Lingering Thoughts
The greatest oasis ...
Walden Pond of the mind
Where lives unencumbered
the best we will find
Nothing so remote
as those lingering thoughts
That live in the wilderness
— of memory uncaught
**
Copper Wire
Trying to break our connection ...
connects us the more
And brings into focus
what’s shared but unsure
The closest we come
to ever fading away
Is when we stop trying
— to live every day
**
The Tub Indisposed
The dirty laundry of America
hangs on the line
Unclean in its fester
and soiled defines ...
A washing awaits
whose tub indisposed
And leaking excuses
the stains — ill exposed
**
Clearing The Way
Practicing nothing
Thoreau comes to mind
Instilling the hours
with gold never mined
What rushes upon me
once clearing the way
Denied to most others
— who labor unstayed
**
From The Canyon
Entertaining an echo ...
a welcoming voice
That comes from the canyon
where depth is a choice
A house guest inherent
who lingers and stays
Remarking my journey
— with each passing day
**
Unsullied Shores
Gauguin among poets
the jungle reclaims
Remote in his anger
the wilderness flames
A beauty transcendent
on unsullied shores
His words to live native
— and wild du jour
**
Crossing Over
Time familiar
while reason lasts
That final moment
before breaking away
Into the ether
of light’s tomorrow
Once crossing over
— my soul relayed
**
Each Tick A Warning
Time’s weapon is age ...
the years to sharpen
The days into hours
then minutes defrayed
The minutes to seconds
each tick a new warning
The seconds to moments
— where time will betray
**
Yesterday’s Droppings
Incendiary forces
rekindle your memory
Sparking each impulse
lighting the fuse
To burn through the fodder
of yesterday’s droppings
Turned into ashes
— freeing the Muse
**
Giving Life
“Words matter ...”
sayeth Thoreau
Giving life
to the speaker
And hearer
— anew
**
A Robin’s Song
It sounds so right
it almost feels wrong
The days rebirthed
and captured in song
No tears of sadness
unspoken joy
A robin singing
— my soul its toy
**
Fully Committed
Jumping into the pit
to fight the snake
Fully committed
to live or to die
Leaving the comfort
of safety’s restriction
Grabbing its tail
— my fear to defy
(Dreamsleep: April, 2026)
They Pander
Lost
are the many
who get rich
being famous
Chartered jets
and gold
their claim
Reality
scripted
to entice
what we loathe
Bimbo’s
in sequins
of fame
Limos
await
what the desperate
espouse
Eye shadow
caked
to the nines
As flexers and posers hide in plain sight
Enamored with mirrors false praise to delight
And like the Kardashians who prey on the night
They pander — to what we despise
-
Author:
Kurt Philip Behm (
Offline) - Published: April 9th, 2026 09:07
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 7
- Users favorite of this poem: sorenbarrett, Tristan Robert Lange
Offline)
Comments3
My favorite the first. I too have been living in this Waldon Pond of the mind. A fave my friend
PBS is running a 3 or 4 part series on Thoreau. Thanks
For the past year and a half I have lived separated from others by about a half mile where the closest neighbor lives. Surrounded by forest and mountain on all sides with nothing but birds, wild animals and fish. It has been most relaxing and inspirational.
These are all so well written and thought provoking. Nice work!
You comments are most appreciated again.
Kurt, these carry a steady flow of thought from one piece to the next…each one holding its own space while still circling something deeper underneath. And that turn toward the end…sharper, more direct…lands because of the ground you built before it. It feels intentional and lived in. Strong, grounded work, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
Thanks again.
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