Red

possessing quiet competence she flies

and touches lives

she touches lives across the enterprise

for good

invariably for good

when all is done and said

then again with quiet competence she flies

and leaves our eyes

she leaves our eyes with tears

and a reflected touch of red

invariably good

she is

when all is done and said

© 2021 Frederick Andrew ~ All Rights Reserved

Inspired by and for Erin Holmes.

in which we learn from our mistakes

sometimes the cream
that rises up
is little more than scum

contaminates
both left and right
and beats an evil drum

divisive and
exclusionary
fomenting lies and hate

distracting from
the work at hand
with spin that won't abate

while tendrils
quietly invade
and suck the body dry

naught but a
monumental
husk remaining to decry

the narcissistic
suffocating
self promoting lot

we let engage
our baser selves
while they float up on top

---

how can we
overcome this spiral
vampiric decay

first pause and breathe
remembering
kindness wins the day

in every
interaction
be it large or be it small

the path to kindness
must be clear
or else we take the fall

and darkness
tempered not by stars
becomes our promised land

---

when leaders we've
anointed channel
orange hate and fear

they threaten
with their sneers and smirks
the things we hold

most dear
the freedom to be
who we are

despite prevail-
ing preferences
and sensibilities

these leaders as
they beat their drums
forfeit our fealty

and represent
not progress but
a selfish reality

which we taking
the higher road
vote irrelevancy

in favor of
the kindness which
our legacy becomes

in knowing there
is always time
to just vote out
the bums

active listening

 static-ful broadcast
fiddling knob mindfully
clarity blossoms

© 2021 Frederick Andrew ~ All Rights Reserved

block

there was a time

when I was mired

not

with false starts

hopes burned hot and fast

to ash

but

with

a carpal cramp

born of an overflowing pen

not today

©2021 Frederick Andrew ~ All Rights Reserved

fib

 small

lie

with no

clear malice

at least by intent

that's how my mom would describe it

she was always right

and pretty

like

you

© 2021 Frederick Andrew ~ All Rights Reserved

chasm

what exactly is it
when each action each embrace
whether words or something deeper
formed within the tactile space

is delayed by second guessing
calculation out of fear
there'll be no reciprocation
that the end is so damn near

what exactly is it
love
or something less sincere

© 2021 Frederick Andrew ~ All Rights Reserved

Inspired by Kris Sasa's What's This Love?

corporate triptych

 I

dearly desired
corporate transparency
simple elegance

II

routinely touted

corporate transparency

Goldberg elegance

III

typically seen

corporate intransigence

eternal collapse

© 2021 Frederick Andrew ~ All Rights Reserved

blindspots

pizza

coffee

ice cream

universal constants

hinge pins aligning an infinity of diversities

almost

for me pineapple goes with the third

decidedly NOT the first

though I won't turn it away (no bad pizza)

cream only in the second

except for the rare molasses dalliance

I do like a little creole now and again

the third

well

erotica is in the same ballpark

partial to coffee

chocolate

mint

cookie dough

ginger

even neopolitan will do

beyond these preferences

blindspots I might be willing to explore

come along

© 2021 Frederick Andrew ~ All Rights Reserved