I’m working on one of those poems right now

that requires a lot of attention and time. 

We’ll see if it pays off, but for now, a trifle inspired by "This American Life."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fishin’ Without Dale

dale carnegie said:

"i am fond of strawberries and cream.
when i go fishing, i bait the hook
with a worm.  fish like worms.
it is immaterial that i prefer
strawberries and cream.
i give the fish what they want
if i want to catch fish."

which explains a lot
about why i’m who i am —
a clumsy-ass mystic
with few friends,
no influence to speak of,
and not much hope
of achieving either.
.
right now, for instance,
i’m sitting in a rowboat
with a canoe paddle
and a pocket fisherman.
there’s a strawberry
on the end of the line
and i just dumped a whole quart
of coffeemate, 
a pack of organic cigarettes,
and a copy of "the cloud of unknowing"
over the side.

sound crazy? maybe.
but god only knows
what marvelous,
sensualist being
i’m gonna pull in.