Poetry by
Mark Waldman
| hot night in june by Mark Waldman, June 5, 2006 los angeles is burning the heat is insane the people are insane but of course, there is no global warming people ride your tail in traffic you see the whites of their eyes people don’t say thank you if you hold the door for them women ignore you you watch, as a sociology study, and yes, they look right through you you may as well not even be there you have your books the current issue of the new yorker good museums places to listen to live music the ocean yet something is missing what is it? fine restaurants, time to do whatever you want write, read, sleep, walk, talk, jump, skip, create… los angeles has this way of eating your soul it’s a city that has its fair share but if you are not sure what you want there is nothing as lonely and sad as los angeles you wake up look at the clock 6am – plenty of time yet where do you go? what do you do? why is it so hard? los angeles is burning the heat is insane the people are insane but of course, there is no global warming |
| court vision By Mark Waldman, June 8, 2006 every once in a while I have crystal clear perspective it happens from time to time and it’s always refreshing I feel as if I tapped into something special and only I can see it of course, I’m insane, and I imagine many others see it every single day but forget about them, this is my moment I have these times when I have complete court vision that’s what they used to call it when Magic Johnson was playing or Wayne Gretzky was skating these amazing athletes could see the entire game in one swoop of the head whereas mere mortals could generally only see right in front of them and perhaps a little to the sides I often am in a fog like most of us but these enlightened moments occur where I see the bigger picture and in those moments whether they’re more common than I think or no, I feel privileged for example at these times I see the wonder in small things a cat rolling over in front of me a beautiful breeze hitting my face at 5:30pm a child’s smile as its mother or father pulls it through the crowd I appreciate art enjoy the words in an old book can soak in a tub and read the New Yorker, completely relaxed in fact I can find relaxation in anything sitting eating typing just breathing it’s very Zen and it’s quite wonderful life, at these times, is more real, more poignant than at any other time all the problems of our day vanish disappear whoosh! and instead peace joy beauty meaning but like everything else things happen and this power goes away and I let little things get me down or distract and just by and large take me off my mission oh well it happens things happen and as long as these lucid moments come and go another will be coming and that is a meaningful thing to be sure. |
Copyright 2006 Mark Waldman
All Rights Reserved
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Mark Waldman is a writer living in Los Angeles. He has had short stories and poems published in various magazines, and when not out enjoying Southern California with his daughter and wise Tonkinese Mink cat, Jack, he puts words together in short, hopefully meaningful sentences. |