The Signs Poem by Chester Maynes

These are them
Better than egg yolks
Two marbles
Of tangerine and mint
Un-melted
On my hands
Heard whines
These signs
Howling like wolves
Drums cannot suffice
Shallow, deeper
These frantic eyes
Glaring and glaring
More signs
Better than submarines
There’s a flight to infinity
A dig into abyss
These fingers
They are counting
These mouths
They are telling
More fairytales
More folktales
Higher governance
Lower gravity
More signs
Better than cookies
Living signs
Them are religions
Altar candles
Idolatrous icons
Free wine
Television and intoxication
Dawning, drowning
We are the signs
Male and female
We breathe
We die
There’s heaven and hell
More signs
Better than a radio
Signs here
Signs there
We are signs everywhere
We laugh
We get weary
We are the signs
The signs that create
Better than a Teddy Bear
We pay taxes
The taxes are nowhere
The signs are signs
Of warnings
Of reminders
Them are values
Them are ignorance
Them are cutting knives
Them are merits
Them are congratulations
Them are bad days
Them are love life
Them are soft drinks
Them are dramas
Them are emblems
Them are ashes
Them are happy endings
Signs of life
We beget
We sow
We reap
We are the signs
We make the signs
We kill the signs
We bury the signs


(written on May 25-26 2008 & July 10,2011 Marikina City Philippines & Singapore)