Featuring Duane Vorhees

UNHINGED

Much to our moral consternation

we find ourselves caught

between Opportunity and Ought.

The crossover between temptation

and trust needs no gate--

an inner compass can keep us straight

or not.

I AM DETERMINED

I am composed (heroicoward)

of genes and bones, (godevil)

family and habitat, (saintyrant)

disease and chemistry. (patriotraitor)

I'm a mosaic (anxioustoic)

of history and destiny, (assiduousluggard)

passion and intellect, (youngeezer)

language and location. (sawood)

An amalgamation (coperp)

of planning and circumstance, doveagle)

id, ideology, identity, (diamondull)

economics and character. (doveagle)

A confederation (conquerorefugee)

of carbon and quarks, (laughowl)

caste and opportunity, (windowall)

rule and randomness. (wolflock)

A collage (monogamouswinger)

of gender and pigmentaion, (foground)

of luck and morality, (piusinner)

profession and appearance. (hatchetree)

Jigsaw puzzle (anchoreacher)

of luck and morality, (honesthief)

chromosomes and archetypes. (masculineunuch)

JUST ONE = EITHER ONE

Impossibility:

like “a dove

can’t be,” disproved

by just one sky

Permanent is not eternal
Now is not forever
To circumstance adjust
frost, flood, dust
Condition isn't definition

Energy matters / matter energizes.

Conception itself conceives.

Is always was.

Life lives with no conception.

Posit any sky

to prove

the dove's

possibility

--or the crow's.

"LET'S PLAY HOUSE"

I said, "Let's get more personal."

I didn't know what would happen,

that you would act like a vacuum

and treat me like furniture.

YOUR TASK, HAIJIN 

Gardens need more guards— 
violets violated,
robin eggs all robbed.

Future’s days seem few.
Verse can’t restore Universe:
penalty-clogged pens.

World’s orbit is whirled
                   (encourage with ink)
shattered, scattered, shat
                   (redden earth with each word read)
stymied for all time.
                   (redress all who read)

Peace sounds in pieces,
the hole is found in the whole.

Write to put it right.

THE COCK HANDLER

I prepare the sacrament. Gingerly my forefinger-thumb probes protuberant spurs, a search for hidden tenderness. I work my way carefully up and hold the head with firm caress, stem it side to side, invoke its beauty's legend. Sudsy hands stretch upright the cock and then begin soft pistonic strokes till consecration is complete. Then I dash the pecker with clear water and toss.

Into the pit thuds the rooster. The unreflective mirrors of its eyes pierce implacably the depthlessness of the other rooster's eyes. Their twin immobility holds the entire vicinity in breathless pause.

The pair of rusted springs await fury's sudden unleash.

Duane Vorhees has taught in Korea, Japan, and the United States. THE MANY LOVES OF DUANE VORHEES was published last year by Hog Press, and his newest collection, GIFT, is currently in production.