City Scenes XXXIV: Towing The Line

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Photo ©2012 R. Burnett Baker

Fair warning 

couldn't be 

clearer! 

Photo taken by R. Baker, 10-30-12 at 222 Andrews Street, Rochester, NY. 

Magpie Tales 141: Storm Story

(love) story 



once there was a

man I knew who 

stood in a blinding

rain storm, walking

the shores of flowing

streets, and seaside 

surf.  without caring he 

stopped to gather 

every tide from the 

sky, and begged to 

be struck by lightening. 




Poem © 2012 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo shared by Tess Kincaid.

Never-ending

© 2012 R. Burnett Baker

City Scenes XXXIII: Signs Everywhere

empty nest 

there 

you are 

side-sleeping 

eyes closed,

quilted flesh

waiting: 

waiting 

for me 

to sleep. 

Poem ©2012 R. Burnett Baker 

Photo ©2012 R. Burnett Baker

Summer/Autumn Lament

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Poem ©2008, 2012 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo/image © 2012 R. Burnett Baker 

A Rick Doodle

©2012 R. Burnett Baker

Magpie Tales 140: 1776

new world order 

the shallows of vastness are few: 

in oceans deep, rivers raging, 

under forests serene.  

our search for footing is survival 

sounding an alarm, providence 

of a watchful eye,  the headlong 

drive to trumpet glory 

on a glassy water surface, 

beside a silent brook, or within

the saddest shower of autumn's 

falling leaves. 

Shared by Tess Kincaid

Poem © 2012 R. Burnett Baker 

Blues For You Too

Photo ©2012 R. Burnett Baker

this poetry of blues

these blues faded into night long ago 

along your journey to the world;  these 

eyes open red singing each refrain, 

every moribund note, from horn to voice. 

"no!" Big Mama, "no!"  Billie,  "no!" Francine:

"no no no!"  there still are ears 

aching to hear Sweet Emma sing 

"I'm Alone Because I Love You.”  

Poem © 2012 R. Burnett Baker

What Surrounds Us

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© 2012 R. Burnett Baker 

Magpie Tales 139: Home Is Where The.....

this coming/going home 

we waited for these moments, 

we whispered to the hours, 

under leaves as blankets, 

warmth drawing us inward, 

nearer to our sheltered hearts: 

we willow in reverence, 

recompense for days lost to effort, 

this season of our shadowed silence. 

Midnight Snack, 1984, by Curtis Wilson Cost

Painting shared by Tess Kincaid 
Poem © 2012 R. Burnett Baker 

Substance

After watching the "debate" (Why do they call it that?) 

I found this photo and made my own political meme for fun: 

Substance: 

Joe Biden presented himself like a smirking, 

schoolyard bully.  Or jackass.  Take your pick. 

Paul Ryan presented himself like a, um, like a, 

oh, well, just a little creepy.  He reminds me of

the nurds in high school who really got off on 

fooling around with slide rules. 

Time Will Tell...

"We say that time is the great equalizer and healer. 

It is, rather, a great deceiver, 

for we never forget the taste and fragrance

of beauty and bittersweet." 

-Rick Burnett Baker 

© 2012 R. Burnett Baker 

The Art Of The Journey

you, my destiny

we all have an angle, not always delineated or linear, 

and not unlike the dysequilibrium, at times, 

of my circular reasoning (don't ask) :

surely you are waiting beyond the skylight 

of this cavernous path of finite time travel. 

Poem © 2012 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo ©2012 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo of the Guggenheim taken by R. Baker, 2012.

"move" : Old Poem, Old Photo, Combined.....

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Poem "move" © 1988, 2009 R. Burnett Baker 

Photo © 2009 R. Burnett Baker 

Text photo/poem © 2012 R. Burnett Baker 

Redux and New

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© 2008, 2012 R. Burnett Baker