Thursday, July 21, 2016

Octet Bytes


image from falconhobbysupply.com


Octet Bytes

“Fall down seven times--stand up eight.”
--Japanese proverb.

When those damn flames lick
at your feet, just reach for the
fire escape & rise above the fire.

******************************************
Shadow bars on basement windows
only hold back weak dreams, depressed
souls & broken fingers.

********************************************
If one bears witness carefully, they
will notice that some curbs & culverts
make geometric love to sidewalks.

**********************************************
A cemetery cross that becomes overgrown
by nature, is happy to reclaim its corpse
beneath the busy loam.

************************************************
The tight reel of angry barbed wire could
still recall the bloodshed in Lincoln County
& the crazed look in Billy’s blue eyes.

*************************************************
Fire scars on a burned building run terrible
& deep, beyond reconstructive surgery, 
calling for demolition & rebirth.

*************************************************
My father only used the best Bell jars to store
his spare nuts, bolts, & washers, nailing the
lids to an overhead beam.

****************************************************
I had the sweetest dream, being very parched
I found a Coke machine in the jungle, & I just
happened to have the right amount of change.


Glenn Buttkus

Posted over at dVerse Poets Pub

12 comments:

brudberg said...

Oh each of these is a gem Glenn... really very creative each and every one of them. Actually I think this form suits you excellently. Especially love the barbed wire bearing memory.

Kim M. Russell said...

Definitely gems, but I do have a favourite:
'Shadow bars on basement windows
only hold back weak dreams, depressed
souls & broken fingers.'

Sanaa Rizvi said...

Gosh, this is absolutely splendid work Glenn, you make it look so easy :D kudos

Grace said...

I most admire the cemetary and that fire scars on a burned building. The last one made me smile, sweet coke dreams instead.

Thanks for joining us Glenn. One more special feature tomorrow, smiles~

Gayle Walters Rose said...

Each one tells an entire story...I liked them all. I could see those jars being twisted into their lids. Love the coke dream. I rarely drink Coke these days but remember how sometimes an ice-cold Coke was the best thing to quench a thirst!

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

I love them all! They are kinda like extended haiku in their directness and clarity.

Sumana Roy said...

quite a variety...i found "busy loam" chilling !

Misky said...

These are inspired and inspiring, Glenn. Love them!

tonispencer said...

Having become addicted to CocaCola in utero, I love the last. Each one a gem. I chose haiku for mine and was amazed and satisfied at all the left over characters. This puts me back in the frame to be more brief and not have diarrhea of the pen.

Maude Lynn said...

That third one . . . wow!

Petru J Viljoen said...

Can't improve on the other comments. You excelled.

Josslyn Rae Turner said...

Very clever pieces! I love the play on words. :)