Ponderable polemics, poetic

WordPress site of poet Mark Lucker

  • Father’s Day Requiem

    We never had one of those TV sitcom father-imparts-his-sage wisdom, serious sit-downs that I can recall I have no fatherly counsel fortune-cookie-inclusion viral-meme-worthy wisdom to share rarely proclaiming, “As my daddy used to say…” Sans great punchline parts of my father I carry with me, mirth more tangible than profundity less open to interpretation than… Read more

  • Delicacies

    Notebooks a lot of them stacked in an open shelf next to my desk varietal chronicles spiral-bound, stitched binding, composition books, cheap dollar store pocket, leather-covered, gifted to me verse, prose, musings pontifications and declarations the older ones bottom-of-the stack the better brittle pages in varying shades of sepia all the edges time has never… Read more

  • Rearrange

    Same couch cushion nine days running same angle viewing room, TV, street neighbors opposite their drapes open, too observing them watching you noting they are not as same place, same time sedentary as you same couch, different ends sometimes shared center making you wonder how that works for them who had the idea that not… Read more

  • Outside the lines

    You opened me like a flimsy book thumbed through pages of boldly outlined caricatures mercurially finding me, you chose your weapon from boxed arsenal Sharp,new-to-the-point unused you busted-pieces me You are 64-box of Crayolas using all the colors to colorfully flesh out the person that is me pictures that became us showing all the restraint… Read more

  • Labels

    Like the pine trees lining the winding road I got a name. I got a name….    –  Jim Croce I see my name all the time forms, documents – computer screen at log in the world it seems, knows me I too, know the world – though less familiarly When I was eleven my… Read more

  • Nonmonochromic

    My yin blue yang red cold, hot spiritual Rock’em Sock’em Robots equal footing confined battle to the end “He knocked his block off!” proclaimed black-and-white TV commercial peers of my youth in victorious awe such is the nature of my id whapwhapwhap kaaa-chinng! Block knocked off. Stoic head pushed back down locking in with sharp… Read more

  • Finials

    Chinese takeout whiskey sour, two cherries living room recliner not yet in full-on mode   discussions of recent past upcoming future plans, goals, objectives abstract in low-resolution   wistful recollections glad-its-over conversations annual ‘old’ sounds-better rebuke – same auld, same auld   old acquaintances unforgotten checking in/on via social media I’m fine/have a happy memes… Read more

  • Elegy for Them All

    Twenty-two. Thirty-four, twenty-seven thirty-nine Cancer, leukemia, suicide insidious bastards, each ‘gone too soon’ ‘in a better place’ sycophant salutations of condolence We hardly knew ye Sons, daughters of old friends. A cousin. Classmates of our children. All too vivid reminders “There but for the grace of God…” not at all feeling full of grace single:… Read more

  • Call me, Ishmael. Leave a message.

    We all have within us some Captain Ahab obsessively pursuing something, someone unattainable physically or mentally we quest something lost never obtained hadn’t the courage or stomach for a diem you could never carpe uselessly we quest a time we came close nagging should haves gnawing what ifs Crimes of passion not worth prosecuting each… Read more

  • Anurans

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