July 6/09
Steam Roller’d
release your sauna soulmates
undo the flat-iron building you’ve laid on my head
there must be a will, some way
why not jump an alp
let my inner forest rumble
no wilted mindforce inertia
ice cube crackdown
close-in
July 2/09
Somebody Left My Brain in the Sun
fear and loathing of sunburnt mind
blaming the weather,
the dog,
the early morning peacock
blaming the neighbour,
the flat tire,
the chlorinated water
the watermelon that isn’t yet cold
blaming the soup, the wilted lettuce
blaming the dying avocado,
the ficus that birthed a leaf
those poor wasps that simply had to leave
blaming the guilt of wasp denial
the horror of bites and stings past
blaming the mind that got left out in the sun
for sunburnt brain
January 5/09
Boom Cracka Cracka
Searching for buried treasure
rocket ploughs into earth,
alongside mouther ficus
her sweet tendrils caressing space
all safe, we cling to medusa overgrowth
all safe, we look into gaping hole.
all safe, we hope we have heard the last
boom cracka cracka clunk
till another rocket lands
Open Call for Peace and Understanding
|
Open Call For Peace & Understanding Duet, sing with me
yeah, it’s open
i want it
|
Poem for December 19, after the Ceasefire ceased to be
now, later and whenever
gotta look towards that goal
while the shots whizz by heads
and politicians work out deals
the underground peaceniks
pass out food and blankets
continuing reality sandwiches
while the dream covers cracked panes
painting a new ink blot
spreading hot cider and cinnamon
pass it round
pass it on
brewing hot love in the backroom
pass it on
finding cold corners
warming cold fingers
pass it on
judih dec/19/08
There are bombs, there are victims of brainwash, there are mourners, wounded, there are sounds that do not cease

Cry Sis
across waters
as I fill lakes
abandoned by deserters
in agony torn from
death defying dragonflies
clinging to grapevines
small rains
in the sea
of hope
with power fire honey
drenching passionate
soaking us all
beyond skin
cry brother
weep catharsis
over the planet
anguish overload
cries of pain
for those who cannot cry
sis
and watch the cried out
clouds
simmer softly
into mist flecked stanzas
of love
Ugly Sometimes
ugly relentlessly ugly sometimes
mind can’t see over the smoke
head bombarded with blasts of rocketfire
eyes see worse than eyes can stand
& over there in a soundproof room
sipping espressos, cocktails, lies
it’s so sweet, life’s beautiful, fighting over the tip
life’s good, endless paychecks doing endless jobs
life’s waiting like a ripe olive on an ancient tree
always bearing fruit, a bowlful of promises
but back here it’s ugly
ugly with more to come
led zeppelin squeals 60’s hope
but it’s goddamn ugly
A massive bundle of compassion
by judih
how much compassion is enough?
how many gestures of selfless love will suffice?
when will giving be refused?
when will receiving be distasteful?
a massive bundle of loving kindness
passed from hand to hand
leaving traces of joy as it travels its path
forever moving, forever linking us all
2 Poems, May 2008
by judih
every word a blow
every look a shock
waking my sleepy mind
the roar of the war-planes
again fill the night
fear of tragedy
fear of being alone
news in the a.m.
by judih
had to do it
had to read the news
had to know who was the victim
who was traumatized
how much damage was doneand now it’s there
stuck in my mind
generations of children sent on their way
lost in a nightmare of anxious fear
that’s the story
a continuing saga
with bursts of pathos and dread
i used to read astrology
or pull my i ching
the days of messages from a bottle
but now, i’m the bad news
i share the bitter facts
on a morning ripe with potential
large wise humans
open my eyes
today is for the little chances
the speeding trains
and the slow-moving sheep
children ride horses
we smell the newly picked carrots
lush green fields feed our tomorrows
i do the japanese dance
i walk on, choose my pose
walk off
a moment is all i’ve got
november 9/07
ugly sometimes
ugly relentlessly ugly sometimes
mind can’t see over the smoke
head bombarded with blasts of rocketfire
eyes see worse than eyes can stand

13 Comments
June 14, 2009 at 4:24 pm
we sit together
in sound and heartbeat
one pulse
many shades of sync
June 12, 2009 at 12:17 am
here i sit
bent over this keyboard
eyes crossed after a day of numbers
pausing to consider where i might escape to
and with who
where else would i go
who else would i rather be with
than you
if i can’t hold your hand or hear your laughter,
then let me hold your words and
your images in my heart.
and i do,
and you are here with me —
and i with you.
love you friend,
wb
April 27, 2009 at 4:49 am
mine eyes have seen the glory
the gory
the inept
the hopeful
the saddened
the troubled
the frazzled
the joyous
the romantic
the cynical
seen all kinds of heat and cold
watched fallen roofs
and cloven hooves
and vegetarians march to the tune of celtic flutes
and heard the sights of unspoken dreams
dripping with remorse
mine eyes
have seen your eyes
a scene of unprocessed gasps
april 27/09
judih
February 22, 2009 at 3:51 pm
My wonderful mother used to say, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”. And in my waning life, as my sight (literally) leaves me, I have experienced that sometimes – when we are furthest away we have never been closer. Also just like a seed, it must be planted to die, and then it really can be fruitful – so we are the seed to be liberated through death to ultimate life! Meantime we do the “good” in hope for all.
James Leigh
February 15, 2009 at 12:15 am
Hi Judih,
Thought I would leave profound comment that a stuudent of mine recently shocked my socks off with: “Whatever doesn’t break me strengthens me”.
May we all be strengthened.
Fond regards,
James Leigh
September 20, 2008 at 8:02 am
ouch
welcome class
ouch, she said
bitten by a large creature with no concerns
teacher falls down, plays dead
hoping for no more.
No more war, said Sa’adat, no more bloodshed
ouch, she said
shaken by a falling rocket
house cracks, floors falter
hoping for no more.
inside her mind frazzles
final moment brainstorm electric outtage
ouch, she said
then said no more
judih
november 2007
July 8, 2008 at 5:28 pm
hot summer
too hot
this summer day
and yesterday
and everyday
how did this happen
one small cycle
and the dial bursts off the charts
what’s 20 degrees that 30 can’t beat
why not hang out at 35.
Celsius is easier to chew
than fahrenheit. (what-100?)
35 is enough, thank you.
so, if my jam is sticking to the jar
i beg your melted indulgence
tell me tales of cool breeze
summer ponds
trees
i know beige and sand
and shadowless fields
the relief of a eucalyptus branch
offering some cool
the sound of flies
catching the wind of a passing car
hot summer
barely begun
June 27, 2008 at 5:52 pm
a moment as large as the mind can fly
a gift of sharing
inner flight expands
June 27, 2008 at 3:54 pm
time is but a single moment.
living in the present, a gift…
June 25, 2008 at 10:05 pm
live it!
and live it some more
expand the moment
short becomes exponential
June 25, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Judih – “Short-lived?” Long-Life! H’H.
June 25, 2008 at 4:02 pm
heavier than we can possibly bear
yet we bear it
and are stronger than we know
June 25, 2008 at 3:39 pm
many people
one burden
this moment is all we’ve got…