Two-Faced

Image Credit: Unknown though often attributed to Arthur Fellig (1889-1968) American Street Photographer.

Circus Comes to Another Small Town

The circus came along with its Tigers and tentpoles Elephants and elegant ponies Rolling right down main street

Excited whooping children followed

Wild free-range boys mostly (Where the girls free-range or otherwise were sadly, we will never know)

When the circus ceased its Creak and clatter Lurching to a stop

Those boys who ran alongside All the way from town Gathered before The fat lady’s trailer

Giggles crinkled their dusty faces Some pointed grubby fingers Some made faces puffing out their cheeks

Of all the wonders to behold When the circus comes to town

Those scruffy, wild, need a bath boys Ignore the acrobats, the orangutang, The clowns in make-up and everyday clothes

All of them Tumbling out of the trucks on the green just outside of town

To goggle and gape At Miss Ellie May Gump The fattest woman in world.

-Skye

House Hunting

We are looking for a house to keep dreaming really

I like tall grass and wildflowers hardly suitable for some respectable old manor nestled up on the hill of old St. Albans town.

Just a little way down out of town? You say

There is this fine old farmstead over looking Champlain

two Acres of fine grassy knolls but alas We are not people who mow

We would need goats to keep the field neat

I like goats you smile

I smile We can milk them and make soap

We are looking for a house to keep You and I

Victorian with turret? I say dreaming really

I’m so in love with you.

-Skye

Walking

The sky is milk The sea is quicksilver The beach is leaden

No birds No nimble crabs Just human passengers Traveling along the break of day

-Skye

Image Source: Brassai, circa1946 Source: letaobloquista

Brassai Roaming Paris

After the churning of buildings and bodies After the round ups of 75,000 Jewish citizens After the ovens to the east stopped their burning

The streets were swept The babies boomed And lovely ladies once again wore real silk stockings

You saw them stop for moment

The baby was sleeping

The headlines were posted Every word shouting LARGE FONT BLACK and BOLD

“Francais! Reveillez-vous!” “Aux Hommes d’Ordre et de Bon Sens”

She gave his arm a Contented almost sleepy Squeeze

Politics was politics again Life was life again

The baby woke up and began to cry.

-Skye

The Wraith’s Requiem

Thin strips of flayed flesh String the bow.

Time is always conducting us in and out of measure.

The ghost of my own making holds fast to darkness

Though, I let go so long ago

Learning to play for no one with fingers once broken

Beautiful terrible music unleashed into the world for me for me

for you.

-Skye

Requiem by Burak Ulker

Image Source: Headless-Horse

Early Morning Milking

Miguel Is there Turning on lights Cleaning teats

Full Udders Need to be emptied At 4 and 4 again

The farmer comes With the hay and the grain As his father did when he was The boy who cleaned the teats

At present he feeds the cows And Miguel Empties their udders

The farmer loves the barn The cows And his children Away at school

Miguel loves the barn The cows And his children so young and Far away In Caracas

Two men working together In the well-lit barn.

Source: Dinovelvet.

The Three Graces

Long ago the handmaidens of Aphrodite

Grew tired of being virgins Of being consummate Women

And lit out for the dessert

I met them at a festival covered in wrinkles and rainbows Swilling beer Cackling at the universe

And I joined in at once Understanding there was so much more to me.

-Skye

Source: calmerra Image Credit: Foxes, circa 1913 by Franz Marc Medium: Oil on canvas 87 x 65 cm

Foxes

The woods behind the house are deep Dark tangles of brush Damp Loam soft under feet

This is where the foxes go in the morning After prowling along my borders Teasing my chickens All through the night

I have a sturdy hen house

The chickens are safe

Besides

The foxes are sleeping now Somewhere in the wild wood.

-Skye

Photograph Title: Striptease club, Tokyo, 1951. Photographer:  Werner Bischof

Striptease Club, Tokyo ‘51

Painted faces and smooth skin Lounging among dressing room clutter Channeling palace concubines For the average man

Emerging from feudalism

Tokyo girls All bouncing breasts and Swaying hips Take the stage.

-Skye

Source: meryweird77

Hysteria

Straight Narrow Laced Up Tight

Bound by Respectability, domesticity, Mild virtuous Wife, mother, nothing more

Reflect, reflect Only wholesome Womanly airs

Do only proper Womanly things

Calling cards Genteel teas Birthing children Serving your Husband Father Brother

Reflect, reflect Only what is desired By others

But when you look in The mirror You see Your eternity and begin To scream

-Skye