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

LOSE

LOSE

because you don’t live there anymore

you lose nothing

in the moment of creation there's change

when the music has played there’s silence

when the breeze passes there’s stillness

in the laughter

and in plain sight

while the love makers touch

creation matters not

silence is the music

stillness becomes the breeze

to play at laughter

and lose nothing

when moment is creation

there in the play is change

because you don’t live there anymore

you walk and lose nothing

A. MENDOZA, 12/2018

LOSE

LOSE

because you don’t live there anymore

you lose nothing

in the moment of creation there's change

when the music has played there’s silence

when the breeze passes there’s stillness

in the laughter

and in plain sight

while the love makers touch

creation matters not

silence is the music

stillness becomes the breeze

to play at laughter

and lose nothing

when moment is creation

there in the play is change

because you don’t live there anymore

you walk and lose nothing

A. MENDOZA, 12/2018

WINTER SOLSTICE

Winter solstice

in the bright sunlight and the clear desert sky

with no clouds for the sky to paint

save for the water coloring on the mountains

as the sun flows across the landscape

shadowing the cactus making spots

and the leopard that runs across the sands

towards the snow peaks towards the glow

and disappears in light

a brightness running to cover

and blanket twilight with music lights

stars patient in their watch for the moon

stars moving in that slow dance

that feels like love

A. MENDOZA, 12-2018

WINTER SOLSTICE

Winter solstice

in the bright sunlight and the clear desert sky

with no clouds for the sky to paint

save for the water coloring on the mountains

as the sun flows across the landscape

shadowing the cactus making spots

and the leopard that runs across the sands

towards the snow peaks towards the glow

and disappears in light

a brightness running to cover

and blanket twilight with music lights

stars patient in their watch for the moon

stars moving in that slow dance

that feels like love

A. MENDOZA, 12-2018

UNSEEN

The 2 Not 1

unseen

to believe the lies

and not see the lies that are

a conviction by convention

no longer and no shorter

than desire

that want unseen

as it presents loudly enough

the present

a conviction by belief

no longer by desire

like a coin

two sides

and an edge

flip it and catch

open and reveal

everything but the edge

that thing that cuts

loudly it presents

no longer no shorter

a lie of desire

and an unseen self

A. Mendoza 12/2018

UNSEEN

unseen

to believe the lies

and not see the lies that are

a conviction by convention

no longer and no shorter

than desire

that want unseen

as it presents loudly enough

the present

a conviction by belief

no longer by desire

like a coin

two sides

and an edge

flip it and catch

open and reveal

everything but the edge

that thing that cuts

loudly it presents

no longer no shorter

a lie of desire

and an unseen self

A. Mendoza 12/2018

a page

The page and I exchange places

an allegory of a dream

twinned mirrors

ordinal directions

coordinating a dance

as gentle as matched silks

fragrant as honeysuckle

a floating scent

rippling across the breeze

ordinal mirrors

a dream dance

a page

exchanging places

to match the silks

twinned mirrors

fragrant dreams

of ordinal directions

the allegory of a page

that exchange places

in the self

twinned mirrors

A. MENDOZA, 11-5-2018

a page

The page and I exchange places

an allegory of a dream

twinned mirrors

ordinal directions

coordinating a dance

as gentle as matched silks

fragrant as honeysuckle

a floating scent

rippling across the breeze

ordinal mirrors

a dream dance

a page

exchanging places

to match the silks

twinned mirrors

fragrant dreams

of ordinal directions

the allegory of a page

that exchange places

in the self

twinned mirrors

A. MENDOZA, 11-5-2018

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

 

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