The Great Ray That Got Away

The Great Ray That Got Away

Only you and the fish are smiling. The salmon

since he got away, today and grandpa,

you got some good looks before the final splash.

I've heard the story so many times—

skunk trips to the sea, early

to bed, to rise, sounds wise

until I’m five hours off shore, still broke,

fishing for kings with my jack-

of-all-trades Great Grandpa Ray.

Though, we've never been salmon fishing before

but I continue to look like you. Arms

extended, still posing for pictures

from a childhood never taken, stolen

memories— with your cigars hooked in cartilage,

lines set for cancer, me reeling as fast

as I could to grow big enough for the boat

so dad and you would pack me in the cooler.

I was awake then, listening and dreaming,

when men were rising with the dawn

and this son only a man long after

your sun set; Grandpa you were

this great. My Great Grandpa Ray gone,

only pretend trips to take to the big lake,

Dad’s done you proud and whenever

there’s a skunk in the boat

after trolling for too long, five more minutes, I’ll

think at least you didn't miss this—

We miss you, the one that got away. No

he wasn't as big as your tales,

you were this big and got away too soon. 

"Big Fish" mixed media art by: Thomas Massey

To My New Nephew, Ryker David Sutherland

Dear Ryker,

Your Dad and Mom love you

but they’re the first of many hearts

that you can rely on for love. I’m yours

too, a number two, too

and unlike your sister, no tutus

will I impose on you. Not that

there’s anything wrong with that breezy

freedom. Take your time

you’re commando Ryker

for the first few years—

no one will complain

when you decide that heavy diaper

simply holding you back from sprawling

crawling and too soon walking before

we know it. You know you’re

a number one, too? So special

David’s in the middle of that Ryker

Sutherland name, you’re the first

Son of Sutherland from David and Peg’s

Clan of men, strong-willed, Scot-Irish

who unconditionally have been raising

roses to cushion your childhood.

These ladies, three gems, your friends

so close they’re your family,

they’re your cousins

they’re beautiful, brilliant, and bold

they’re Olivia, Aurora, and Amira 

and you will be their sword, yes

you will be the man. Welcome

Ryker David Sutherland

to your Sutherland Clan.

Sans Peur my brother,

my nephew,

my new boy in blue.    

Without fear…Sans Peur

but oh how they’ll fear you.          

Our bike ride while the rest of the world was sleeping

Our bike ride while the rest of the world was sleeping

Last photo before my battery rot.

I felt so recharged this matters not.

Just above freezing,

a bike ride up hill

to chill my fingers, nose,

ego— Only lonely to find

me at the top. It has already

been hours since you rose

me with Your call and I thank

You for inviting me to Your house

each morning. These places that

place me where I aught to be

are Yours. You keep me from

where I can be led astray.

I sometimes wish someone that's

she could be among me, with me and these

things called blessings. But, You rode

with me, You Guide me, Friend.

We were at the park

while the rest were sleeping.

You beat me there and met me

with a warm cup of Creation.

You've been busy and I've been

lazy. Now there's nothing but You

with me. Happy in solitude if

you dig within. Mark, Mark,

Mark my words—

you are longing for a Friend.

Let go. And, no sooner do You

wrap my heart, it's Your heart

now. Pray, dry my selfish

tears and take my stubborn

sadness. Transform me into being

with You and I cannot imagine

being with anyone else.

Back home, legs pushing, heart

racing, it's all downhill and not

nearly as cold

with your Love.    

Honesty Among Friends

Honesty Among Friends

If I’m honest,

I know I should lie

to avoid getting kicked

while face down and grounded

by Earth’s carnal ways.   

You have no time or energy

For all that is important.

Truth sets free eyes that see

yet, you dare admit I’m not the

problem. It is my fault.

I’m making my own choices, too.

Are you deaf and blind?

Shhhhh, be dumb,

that was rhetorical,

I know I've been, too

but somehow in my face, my light,

you cannot see, let alone face your own problems.

So I’ll be honest,

I’ll bleed my tongue dry

in fear I may hurt you. Speechless

while you grill my heart, season my soul & release a burp;  

go on, cumin and I relieve your indigestion.

Intentions pierce this world

and we will be judged, you will

be judged like the way you chew me.

My silent cries rock you to sleep—

Sleep with your nightmares of reality.

No more pretending;

I’ve been unlacing the lingerie of

a fallen angel I once knew.

I finally begin to wake up.

I’ll be a damned fool.

You turned my world around when denying me

entry into your paradise but His Paradise is eternally longer.

Better than the short lived thing

we called love while we mocked Love.

Jesters weep at us when we’re on life’s tragic stage,

they know we’re hero-less unless

we win the waged war within.

I offer prayers for forgiveness

that keep me awake while you sleep.  

Prayer is better than sleeping with you

Positioned upside down digging hellish holes.

Shame on me, mercy on you.

No more dancing with me

I ruined us by giving myself

To you. I’m crawling back up

While your body signals, ‘SOS’

Save Our Souls.

Stop blinding me. I want to see—

You must turn on your own Light.   

Love's Dumb Pain

Love’s Dumb Pain

There’s a cord playing with

my blood muscle’s soul—

struck, plucked harp strings,

tickling to tune their songs of pain.

There’s harmony in my arteries, 

Hearts aren't all that break, carry

me to meet my familiar friend, again.

Hello, lONEly. You, who knew we’d grow old together,

and not with her. I suppose you knew,

just lied in wait, or did you forget?

Is this your way of saving me

the hassle? Finally, eyes see

clearly through these teary

messages writing notes on my cheek.

They don’t blind like

that damn cherub and his God

forsaken arrows. I see you

plain as anger sees pain

Old friend. Music

sounds better slowed down

to mimic that harmony, that

cord playing inside down

in my dark depths humming,

drumming, beating away

pain to make room

for more. Da dumb.

Da dumb. Da dumb.

I Don't Eat Bacon

“I don’t eat bacon”

I feel used. Like

everything's cliché, now.

We’ve gotten so good

in expressing our feelings we

believed them over logic

and bacon. Crispy

burnt thoughts driven

by ego, no

empathy; remorse? Ho!

And, I’ll probably get

a text message summary of

my mistakes using her

feeling words—

using only her

eyes and using me as her

meat for breaking fast. 

Pure Clover Honey

Pure Clover Honey

Lucky he covered

Her

Nudity

With pure clover honey, always

Local—

Unconscious to his

Seduction;

It’s sweet and

Stings to be

Her.

ECLOGUE

ECLOGUE - Father to Son: 

Dry them tears boy. This too, is part of working our land.

          His wagging tail has now gone still.

He deserves a proper place, earned a burial;

I think we should lay him near your boyhood girl

On that hill, boy, our two companions will be one—

         Go. Dig him a hole. I’ll wrap him in his blanket. 

Ignorance

“Ignorance”

Ignorance—

Common behavior among us

Intellectuals.

We share, too,

Love for those cute, cuddly ones:

Deer me, puppies n’ kittens for you?

Compare us to the animals:

Sniffing passer-byes, marking visits

With what’s public taboo.

Spray displays are not the human

Way we say hello and good-bye.

That’s just not the way we do things;

We don’t say anything.

See anything?

Stopping to take a picture

Together, with other human beings,

At the rare chance we visit lonely

Concrete cages containing our childhood

Friends. Now life-sized and a little scary,

We continue to pay admission into

Adulthood to see the bears but

Only keep pictures of our children’s visits.

We believe then, the lens will see

Me

You

For who we are, and in

Passing

I will shake your hand

Next time offer to take our picture.

Thanks. I hope

He doesn't steal the camera.

It takes a village with a zoo.

Other enlightened ones,

Too, will not ignore our

Reflections next time

They look at the picture you took,

Not to our face, anyway.

How many ignored us

Today and did we return the favor?

A woe on man’s being to leave out the

Color. We’re cute and cuddly, too.

I Am a Softer Me

I Am a Softer Me

            By: Mark Sutherland

I

am

a candle waxing—

Moon? Not as much.

More shine the closer fire

consumes my melting

head expanding as I shed

us to find

me

in the traces of light

peering from those shadows,

scars of ash, and

your burnt face

up to the demons. Smoking

nostrils flare without snarling

darling, and the sting in

this throat tells me

I need this

solitude.

I’m terrified of melting

I’m done with being hard—

softened wax suits me

even when I know

I’m melting away.