Combing The American Dream(s): Two Poems

familiar distance 

as that one tear 

welled in my chest

and the sun shone 

a morning promise; 

as memory music 

played branches 

to a breeze; 

windy leaves rustled 

a familiar melody, 

one that I know but 

have never 

heard.

Photo ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 

came revelation

along the arch of dawn 

and horizon of wind 

came revelation and 

my awakening from 

the damning sleep 

of languished reason,

bundled against the 

daily gale,

to forge solo into 

garish constructions 

of every others'

dream. 

Poems ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt 80: Street Scene, There And Everywhere

Red Umbrella, Christopher Shay

Shared by Tess Kincaid

necessities

no trishaw driver,

a dampened alley 

silent, so 

he walked: 

a bag of noodles, street 

vendor fresh -  

his head sheltered 

ang pow red - 

and barber poles 

to light the fetid 

street: 

what more 

to wish for? 

Poem ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 

Sculpture: Story Without Words

"Omagh" by Clifford Rainey 

Installation at Corning Museum Of Glass, 

Corning, NY 

the unknown mind

the human condition as 

art is not as appealing 

as the expression of the 

artist, the reeling impetus 

of his experience. 

Text ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 

Lest We Forget...

the feast of famine




in humble supplication
feet and clay are one: 


prayers for 
nourishment. 






Poem ©2011 R. Burnett Baker
Photo from Google Images

The Short And Winding Road

Photo ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 

summer's winding lane

can the season, please, be as lazy

as this graveled country lane? 

could a satin breeze be gentle 

and not disturb the 

leaves? 

can woven taffeta sunlight 
beyond the shaded path 

never set but 
light life's road 
just around the 
corner?

Poem ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 

Photo taken by R. Baker near Rochester, NY, 2011.

City Scenes V: Loveliness In Unexpected Places

wall flower 


is relevance 
a necessity 
for aggrievance 
of ugliness? 


can we place
ourselves in 
emptiness and 
blossom for the 
ages, 


or for even 
a passing 
glance? 




Poem ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo©2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo taken by R. Baker in Rochester, NY, 2011. 

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt 79: On Being Driven

sedan




with air 
thick as dust - 
the black and
white of life and 
sepia imprint 
of moments, 


what novelty 
drove us to 
laughter, or 
frivolity 


mocking the 
modernity of 
our past? 


Poem ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo provided by Tess Kincaid

City Scenes IV: Software Update

virus protection 




there's no 
delete button 
behind the 
slot; 


no time 
for reading 
spam once 
the door knob
is locked. 






Poem ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo©2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo taken by R. Baker, Toronto, Ontario 2011.

Don't Talk To Me Of Autumn.

summer, still. 




evening looms 
on the season,


yet time is lost 
on emerging 
desire. 




Poem ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo©2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo taken by R. Baker, Shepherd, Texas 2011. 

City Scenes III: The Past Is Now

castles




glass shatters. 
brick crumbles
slowly. 


shield 
your eyes:


images 
warble pane 
by pane 


into 
history. 


Poem ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo©2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo taken by R. Baker, July 2011 Toronto, Ontario. 

City Scenes II: Three Observations

Click to enlarge photo.


mannequin me 




incomplete 
yearnings, lust 


moulded in 
memory windows 
of my vision, 


left naked 
by designers 
and imitators 
of desire. 

Click to enlarge photo.

enigma 

the waiting 

began.  she 

sat bronze-like, 

statuesque as 

art, 

bus shelter 

relief before 

walking a 

stoic morning 

street. 

Click to enlarge photo.


dilemmas 




I've known 
nice people,
read the 
postings of 
their wares; I've 


felt the talisman 
nails of history
on telephone 
poles;  I've 


seen 
the culture 
of clashings 
written and 
painted on 
street signs; I've 


listened 
to truth, 


and 
written bad 
poetry. 


Poems ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Photos©2011 R. Burnett Baker 
All photos taken by R. Baker, July 2011, in Toronto, Ontario. 

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt 78: Building Pictures

 

starting 
over 




creating 
a 
blank slate


is a 
complicated
process. 






Photo by Tess Kincaid
Poem ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 

City Scenes I

everything iz good

between hydrants and walls 

they walk or run

bike or rollerblade 

some sit and stare

others panhandle 

for change 

beyond an open window 

of ebony light 

summer sultry heat 

bakes images on the 

brick, 

the city hard 

and thick. 

Photos ©2011 R. Burnett Baker

Poem ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 

Photos of street art taken by R. Baker on Richmond Street, Rochester, NY.

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt 77: Hot August Night

hot August night 




if night lasts 
a week of nights


if darkness 
shelters reason 


what effort 
is required 
to cast away 
fear of living 
outside the 
beckon 
of a suitor's 
call?






Poem © 2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Painting "Summer Evening" by Edward Hopper, 1947
Magpie Tales prompt courtesy of Tess Kincaid

Self Portrait

Untitled by R. Burnett Baker, 2011 

Acrylic on canvas, 48" x 60"

flowing 

as I sit 

I sleep: 

I dream 

your river

flowing along

the bulkhead

of my 

restraint. 

Poem ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 

Painting by R. Burnett Baker 

No Words: Sunset On Lake Ontario

Finally learning to use my new digital Nikon.  My old Nikon FE 35mm is getting jealous!  Here are a few sunset pics I took this week along the Ontario State Parkway on Lake Ontario, near Kendall, NY.  Cheers everyone!

All photos taken by R. Baker, Lake Ontario, NY 2011.

Photos ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 

All Rights Reserved

Experiment

one(?)way street




gaps in voice 
conversation in edit 
guiding perceptions
soliciting reception 
to particular desires 


and I. just. tune. out. 
turn off. 
walk run drive
in the opposite 
direction - 


at least until the 
commercial 
ends. 




Poem ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo©2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo taken by R. Baker near Baldwin Street, Toronto, Ontario.  July 22, 2011.

Magpie Tales Photo Prompt 76: Lessons Of History

Image:  Skip Hunt via Tess Kincaid

tennozan 

(great victory) 

they called you 

                  empire,

sun-ray samurai swords 

of radiant violence

slicing horizons 

severing vistas 

the cut of life 

and lives, 

                  yet - 

a rising sun 

is followed by 

dusk and dark: 

wheels of steel 

and blades of conquest 

rusted with recompense, 

the greatest 

victory. 

Poem © 2011 R. Burnett Baker 

Land of the Rising Sun flag image fromGoogle Images.