Tower

Mine Enemy, Caesar

Cataclysm has struck
and we are
stuck in Caesar’s
panorama,
his white line
plows foolish soil,
oozes sores,
erupts with privilege
and rancid, rotting
meat to poison,

draws itself ’round

the common good,
community.
It builds upon itself,
makes a wall
of unpresidented height,
bulges, sometimes
bursts, spills black
bile on mi gente, mi familia.

Bring it down.

This wall
spreads and warps
into a putrefied tower,
looms, dominates over all,
punishes objection,
insurrection, rebellion.

Bring it down.

A tower that teeters,
threatens to fall
under Narcissist’s
gold-flecked mirror
as my voice joins
millions, screams:
smash that tower!

Bring it down!

Caesar must fall.

by
Rod Carlos Rodriguez

Water

for Standing Rock

Sunrise on the Cannonball River and the Oceti-Sakowin camp Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, photo by Thane Maxwell

-quenches my blood,
these bones,
in silent homily.

-bathes my heart,
this soul
in pure love.

-streams my eyes,
when facing water cannons,
or warrior fellowship,
or concussion grenades.

-has no interest
in criminal banks,
or corrupt police,
or politicians.

-struggles against
nothing but the moon,
the sun, the stars.

-blesses me in
compassion for
my very human condition.

-tidal waves my
muse in unlimited
support

of
Standing Rock.

by
Rod Carlos Rodriguez

Mother May I

Gaia II – Natural Deity Series by Rod C. Stryker

Exacerbating this even

       quiet riot

in church choired chords,

  deafening valleys

cause gray matter vibrations

as Ms. Muse barfs

    possible solutions

     like good feeling, care or love.

But the real tear-jerker

      is the green all over glow

    shinning through

acid clouds and sulfur

rivers.

     Gaia would be proud to see

      such tender concern.

     Such giving tribute

     deserves nothing less

   than a stay

of execution.

 

by

Rod C. Stryker

      

20 Poets on the Meaning of Poetry

For those who wonder why poets do what we do…

Sun Poet’s Society Open-Mic Poetry – Review

For those who attend the Sun Poet’s Society Open-Mic Poetry Readings on a regular basis sometimes here me go on about how happy these Tuesday readings make me. But this is so true, especially on nights like tonight. In the 18 years I have been hosting this poetry reading, I have had the honor of enjoying some of the best poetry from so many walks of life. To say my cup runneth over is an understatement. I feel exquisitely aware of how precious moments are especially at these gatherings. The Sun Poets and poetry in general are my religion, my spirituality. And every week, I come to worship the human condition through poetry. And I affirm, as long as I can draw breath, the Sun Poet’s Society will live and grow and thrive. My cup doesn’t just runneth over, it’s an ocean. I am a lucky poet.

If you haven’t had a chance to go to a poetry reading, I encourage you vehemently, at least give it a try. Poets do inspire each other and sometimes others as well. And consistently, I’ve witnessed others become inspired by the spoken work at the Sun Poet’s readings. It also helps to have a stalwart supporter like Barnes & Noble (321 N.W. Loop 410, Suite 104, San Antonio, Texas).

And if the impossible does occur and you do attend a poetry reading, you might just come away with a deeper sense of what it means to be

human.

New Beginnings

I am excited and a little nervous with this new endeavor. I hope to create something here that helps and informs. I will be posting both old and new poetry, photos and poetry news. I have been writing poetry and such for well over 30 years. I have had 2 books of poetry published, Lucid Affairs (Sun Arts Press) and Exploits of a Sun Poet (Pecan Grove Press). I also am founder and host of San Antonio’s longest running open-mic poetry reading, the Sun Poet’s Society. So, with eyes wide open, heart braced, and mind focused, I jump with both feet into the brink!