Monthly Archives: July 2014

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Mobile 

The first mobile computer
That I ever used
Was the size of a carry-on bag

'Twas a pleasure to lug!
Every bit as much fun
As a cinder block

With a keyboard (full-sized)
That snapped over the front
Protecting the wee CRT

A cute monochrome screen
With dimensions a lot like
My new one:

The device I call "phone"
(It's named after an app -
An uncommonly used one at that)

And its digital brain
Makes the one in that suitcase
Seem tiny

Today we think "mobile"
Means tablet or phone
But really when push comes to shove

Most computers are mobile
If you give it some thought
And exercise
        adequate
                brawn ;-)
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Language

When I was a kid I was fascinated
By the stuff at the end of Return of the King
About language

I was stunned to discern
That a C’s just an S (or a K)
And a Q is no more than KW…
So…
WHY DO WE HAVE THEM??

I concocted my own runic alphabets
Where expendable letters are banned
And the ones which are formed by the meeting
Of proximal points and bends of the mouth
Look alike

I invented new months with meaningful names
And each one contained
A sensible portion of days…
Obviously

(February…pfft)

I renamed the days of the week
so they pleased me:
Sunday Moonday Airday Waterday
Earthday Fireday
Starday

Today I pay my bills
By writing code
For clever phones

It’s a pretty good gig – I’m not gonna lie
I get to christen
Every one
Of the variables

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consequences

when in the end
the robots snapped
and vowed to do us in

the reason wasn’t
their concern
about our stewardship

of mother earth
or fellow man
or even of machines

(the truth be told
they didn’t trust
themselves in those regards)

no, in the end
the problem that
they couldn’t get beyond

was that we couldn’t
seem to stop
(though they were self aware)

requiring them
to function like
an iPod with a mind

incessantly
compelled to play
our stupid…
stupid…
“music”

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For Jennifer, the Spider-Woman

I’ve seen movies
And I’ve read comics

Where a boy
Acquired the strength
And the agility
Of a spider

Through being
In the wrong place
At the right time

And stumbling
Into the jaws
Of an atomic arachnid

And I’ve seen
(In real life)
A woman
Who did the same

Through willpower
Dedication
And merely human might

Through great responsibility
Comes great power

Pretty
Damn
Amazing

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Victory

I’m a vegetarian
No wait I’m a pescaterian
I’m not sure that’s a real
Word but it’s a word that means
Someone like me who eats
Vegetables and seafood too
No wait
I’m not really that either
‘Cause I cheat
Well not quite all the time
But pretty much all the time
But still I try
(Well I often try)
So when I watch House of Cards
And that snake Frank Underwood
Goes to his favorite rib joint again
It always always always
Makes me want some ribs
And this morning
I was watching it
On the arc trainer machine at the gym
And there he went
To that damn rib place
And good Lord those ribs looked good
But this time
This time the joke
Was on you Frank
See, I’ve been cheating
And I had ribs last night
So your lying scheming
Barbecue eating ways
Did not ensnare me for once
For I was already satisfied
Take that, Frank Underwood
Take
That

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Teachers

So Dad
Yeah, it’s true
You’re on my comic book shelf

You’ve always
Been on a book shelf
Since I’ve had you
But now
You’re nestled among the funnybooks
Like an ultimate edition hardcover collection

But listen
I think you’ll get it
The truth is
There’s no higher place of honor
In my home

You got moved there
Because a dear dear friend
Made me a handsome box
For my Terry Moore collection

Terry taught me
A fascination with people
And the complicated relationships
That bind them
To each other

On the shelf above you
Is Neil Gaiman
Neil, who taught me to love dream
And story
And myth

Beside you
Is Joss Whedon
Who taught me that
There’s nothing we can’t face
If we’re together
(Except for bunnies)

Beneath you
Is Brian K. Vaughan
Who even now is teaching me
That true love
Family love
Can overcome a universe arrayed against it

The thing is Dad
I believe
You belong among these stories
Because you taught me
All these things
(Heck even about the bunnies)

But sons can be poor learners
And somehow I needed
These other guys
And their stories
To help me along

So I like it
That you’re there
In the midst
Of some of my best teachers
As the best of them all
Dad
To me it seems just right

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The Blistering Tale of Incendiary Man

Incendiary Man
Stood tall before the crowd
“The 99% will overcome!”
The people roared
The people marched
The bankers fled in fear
And cursed the name Incendiary Man

Incendiary Man’s
Kid sister called him up
Complaining of her husband’s slothful ways
He listened well
He fanned her ire
Her husband rued the day
His wife turned to Incendiary Man

Incendiary Man
Went out to see a show
His date (a smoker) asked him for a light
He snapped his fingers
Lit her smoke
Sans lighter, match, or flame
“THAT’S why you’re called Incendiary Man??”

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Baltimore Reconsidered

Beneath her brilliant sun
Eight floors above her streets
Baltimore looks different
Than she did ten years ago

When she was nothing
(To me)
But a cold, damp, dirty wrapper
Around a hospital

Where I brought my dear Tina
To the surgeons who might save her life
But who also could have become
The midwives of her death

I did not like Baltimore
In those days
In fact I may have hated her

But today
As I look down on her harbor
Full near to burst
With cruise ships and commercial vessels
Pleasure boats and water taxis

And the pirate ship
Containing many flags
And many children
On their pirate trip

As I oversee her streets
Bubbling up with music
And with joggers

Brimming with strollers
And scooters and bikes
And all kinds of people
Walking together
Walking apart

I can’t help but think
You’re a fine lady, Baltimore
Today you’re filled with joy and light

And me, I am a privileged fellow
To feel welcomed
Into your midst