I remember as a child being fascinating by the concept of Figures in text books. Illustrations were often labeled Figure 1, Figure 2, etc. I wondered, "why don't they just print the title of the picture?" but never found out.
In fun and tribute, I named this doodle Figure 1. It appears in journal #12, never doubt, 1978.
someone found sparkly yellow
stuff, indifferent deep in the ground
wet in pebbles too thick to drink
too heavy for wheels
small quantities scattered
"let's make it money"
they said "because it's so pretty..."
now everybody wants what was
in fort knox as if
every heavy clunk of gold
held a genie inside
with three wishes for riches
and what do you
do with them
but
wish for more gold
-- douglas brent smith
can you still feel my cords? she
said often after the heat had subsided
and we were nearing sleep
at first i said yes, even though
i had no idea where they were
or if they still were
but like so many other lessons
from you i learned
after learning every square lovely
inch of your warm body
where your chords were
cords
there were other chords, also: lines
from your soul to mine
gullible at your will
veins
mixing sunbursts with rain
notes from my guitar, chords
calling your name
after long walks with puppy dog
after altercations over where
each or both of us would live (tell me)
can you still feel my chords
a thousand miles away?
-- douglas brent smith
Of course when the phones got dirty, we just hosed them down.
-- doug smith
don't tense up on me now,
all of my cards are marked
scarred from handling bent
at the edges
i'm playing several suits at once
none a perfect fit
no aces up my sleeve
don't quit don't leave
read them and grieve
i'm weary of your silence
duplicity dulling our electricity
whispers like screaming
read your hand plead your hand
bid or pass i'm faster than you think
holding my queen of hearts
with a secret message
better play your hand and hurry
now
before the queen finds her jack
and there's no turning back.
-- douglas brent smith
if i were a hippopotamus
i'd never wear a suit
because one would never fit
be chic or even cute
if i were a hippopotamus
apart from where the rest go
sitting alone in my hippo home
i'd chat on the phone with Ionesco.
--- douglas brent smith
