What words God took from you
I will take from Him
What words God would not let you use
I will use in your stead
What God has done to you
I will negate through my actions
What ghosts trail behind you
I will distract
What benefactors support you
I will befriend
Before we decay
I will carve your name in stone
And that which you never could say
Only centuries of water will wash away
Gene McLaughlin 2012
Summer light
Long lasting
In late June
It is the peak
Of life in full strength
Yet it holds
Great sadness
That is intangible
Yet pervasive
The mind
Dreams of
Summer days
Of a youth
Not ours
And a
Joy we cannot
Pinpoint
Yet know
Existed
The garden
Shall ever
Be longed for
The sadness
Our curse
And reward
Innocence
That time
Before
Recognition of malice
If we are understanding
Is not the question
Guilt is only
Relative
If the sin
Can be absolved
We are remnants
Of the explosion
Sprawling us ever outward
Eden ever
More distant
And its summer light
Dimming quickly
Gene G. McLaughlin 2005
Sing me your song of addiction
Sing me your song of disease
Croon me your tune of affliction
My ears take it all in with ease
I have never known anything other
I have never tasted anything true
Gates to salvation couldn’t be further
Soul broken all the way through
Speak to me on why to vote in elections
Speak to me why to not steal
Politicians are walking speaking infections
Who call theft the ‘art of the deal’
Life is hard enough day to day already
Life hurts to the bone aching core
Here your rhetoric often turns deadly
Bother my neighborhood no more
Gene G. McLaughlin 2004
In the bright crisp sun of morning
The rabbit eats the green leaf
He is anxious and alert
But has no name for the state
He is in
The raptor watches the rabbit
Dreaming of pursuit of his prey
He hungers and launches
In the shining shimmer of the open air
But has no name of the state
He is in
I watch both
And rejoice and mourn I have so many
Names for the state of things
Gene McLaughlin 2012
J. Wellington Wimpy the world’s foremost moocher
Of juicy hamburgers;
What is your tale outside your insatiable meat lust?
Have you found love in life or accomplished a goal
Or always singularly sought burgers grilled over charcoal
Does the violence of Popeye and Bluto
Divert your eyes from your beef?
Does Olive Oyl’s skinny stick figure
Make you pause your chomping of teeth?
Does anyone collect on your postponed debts?
Or try to reclaim funds through physical threats?
J. Wellington tell me your story!
I bet it is sad and tragic and true!
J. Wellington are you like me?
Is there another person people once knew?
Gene G. McLaughlin 2005
Bricks and mortar
And little joys
Stuff in aisles
And scattered toys
Tourists and locals
Hipsters and yokels
All gather here
Shoes and knives
Scarves and candies
Strolling wives
Dressed up dandies
All gather here
The place agreed upon
All gather here
Gene G. McLaughlin 2012
In the morning
There is a chill
In the air
Slowly I move
Outside
The sun is
Peaking over
The horizon
And the fog
Is dissipating
Slowly and
Surely
Across the dirt
Road
Is the garden
Deer sit quietly
Eating the
Snow peas
Thankful they
Grow so well
In the chilly
Weather
I think to chase
Them away
Then consider
Pantry is full
Canning is done
I will let them
Enjoy the sweet
Crisp taste in
Peace
Before winter
Comes again
Gene G. McLaughlin 2005
Time of death 6:47
Body is warm but eyes are empty
Medic closes them
It is 20 years ago
We are in the woods (woods not now)
Behind the mountain (mountain even now)
It is sunny but cold
There is a foundation of a house (house not even then)
There are rusty ancient tools (tools still in some form)
‘This is a time and place to recall’
Time and place recalled correctly clearly
Medics move quickly
Arrangements made long ago
Fires will burn hot clean permanent
There is a deer close to the foundation(deer probably not now)
Deer ponders green on forest floor(green still green each spring)
We are appraised as no danger
‘Some are moments to cherish’
Moment indeed moment is cherished
Medics leave dark of night seems darker
Phone rings condolences are given support offered
Declined but appreciated grief unmassaged by words or actions
Stream runs cold and strong(stream still stream now)
Next to the water bug is eaten by a green frog(bug not bug in a moment)
Frog hops away happy with achievement
‘All thing are connected’
Coffee in the morning mind distant and unclear
No tears shed but mind is tired
TV hums in background talks of plane crash in ocean
Young couples fate not known worst suspected
Heat of day approaches soon food crowds kitchen
Recently delivered made with care
Day passes quickly thoughts of varied topics
Distractions are fleeting but happen none the less
Objects flood memories good bad neither
Formalities will come soon after(Already man is man no longer)
For my father 1938-1999
Gene G. McLaughlin 2003
Feedback serenade
I can hear it in the night
Lying in the bed I’ve made
I can feel you through the night
You are howling
Only for me
Ever prowling
Only for me
I am guilty
At least I think
I am filthy
At least I think
Feedback serenade
Dissonant song of hunting
Ringing ears do not fade
Instinct says I should be running
I would be haunted
If I could think
I cannot sleep
If not for drink
Maybe self created
In my own skull
Never dissipated
The howl never dulls
Gene G. McLaughlin 2006
We all got scars
On soul or skin
In churches or bars
We all got sin
In the public eye
Or held within
Raise a glass
Sing a song
Go to mass
Hit the bong
This too shall pass
Before too long
You want redemption?
Not tonight friend
Tonight’s for wine
And vague memories
We all got wars
We all have lost
We all got scores
Of things they cost
Live today
Pray tomorrow
Find a way
To ease the sorrow
Sin not committed
Cannot be repented
The cycle repeated
As He intended
Gene G. McLaughlin 2006
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