Julian Takali

Even though we laugh
When times are jolly
Even though we smile
In times of folly
...

Sunshine Girls

These sunshine girls on the sun kissed beaches of Hawaii
Lathered by the brine of the icey sea
...

...

With the gentle cascade humming his harmony
I and myself stare and stare
With the blooming sylvan parading her melody
I and myself glare and glare
...

On the shoulders of I lay a smoke cloud of dust
Weighing me down not in spite but because it must
In times of liberty or of work; billows brood incessant
No matter the time of day; sky of morning fire or night-lit crescent
...

When a boy of youth my soul was
Into the moving forests I bounded
By the pebbles and stones
By the fowls in their homes
...

Toss virtues to wind - watch the powder blow!
Leave your family to rot - leave them alone!
Be steadfast in arms, let the tinnitus roam -
You are the flimsy arrow to life's golden bow!
...

He says to me "you have one job, kid -
You'll cook, clean, watch the news
Never disobey, watch the tapes
Or be abused -
...

You say to watch the line - the fish are near
Shake the pole, tug there and here
You grin a wrinkle and I breathe youth
Together the waters we claim
...

In despair and in woe
Through hell you must go
With crows on your trail
Never will virtue fail
...

For now, things seem alright
Our bowls are filled
The air is clean
People parade
...

Each day I now rise earlier than ever
Before the melody of the nightingale
But I merely budge, I barely move
As Im pinned to my bed by a slew of nails
...

...

Oh! How warm you appear!
But every feline is internally distant, and externally near
She purrs and whirls around me and my long legs
Then bounces away and the shock hits me on my soft head
...

Every weekend I visit my grandparents

They are old and feeble and fragile
I cherish them
...

By the lake and the orchard trees
They gathered goods and exchanged for free
Huts from both sides of the horizon
As pure as can be
...

My tender skin cries at each of your lashes
Even though I appear rigid and firm, inside I only wince
You've used my body, torn my legs apart and chewed the crust off of my flower
No matter how bad I abhor you, a tulip needs its water
...

...

You oriental winds whisking about
Simmer me down, will you?
Kiss my flesh unmercifully
...

Beseiged by the calm of the cool black liquor
Dripping from every corner
Humming me to sleep
I lay still in my coffin while the shadows creep
...