5 & 7 & 5

- 1934-2013

follow that airplane
of course I'm high   this is
an emergency

§

giant Scots terrier
I thought I saw was known as
Taxicab Mountain

§

brown photo   legend
"serene enjoyment" they suck
pipes bones crumbled back

§

night train whistles   stars
over a nation under
mad temporal czars

§

round lumps of cells grow
up to love porridge   later
become The Supremes

§

lady I lost my
subway token   we must part
it's faster by air

§

"but it's our world"
tiny blue hands and green arms
your thought in my room

§

sweet bouzouki sound
another syntax for heads
up to the aether

§

in you the in moon
its rays entwined in my mind's
hair   hangs down right in

§

viewing the dragon
there they ride slim through my dream
Carpaccio's pair

§

slow bloom inside you
the mnemonics of loving
incessant chatter

§

far shore Ferris wheel
turning glowing humming   love
in our lit-up heads

§

switch them to sleep now
the flying foxes swarm out
great   it's flurry time

§

wind rain you and me
went looking for a new house
o the grass grows loud

Born Today


     for Jane

is to be one to the one
closest to you
who shares the air
& other elements
right there    next to you

two bodies wrapped in darkness
among millions of other bodies
wrapped in darkness & smoke
war bloodshed & chaos
   voices rising out of the dirt

one to the one    without whom one
wouldn't be one
   who saves one when lost
in regions of the past
raging at bygone constellations
     pursued by a swarm of angst gnats
   who saves by her sight & sound & touch
to notice
     that gravity's strong on this planet
notice
    there's a half-ton of apples in that tree
notice   cricket jumping on cedar branch
   feline humor   magpie elegance

in sum
     this world
born not so long ago
with maybe not that far to go
     still roaming
   the contradictory corridors
of a universe or two
wind turns pages   then shuts book
he looks up   she looks up from piano keys

     hold that frame

Lost Original


Mr. K said   in times of great crudity
it is necessary   to be subtle
so please wrap around me
with awkward grace
I may have suffered some Rilke Damage
or do I just have a little trouble
with fantasy tripwires
while engrossed in the sky's lexicon
& hills like purple pachyderms
"there's been a great upsurgence"
said the announcer   but I didn't catch
what of   & what of where
does it come from where does it go
still asking   on down the road

i.m. Hannes Hollo, 1959-1999

Fought the hungry ghosts here on Earth
"What is man?" asked the King 
Alcuin’s reply: "A guest of space."   And time yes time:
The past lies before us, the future comes up from behind
Walking on Primrose Hill or Isle of Wight beaches
Iowa City streets scrambling up snow-covered deer track
To Doc Holliday’s grave in Glenwood Springs
His helmet now shall make a hive for bees
He fought the hungry ghosts here on Earth
Strong & resourceful on his best days, 
Patient kind and presente
Returning those with him to here & now
But just as we settle in with our Pepsi and popcorn
THE END rolls up   too soon   always too soon



"'What is man?' asked the King": Pippin, son of Charlemagne, 9th century C.E. "His helmet
now . . . ": George Peele, Polyhymnia.