gift me your soul

I am a lover of love.

every rhapsodist

holds secrets of virtue

to defy all pretense

my desire

is possession

of every touch

and adulation:

gift me your

soul

as I portend

the love between

me and the

eternal

you.

Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo © 2008 by R. Burnett Baker

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt 29: When Home Is Just A Memory

what once was home

from a hedgerow I hesitated and gazed

at darkened windows and door shut

to what once was home;

should I knock and tell my tale of how

I lived, laughed, cried, loved, and

whispered memories within those walls,

or quietly walk the lane back to the road

letting pine needles and leaves fall softly

over the garden?

Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo courtesy of Willow at Magpie Tales

sky red

my mind

is fire;

my sky

red;

my

eye suffers

half the face

of wisdom.

Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo © 2005 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo of Tian Tan Buddha, Lantau Island, Hong Kong taken by R. Baker, 2005.

full heat

summer in full heat

tempered by quiet rain -

a hint of autumn's color

crashes 'round my feet

as did your gentle words

of unrequited

love.

Poem © 2005 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo © 2005 by R. Burnett Baker

crows

as a boy

in south Texas

I heard crows

cawing through

tree branches

only in

autumn.

now in mid-life

I hear crows

cawing in bright

summer

heat.

is

autumn

upon me

so soon?

Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo "Crow 103" by photographer/media artist Meggan Gould.

Series of crow photos taken while Ms. Gould was living in

Mumbai (Bombay), India.

http://www.meggangould.net/index.htm

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt Twenty-Eight

tickling bathwater

feet in a river;

a face in an opened window;

toes tickling bathwater.

all elements of risk,

measurements of confidence

before diving

into

life.

Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo courtesy of Willow at Magpie Tales

open sky

in

the

forest

one

tree

seeks

another

path,

heartened

by

open

sky.

Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo taken by R. Baker in Redwood National and State Parks, California, 2003.

path below

light

defines a

church tower.

the road below

shadowed by

trees.

Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker

Poetry of the Absurd

We wonder why our youth can't spell.

We wonder why our youth are behind in math.

We wonder why Johnny can't read.

And we wonder why aliens don't try to contact us?

At least this shop is hiring. No spelling,

adding, or reading required.

Sign on a shop window, Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario.

Photo © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt Twenty-Seven

beyond youth

brown spots appear,

my bones steely cold,

joints threaded

like rusted

iron.

beneath patina skin

water flows,

and I sip life

another

day.

Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo courtesy of Willow at Magpie Tales

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt Twenty-Six: Having a bit of fun with this one!

tin man

as rain seizes

the empty tin man

the forest claims

a rusty water

can.

Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo courtesy of Willow at Magpie Tales

An Eye Opener

Today Willow posted an interesting piece about the mustache. It reminded me of those years when just about every male had one. You know, the '70's and '80's. http://willowmanor.blogspot.com/

During my last trip to Texas, I happened upon my old, long expired Texas Driver's License. I had completely forgotten about it, and no wonder: I had that damn '70's porn star mustache, and MY EYES WERE CLOSED!! YES! And the Texas Department of Public Safety let me keep that license. It tickles me, but it also just blows my tiny little mind!

Now I haven't lived in Texas for many many years. I was overseas in Asia, Northern Africa, and the Middle East for a long time. I don't really talk like a Texan. But damn if something doesn't always pop up to perpetuate those stereotypes about Texans and Texas.

Well, I snapped a quickie cell phone photo of that license, so pardon the blurry image. But I find it amusing and decided to share. So here it is.... Can't you just hear ZZ Top blaring on the car radio?

drive me

drive me

drive me crazy!

let me

close my eyes, ossifer,

so you'll know

it's really

me!

Rick Baker

Rochester, NY

August 4, 2010

Microfiction Monday

Below is my first attempt at telling a story in 140 characters or less based on a photo prompt. Courtesy of Susan at http://www.stonyriver.ie/.

Repeatedly she nagged, "Fix the roof!"

Many Sundays passed and that became

the least of her worries.