Tuesday, August 30, 2011

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 

Sunday, August 28, 2011

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 


Friday, August 26, 2011

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 


Thursday, August 25, 2011

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

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

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.

Monday, August 22, 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. 

Sunday, August 21, 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.

Friday, August 19, 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. 

Thursday, August 18, 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. 



Tuesday, August 16, 2011

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 

blank slate


is a 
complicated
process. 






Photo by Tess Kincaid
Poem ©2011 R. Burnett Baker 



Saturday, August 13, 2011

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.

Monday, August 8, 2011

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



Saturday, August 6, 2011

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 


Wednesday, August 3, 2011

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

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

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.

Monday, August 1, 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.