooses silence


as it whispers by
there is no concern
in a breeze



A.MENDOZA, 2017

 

COLOUR BEGETS COLOUR

Why concern for destiny

where there is only the moment

where there is only the living


colour begets colour
sound begets music


a theme that beats
moments beget living


destiny begets emptiness
not completeness


the living is forever
the string that is music


that knot of finality
chooses silence


as it whispers by
there is no concern
in a breeze



A.MENDOZA, 2017

 

@Last

It helps to be

non-white
and Catholic

the last death

is easy

it’s the first that’s hard

peeling the apple

to the core

‘til the onion layers

expose an empty middle

and tears

it helps

not to worry

onions grow again

seeded apples

multiply

while feeding the birds

and the small rodents

as the bugs

break bread

it’s never hard 

to be first

when at last

it helps 

never to worry

peeling away

the core

and expose the tear

to empty

to peel

to the layer

and multiply

at last

A. MENDOZA, 2017