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Dwayne Pagnotto

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Jacksonville, FL, US

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Song of the Hunter

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


I arose one morning before the sun
To behold the moon unrobed
Bathing in lush gardens of transcendant beauty.

The flowers dancing about
Were showered
In her warm orbital glow.

The trees stood swaying
Hushed in reverent awe
Glistening and wet with the first dewfall.

Lo, in the distance
Silvery-clear tones
Echo from the wooded hillsides
Heralding the enchanted flight
Of whispery shades and majestic voices
Fresh from the fields of eternal youth.

Then from the snowy pinnacled heights
Of the mountain
Flows a bright laughing stream.

Magically cascading down it meanders along slowly
Catching in its soft currents tear petals
From the flowers which weep at their own reflection.

The trees sigh
Realizing their fraility
As they unleave into the liquid mirror.

While the cool gentle utterings of heroic spirits
Come alive
To transport the enraptured hearer.

Seed of Pain

by

Dwayne Pagnotto

Death being hungry
Goes forth
To feed

In passing he plucks
A morsel
From the human breed

With a swipe
Of his sickle
He completes the deed

And afterwards
He drops
A tiny seed

It takes root
Shoots up
And begins to grow

Watered by the tears
That broken hearts
Sow

It absorbs
The warm sunlight
From kind fragrant words

It's remembered
In the flightsong
Of soul bearing birds
In hope it's nourished
As the wind
Waits and sighs

In the spring
It brings forth
Sweet nectar
For the butterflies

Whose life
It returns again
After it dies.

The Music Box

by

Dwayne Pagnotto

Because each person's life is a music box
Fragile in its design
So we should cherish more
Each passing note
And the echo that it leaves behind.

And as the chimes that play
Become slower and slower
And the precious toy unwinds
If we listen very closely after the music fades
We find the melody lingers on in our minds.

And tho some songs are happy
While others are sad
And are over before they reach their prime
It seems somehow that each tune heard
Gives something special back to mankind.

Still other songs we hear
Are composed by greatness
And with a heavenly light they shine
As each person's music box becomes a treasure
And in our hearts its song we enshrine.

My Graveyard Friend

by

Dwayne Pagnotto

Each time my heart is kissed by the preciousness of life
I cry a golden teardrop
That when filtered thru the serene glimpses of the sun
Flows into an ever-widening lake
Whose expanding eye lens reflects back an infinitude of dancing colors.

Breezy expressions of all the people i meet
Who know how to live, laugh and love in wonder.

If only i could be one of them
If only this fear...this numbing paralyzing fear would let go.

Inactive most of the day i rarely venture outside.
Children next door playing
Screams of delight and silly giggles
Somehow help to ease the raw bleeding open sores
That cover my soul flesh.

A leper within i am forgotten by myself
Days without number.

Oftimes i see couples in love holding hands
And for that one brief moment i share their happiness.

Then once more the dull throbbing ache within me grows louder
As i sigh, turn away....and retire again to my little cave where no one ever goes.

The darkness here is comforting
And as i settle back into my tomb garden
I wait for the voices outside to just fade away

So that i can be alone again with my one true friend

Emptiness.

Reflections

by

Dwayne Pagnotto

Your eyes are aglow with radiant moonbeams
Your lips form a glistening rose.

Your voice called me once in a daydream
And it sounded as lovely as the new-fallen snows.

Your hair is soft, spun from gold...brighter than the morning sun
Beneath your feet the flowers unfold when thru the fragrant meadows you run.

Your skin is wet when you awake in the morn, as from your bed of clouds you arise
You look as tho you've been reborn from the tears of a goddess's eyes.

Your cheeks blush softly with the colors of dawn, your spirit coos gently like a dove
I caught a glimpse of your beauty in a crystal pond and saw the tender reflection of love.

So turn away now and with a sigh....wait for the coming of spring
When the songs of sweet love-birds will fill the sky and caress your heart with gossamer wings.

Expressions Of Providence

by

Dwayne Pagnotto

Let us pause to ponder the ground we tread upon

The soft submissive flesh of our dying mother
Slain for our sakes
As you pass by
Pluck not the tender sweetlings
Which blaze open in harmless petal sprays
From her tear bedappled bosom

Only kneel
Ever so soft

And with closed eyes and surrendered spirit
Partake deeply of the moist perfumed airsprings
Which linger fresh

Then escape from our senses

And yet they remain strangely near
To be recalled one day perhaps
When wandering alone thru the sunlit woodmeadows

And a short breath of wind
Wafts a secret aroma to us from the past
Which tickles our memories

Causing to float as if in a dream
Back over the years
So that we hover unseen

Watching ourselves from above

Beholding our whisper image
As it moves in slow liquid underwater motions
Creating this brief blissful interlude in time

These things connect each of us together
And we in turn receive them
From our diseased battered brokenhearted Earthmother

They our the spillovers of her diminishing bounty
And freely she offers them
Asking only one thing in return from us her children

Reverence.

Heaven's Bounty

by

Dwayne Pagnotto

In the timeless fantasy of love there is an enchanted forest of happy endings where springtime resides.
The leaves on the trees there are green and gold, they never change color and they never fall.
In this place is a little cottage made of gingerbread where dwells the protectress of cherished memories.
Each morning all the little animals come and play before her doorstep. There they feed upon the kindness
she gives of herself till there is nothing left, yet she always gives more. She comes to the doorway and greets
them with surprise as a hint of early morning mist settles lightly upon her cheek. And all the forest sings:

Oh Elodee, Fair Elodee

Why are you sad fair Elodee?

Cheer up!

And show the world how lovely you can be.

As she stands there, she listens with a smile, so tender is she and caring. Then out of the tree there drops
a wounded bird, and she kneels down, picks it up and heals it with a word. As the bird leaves her hand singing gratefully, a caressant teardrop plays dancingly within her vision. After she watches her little friend disappear from sight some time passes and she sees now that the soft blue shadows of twilight have begun to descend.
So she takes her basket and with mild care she begins to walk along those same pathways she knows so well
for to gather her evening supper. As she approaches each tree, there is no need for her to pluck the fruit
for the trees drop it willingly as she holds her basket out. Then once it is full she heads back home.

Along the way she pauses by a clear dreamy pond....there to refresh herself. As she kneels down
on the grassy edge and gazes for a moment into her reflection, the image before her suddenly changes
into that of her beloved. Then as she looks on longingly and sighs, she begins to add freely to the waters
and as she does she hears his voice singing deep within her soul:

Oh Elodee, Dear Elodee

Why do you cry My dear Elodee?

For in your heart there plays a melody

That makes us both joyful eternally

For wherever you are

There i shall be.

Then rising up with a smile she dries her tears and picks up her basket, continuing with lighter steps now on her journey homeward. As she departs the leaves on the trees begin to fall gently all around her.....

In remembrance.

She has gone on to join her beloved.

Nature's Agony

by

Dwayne Pagnotto

Dirtfrost covers the shivering flowers
As they retreat from pollution's embrace.

They re-enfold themselves back into the choking earth
Which spits them forth again.

The severed trees ooze thick bloodsap
Onto the desecrated ground.

The leaves scream as their source of life is cut off

Then they shrivel up into brown aborted baby waste.

The clouds send down pure poison
To infest the soil with rich hate.
This serves as a deep vengeful fertilizing agent
Causing sharp spikes to spring up in place of grass.

Birds with glass shard feathers
Fly hell for the winter

Then at last all the fish are killed off
By having their gills clogged with human refuse and other debris

So they leave the oil slick seas to us

Where new toxic pleasures await.

The Unsung

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



The beautiful and mysterious fortune teller
Placed her hands upon the temples of the young adventurer

Then after a short time of momentary perception
She bespoke with great and measured sadness:

"I am very sorry young man
I can sense no aura about you
I see nothing distinct in your future.
I am truely sorry."

As the young man turned to leave
He turned back once more
And said to the reader of fates:

"If you can sense no aura around me
So be it
But answer me one question."

Ask...she said.

"Indeed is this not the greatest aura of all
To be unknowable?"

The woman said nothing

But simply nodded her head in slow acceptance.

And thus the young adventurer
Returned back from whence he came.

And so remained
Unknown.

Nature's Gift

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Your eyes are made up of tiny blue snow crystals
Which the sun has touched
But not yet melted into the tears of spring.

Your voice is filled with innocent songs of love
Like those which float down softly
When the angels sing.

Your hair is made from the purest honey
Gently it flows down in rich golden curls
Framing a face as lovely as a child's
And falling about shoulders of glowing pearl.

Your lips are moist all covered in dew
In the morning they taste fresh and sweet
Like the nectar from wild strawberry blossoms
Which passing butterflies stop to eat.

Your caress fills my soul with magic and wonder
Like a falling star
Or a moonbeam bright
As you gently brush my skin with your fragrance
Like a rose petal lifted by a breeze in the night.

Then i watched as you drifted on by me
And knelt down to pick up a wish of mine
That did'nt come true
In your hands you took it
And with a kiss it floated upwards
Showering the air with memories of you.

Dedicated to a girl I loved

Awakening Forest Life

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



The miracle trees flourish in sudden beauty bright
Springing forth fresh from the warm ambient light

They sing together as one.

Feel the sky thrill your skin thru the cool open expanses
Trickling down seductively thru the intersecting branches.

Hear the high soaring celestial music which floats down from unimaginable spheres.

There unseen, just beyond the waving green
Roam the timid lovely deer

Which move about undisturbed in nature's serene dances...

Hush, a footstep.....the soft breaking of a twig
And they scatter with frightened glances.

Then out of nowhere there comes a visible change in the breeze
Followed by a slight after-rustling of the playful wondering leaves.

Pause now and look all around you
At the breathtaking splendor which meets your gaze

Then wander along respectfully thru this deep hallowed wood
With your heart bursting in a rhapsody of praise.

Now turn and find your way back down that long winding trail once more.
Bid a reluctant farewell to all the sweet forest creatures

Who seem just a bit sadder than before.

Time to depart these mystical woods
Which greet you with birdsong and golden flowers.

And sighs over your leave-taking by sending behind you
A crisp sprinkling of autumn showers

The Kingdoms of Life

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Half asleep i wander thru the dreary planes of existence
As great cosmic dustclouds of history go rolling slowly by me.

They leave a gritty taste in my mouth
And a grainy feeling in my eyes.

Seems like i've been here before.

As i fade in and out of reality
I see mixed images of forgotten lives
Can't quite remember...
Was that me who with grim determination
Stormed the mighty walls of Troy?

Was it i who sat at the right hand of King Arthur
While he held council at the table round?

It's coming back to me now...

I seem to recall kneeling at the side of a raven-haired maiden
Wooing her with soft-spoken words of love
As a group of court musicians
Played a sweet serenade in the backround.

I remember creating great masterpieces of art
For the wealthy patrons of Florence.

Then, from that point on i draw a blank
As a gray velvet haze
Settles over my mind.

What happened between then and now
I'm not sure.
Blinded by these whirling windstorms of time
I can no longer see clearly....

As i take a wrong turn, and end up lost
In a long passageway full of doors.

All of them look the same
But every door leads to somewhere different.

As i search and search
Peering into each of them
Trying to find the one i came thru

The one that brought me here
To where i am now

So that i can mark it down
And remember

Lest i venture thru it again
On my next lifetrip.

The Spell Of Your Wonder

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Oh exquisite beauty and love immortal
Thou art adorned with an enchanting name.

One that when spoken the streams and meadows
Softly whisper back the same.

The name of she whose eyes are two diamonds in the fire
Outshining them is something to which even the Sun cannot apsire.

Her bright hairs flow in liquid layers and around her shoulders they cascade
From the star interwoven dreams of a sleeping fairy princess they are made.

Her skin is soft, the color of goldenripe peaches
Lovely and pleasing to behold.

She kisses me with lips like a floating young lotus
And into a deep blissful sleep i am lulled.

She touches me and my heart melts
As a gentle breeze blows thru my core.

Wherever she walks just above her head...
Birds with wings of flower petals soar.

They sing sweet songs about her allurement
And leave a million haunting fragrances behind.

Her magical voice causes the blossoms to unfold before her
Revealing rare jewels within that sparkle and shine.

In the evening she ascends skywards
In pools of warm moonglow to bathe.

Then in the morning she reappears
Wearing a gown of seaspray, and riding upon a wave.

There she meets me on the shore
Her body glistening with infinite hues.

As upon my soul she bestows the essence of inspiration
She is my bright and shining muse.

Painful Re-Delivery

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



The rain pours down as the levee gives way.
The small town below is swallowed up in its rushing torrents.
Objects once thought unmovable
Now float along like paper sailboats
Till they meander out of sight.

As the tidal river rolls on

Carrying away goods, livestock, people.
A liquid thief that hides in the open
It moves in to fill up hollow areas
It once carved out.

Following a winding course
It deconstructs the landscape as it goes.
Reshaping it to fit the motherly embrace of chaos
A post-natal rebirth.
And as the town's world hangs upside down
It screams from the sharp awakening slap of reality.

The days ahead will be slow and painful now
As it learns to walk again.

The Unforgotten

by

Dwayne Pagnotto

The sky was blue once
Over the fair city
Where the symbols of commerce stood.

Tall towers of gold that aspired sunwards.

Then a low rumble in the distance
And the buildings trembled
As the lightning struck.
In the moments that followed
The earth seemed to pause
As an explosion in time
Created a hole
Thru which eternity came rushing in.

At that instant
Heros were born
Who braved the fires of hell's worst nightmare
To give freedom a second chance.

There in the darkness of fear
Hands clasped hands
And skin color faded

As brother led brother
Sister led sister
And friend led friend to safety.

But then those brave ones who defied death
To protect America's citizens
Gave their fullest measure
And sacificed their lives
As the would-be rescuers
Were buried beneath tons of smouldering rubble.

But their faith was undimmed.
The light within each of them grew bright
As the flames carried their spirits upwards
Placing each of them in the heavens
As a new star.

And for each returning soul
God shed a tear
And wrote their names in the clouds.

Those of the guilty written in the dust.

On that day the symbol of our nation
A bald Eagle
Circled over the ruins
And left there a single rose
With red, white and blue petals
For us to remember them by

And so their honor will never die.

Dedicated to the Victims of Sep 11th

The Reward

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



A chance meeting in the city
On a busy New York street.

She pauses there on the corner.

Removing her compact
She fixes her make-up

Approaching perfection in the mirror.

As she steps down off the sidewalk
The traffic hesitates and lets her cross

Before the light ever changes.

Then amidst the beautiful confusion
Of horns, lights and voices

She lets go her purse
Hanging ever so loosely from her fingers.

Feeling heroic
I step behind her
And catch it by the strap.

She smiles and holds out her hand.
As i return it, our eyes meet
And exchange promises.

She opens her mouth to speak
But all i hear is the roar of the city.

Then all the movement around us seems to stop
For that one brief moment
As she takes the purse from my hand.

Centuries pass
As we replay every single love story ever written.

In them all
She is the sleeping princess
Whom my kiss awakens.

And as our lips meet
She disappears
Leaving in my hand
A single red rose

Thornless.

Enchanted By Your Song

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Your lustrous hair is soft and silky, interwoven with strands of golden light.
Framing your presence with an aura of beauty, glimmering and ever-bright.

Your eyes are very gentle like those of a dove
With just a glance you enfold me in the wings of your love.

Your caress is more tender than a baby's touch
That is why I wish you would hold me so much.

Your skin is purer than the unbroken snow
I weep in the sunlight to see you go.

Your voice is softer than the cry of my heart
Which withers like a flower each time we must part.

Your lips taste like a blossom which in paradise grew
So that your kisses are eternally sweet and new.

Wherever you go you leave a fragrance behind
The alluring scent of tamarisk honey on which the goddesses dine.

As your cheeks tinge faintly with a springtime blush
All of nature grows quiet in a sacred hush.

Then while I lay in the grass gazing up at the sky
I could hear you sing me a soft lullaby.

As my soul became sad and I drifted off to sleep
You wiped a tear away, and left me a dream of you to keep.

Brightfelt Passion

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



We are gathered here together beneath the stars
Which gaze and wonder at us from afar.

We who have chosen to descend in our flight
And inflame the world with a more noble light.

To perhaps change the hearts and minds of those we touch
With gently offered words that can mean so much.

To rekindle with our breath the dying embers of hope
To give people new strength and help them to cope

With the problems that life carelessly tosses their way
Giving them another reason to go on living one more day.

Helping to unlock the mysteries which plague their troubled minds

While soothing their wounded spirits with healing balm applied by lines.

Longings Beyond Time

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



What strange misshapen shadows be these?
Dancing in the mooonlight beneath the trees.

Perhaps Elder wood spirits the sun never sees.
Their playful laughter hidden in the whispering breeze

Sings a soft haunting lullaby to the sleeping leaves.
Secretly we watch this mysterious veil they weave

A magic ballet of starlight to comfort souls who grieve
While they wait with calm knowledge for Eden to overfreeze.

Yuletide Memories

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



It was a clear cold evening when we all drew near and warmed ourselves around the blazing campfire light.

The sky above frowned angrily on our little gathering as another snow storm threatened.
All around us the trees were blanketed in layers of shimmering white

Each one there that night shared stories of past holidays that had gone before. Some were sad and touching
others were happy and warmed our hearts, others were funny, and yet others still were heroic in their retelling.

Every yarn we heard was spun with such detail that we could almost picture ourselves there.

Then suddenly someone produced a bow and fiddle and using a tree stump as a makeshift chair they sat down
and began to play softly the melody from silent night....the carole so loved for its beautiful simplicity.
While everyone there
sang along, the faint scent of hickorysmoke lingered in the still air.

As the song ended we all partook from one final cup of holiday cheer. Then, looking up....I saw a star rushing thru the darkness.

As I followed it's flight I closed my eyes and made a lingering wish that I might be home again in time for Christmas.

Olden Sire

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Oak knarled
The Grandfather tree
Stands dim and foreboding
Raising tiny saplings at his base
His precious ones.

They stretch their branches towards him
With leaves that clasp at his trunk.
They seem to be pleading for something they cannot articulate

But he knows.

Old moss bearing friend of the mountains
The only survivor of the Elder Wars.

He holds stories within his strong knotted frame
Ancient writings are etched on his bark.

Proud he is
And ever so wise.

He whispers
And all the lesser woods sway
In the wind of his breath.

Curious forest wanderings
Now peer out
From holes in the ground
Trees
And twiggy breaks in the shrubbery.

They come on now timidly
With slow hesitant movements.

Settling upon his thick knobby roots
Listening attentively
With perked up ears
And wide wondering eyes.

A flock of fluttering birds descend
And perch in his branches
Stilling their song
Till the story ends.

The small wooded grove suddenly darkens
As an echo of thunder
Rolls off in the distance.

He speaks

And his voice begins as a slow, long deep rumble
Making its way up
From the earth's core.

He tells of long forgotten tales
As tho they had happened just yesterday.

And tho we listen hard
His voice we cannot percieve

For we are but humans
And he is a tree.

Early Morning Frost

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Spreading quietly over the slumbering land
Comes the unfolding blanket of snowflakes.

They look like a flock of whirling stars.

Joyful and laughing they gather in groups
Chasing each other and playing seasonal games.

Or they drift aimlessly

Like confused runaway children
Frightened and alone.

The leaves bid them a dry welcome
As they lay there whimpering softly
About their springtime loves

When in glorious colors they bedecked the trees
Waving adoredly
To the sweet young blossoms below.

Occasionaly one would sacrifice itself
And float to the ground
Landing near a cherished flower

There for just a short time
They would bask
In its special and unique fragrance.

Those days gone now
They lay dried and decaying
Upon the brokenhearted earth

Restless they move about
In deserted places
As the hopeless snowflakes approach.

Whimsical Flights

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Once as I knelt awestruck before the glorious throne of the Sun
He withheld his full gaze from me, always looking up when he spoke
But occasionally he would greet me with smiles of warm benevolence.

When he did in my mind I could feel him leading me back
To the gentle wonderworld of seaspray and sandy beaches.

As we stood there upon the misty shores of my imagination
We beheld exquisite seashells scattered everywhere.

Then my divine host wishing to be gracious
Showed me friendly and subtle displays of his power.

He created glittering castles from a single grain of sand.

As I beheld this amazing sight he directed my attention to the sky
From whence flew birds of rosey light.

Then pointed he towards to sea
From whence sprang liquidy translucent fish of blue.

As I gazed on they flew over to me and began to circle over my head.
Slowly at first, but then they whirled around ever faster

Till they finally came together in a dazzling explosion
Which left vibrant rainbows hanging in the air.

Then attempting to catch one I ran into the sea
Where there appeared to me out of thin air a cloudy chariot.

I stood there gazing at it....unsure.
Then I looked over at the shining god
As he grinned, arms folded
And nodded his consent.

As I climbed in it took me ever higher
Showing me visions both heavenly and surreal.

Stars of light littered my pathway
Thru the blue sky dome.

I gazed upon the kingdom of the gods
Haloed by the zodiac
And lesser deities.

But then at some point I fell out
And plunged headlong into a dried-up riverbed

Which still bears my name.

A Wild Revel

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Help tapers off in the unforseen winter
As blue eyes question the sky
Reflecting back a hint of rain.

Sad spirits unable to rest
Go wandering thru stone castles
Seeking out hearts in turmoil.

With fears and doubts put to rest
Justified fury rises like a threatening westerly gale
Moving clouds along in a hurry.

A mysterious play is performed
With well-aimed scenes
Designed to wring the truth from the souls of the guilty.

The heart of the muderous king falters
Presented with re-enactments of his hidden sin
Son holds mother at sword point and her tune changes.

Secret crimes sing out
Death steals the show
And they all live unhappily ever-after.

Deja Vu

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Illusion is the scent of something real coming close.
Tattered memories sewn together to recapture
A person, a place, a feeling now gone.
Still frozen in a motionless second of time
Contained inside a picture frame
Which passed thru many hands ends up back where it started
With the original placed lovingly within.

Illusion is the scent of something real coming close.
As a shadow passes by the open doorway
A familiar fragrance enters
And we linger deeply...inhaled by the past.
Then as the footsteps fade, turn the corner and disappear
We hesitate
And the chance to reconnect is lost forever.
While our grief stricken soul follows swiftly behind
Begging forgiveness.

Illusion is the scent of something real coming close.
As two sullen hearts....on the verge of surrender
Each given a key to the same lock
Seek release
And are brought together on a tiny plot of land
That eternity has reserved for them alone.
Then fate conpires to keep them apart
And they in their despair turn suddenly and find each other again
Both exchanging all they own for a single withered flower of happiness
Which is renewed by the falling tears of joy.

And the circle is complete
As the new Sun arises.

Nowhere (Dedicated to the love-death affair that runaways from the east have with the big cities out west)

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Huge gods out on the western rise
Incline their heads towards eastern skies.

With their gaze they hypnotize
The children who've come to meet their demise.

They set out together like swarms of flies
In the land of hidden gold their destiny lies.

Guided by immortal flashing eyes
They go there happily, seeking their prize

Only to be preyed upon by the wicked and wise.

Nobody hears their innocent cries
Till slowly they are reduced to helpless sighs.

In this final posture each of them dies
Only to return in a different guise.

The Thread Of Destiny

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Strange skeleton we see thru the spirit wall
Sits at the spinning wheel
Weaving

As he spits at the sinning wheel

Working on with spidery nightmare ease
Creating a loose binding robe
Of self-destruction

To lay on the already bone-weary
Worm infested shoulders of mandkind

The silver thread glistens insanely
Made iridescent
By the moon's soft revealing light

Then this scary showman
With slow-moving madness
And spindly legs

Turns to look at us
Thru empty eye sockets

And he laughs
Wicked teeth clacking

With his every movement
Great evils spring into being.

The Dawn of Endless Night

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



I envision the sunset of the Age
As the last golden gleam of man's conscience
Fades beneath the swirling seas of excess and confusion

With a pale lifeless afterglow.

Dark clouds arise and gather
Like the thoughts of some angry god
Brooding over a wasted day.

The barbed arrows of divine wrath
Fly their peerless course thru the whirlwind
Raining fire

Scorching disobedient offspring.

Earthshattering judgements sound
And the sky is rolled back.

Looking on
We glimpse the end.

Invocation

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Wild animals dance
In the houses of the decadant
A bloodthirsty slaughter of all the senses.

Soft music in the distance
Like an evil night wind
Whistling thru the sockets of an empty skull
Weaving silk webs of mystery
Hypnotism
Intoxication.

Flashing lights that swirl and throb
A midnight mass
Brief travels into the spirit world.

Designed to uplift the burdened soul
Cure illness
Or seek possesion.

A Day At The Fair

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



All the blind children went to the town square
Disguised as their favorite monster

They ran around scaring the old people.

The other adults pretended not to see
As they bought delectable pastries

And shook in violent fits of silent laughter.

But slowly, unconsciously they were drawn
Into the whirling merrily clad winds of madness

Which spun around them like some insane merry-go-round
To the demonic strains of nursery carnival music.

Eventually the sightless ones took over the fair
And forced the lame orphans to ride the Ferris Wheel of Damnations.

It became visible with each descent of the wheel
That the once innocent visage of the crippled children
Slowly became a grim mask of ancient terror

Brought on by this tender display
Of unripe schoolboy wickedness.

As the fair ended and the crowd broke up
The invalids retreated
Into the wild fluffy satin pillow of nightmares

While the benighted boys retired to the haunted house.

Tragic Stage

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Sometimes I hold myself hostage at pencil point
A performance player in the theater of my mind
It's all an act.

Like some clay faced character I stare expressionless
At the interflowing of light and shadows on the wall

Trapped within the loose binding net of illusions
I struggle to free myself

And tear a hole in the fabric of my own delicate fallacies

Then for a time
I emerge into the true shape of myself

But then another trap door opens in front of me
Another slap in the face from the heavy callused hand of fate

And I am forced once more to don the clever disguise
Of happiness and unconcern

Which hides the inner mask of torture I wear

While I remain here
Behind the drawn curtains of isolation.

My Make Believe World

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



I want to find in my life
One small piece of untouched forestland
Where I can explore and be at peace
With myself and nature.

In this place I would create a world
Full of imaginary characters
Who would love me.

They would understand my deep need
To have people around me
Whose lives I could touch
And perhaps improve in some small way.

There, the beginning of each new day
Would bring with it a different adventure
And a feeling of wonder
For simple things.

A sense of caring
Would always be present there

And loneliness wouldn't.

A Garden of Eden?
No.
Just a simple place
Where I could return
To the days of my childhood

When once upon a time
Innocence filled my days
With laughter

And happiness was a quiet whisper
In my heart.

Vivienne

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Lightly she dances across the horizon
Peeling away veils of moonlight fair
Restoring again the stolen sight of the sun
Which was blinded by her beauty's glare.

Then sweetly she sings the world into being
And the waves pay her homage as they swell ever higher
While the astonished heavens listen to her voice
Celebrating her song in glorious paegants of fire.

As she tiptoes delicately down the clouds
Making her way towards earth with stained glass wings
She spreads a tantalizing fragrance of myrrh and frankincense
Costly spices, the treasures of eastern kings.

Then she touches down and treads softly along
As feathery stars spring up from the footprints she leaves
While the playful wind trails lovingly behind
Fashioning her hair into an elegant weave.

Her eyes burn with a million fires
Like the essence of nightshade when twilight descends
Her caress is like the touch of invisible love spirits
On whom magical blissfilled whispers attend.

Then she spins around in a burst of kaleidoscopic colors
As a rain of silver rose petals fall gently on the grass
And before departing she kneels to blow a kiss across the meadows
Revealing herself to be the Angel of flowers at last.

Subdued Happiness

by

Dwayne Pagnotto

After the plague

A new springtime

Joyous rebirth of mankind.

Musicians playing in the streets

Brightly colored clothes

Dancing feet.

New day celebration

Of the Sun

Shedding his withered skin

With mourning done.

Taking his place

Amidst the clouds in glory

Leaving the earth their dead to bury.

Farewell To Myself

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



The heart

Painfully shy

Longing for acceptance

Reigns in its desires

Believing nothing good

Can ever come to it.

And therefore refuses to try.

Hurts the one it cares for

Then begs for forgiveness

But can never

Forgive itself.

Lives in the past now

Where dreams become

A way of life.

Tries to find

The right words to say

To somehow

Make the pain go away.

And remains forever

One beat short

Of dying

From regret.

I'm Sorry

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


I hate myself for what I've done
Each and every second that I am livin.
And hope that maybe someday
She'll find it in her heart
To say I've been forgiven.

What happened
Was not done
To hurt her
But because
I was trying to be cool.
"Play hard to get"
They always said.
And now I feel
Like such a fool.

A lifetime of apologies
Would never be enough
To take away the memory of that pain.
I swear
I want to crawl in a hole and die
So maybe she could forget my name.

But by chance maybe someday
We would meet somewhere
To start all over again.
And if she didn't turn away
She'd hear me
Say the words,
"Can we still be friends?"

I'm Sorry

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


I hate myself for what I've done
Each and every second I'm livin.
And hope that maybe someday
She'll find it in her heart
To say I've been forgiven.

What happened
Was not done
To hurt her
But because
I was trying to be cool.
"Play hard to get"
They always said.
And now I feel
Like a fool.

A lifetime of apologies
Would never be enough
To take away the memory of that pain.
I swear
I just want to leave this world
So maybe she could forget my name.

But by chance maybe someday
We could meet somewhere
To start all over again.
And if she didn't turn away
She'd hear me whisper
The words,
"Can we still be romantic friends?"

A Joke of Fate

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


What does the clown do?
After the people go home
Tents are closed down
Kids are done laughing
And the fun is over.

Let me tell you.

He goes home and takes off
His happy face
Puts on a sad one.

Stares at his drab fading walls
Paint peeling.
Handles his Souvenirs
Given to him
By admiring strangers.

And he remembers.

Pours himself a single glass of wine
Lights a candle
Places a mirror in front of himself
And studies the image
He sees there.

What does he see?

Let me tell you.

He sees the reflection
Of someone
Who has forgotten
How to be normal.

And he laughs
At himself.

Blessings of You

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Sleeping in the comforting bosom of the night
Fallen leaves cover the ground
In a brightly embroidered mantle of tear-stained beauty.
Above these, the treasure guardian of heaven floats.
As she stoops down with wetted cheeks
To collect the severed tree-wanderlings into a basket.
Taking them up to paradise
Where they are placed upon branches of everlasting glory.

Then this shining virgin of lunar light
Hushes the world to sleep with silvery-running whispers.
As she descends skyclad and starcrowned
To tend the vibrant, shimmering earth garden
Which her own gently cascading, transparent hues of lovliness
Have created.

There in the middle of this lush, gorgeous greenery
Grows in full blossoming grandeur
The very flower
Which is the symbol of her overflowing, all-embracing love.
Before this rose of splendor
I drop
And breathe in with my entire being
Its rich inebriating fragrance.

Then as a warm sweetness overspreads my heart
I fall into a deep, tranquil slumber
In which I hear her speak ever so softly my name.
Afterwards I expire peacefully in her arms.
Made free at last
By the clearly echoing
Tenderly pure
Soul song
Of her forgiveness.

Undaunted

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Let us go out in a manner glorious like unto heros
And demigods of old.
Who at life's end, would snatch firebrands
From off the blazing funeral pyre
And hurl them into the face of the frowning sky
With teeth clench'ed.

Then let us climb as they did
To the top of the tallest mountain
Inhale the storm clouds
And speak with a voice of thunder.

Who when confronted by the merciless decrees of fate
Would sieze the jagged bolt of divine wrath
And hurl it back
From whence it came.

In a flash of courage like unto theirs
We'll descend into the volcano's raging furnace
And forge ourselves a new destiny.
Beating it into shape
Upon the anvil of human suffering.

The sparks whereof
Would make us immortal.

Then when faced with insurrountable odds
Let us too, bend our bows to the sky
And with bowstrings drawn back to bursting point
Release our flaming arrows of determination
Into the very heart of the sun
And bring him down from his starry throne.

Then into that vacant seat we will climb
And like mighty Titans of old
Scream our names
Into the blazing cosmos of infinity

The echo of which
Would ring through
The known universe
And into the memories of all mankind
For ages and ages to come.

The Forgotten Ones

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Punished for nothing
We keep them locked away in the world's basement.
They did no crime
And yet they're being made to suffer.

Trapped in a festering sewerhole of poverty and ignorance
Their little bellies are bloated, overstuffed with hunger.
Their eyes are big and beautiful
And so unspeakably sad, they could make corpses weep.
We look into their faces and see only one question there
Why?

With no one to hear their cries
Except God and the gutterflies.
Trampled flowers they are, whose fragrance is all used up.
They blossom forth in despair from the polluted earth around them.

Tender sproutlings that wither away uncared for.
What will you bring them this year, oh ye kings of the earth?
A glass of cold water?
A piece of fresh bread maybe?
Or just a kind glance full of pity?

Whatever care package you happen to send
Please place within it the seeds of hope
For a brighter tomorrow.

Melting Images

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


As I crept silently into the muddy waters of forgetfulness
I stirred up dead sunken memories.
Rising to the surface
They drifted slowly downstream
Once or twice being caught in the shallows
Amidst the reeds
Then continuing on
Into the cool blue pool of remembrance.

As I paused for a moment in mid-reflection
I espied tiny creatures
Swimming against the swift flow of thought currents.
I watched them darting here and there along the banks
Searching for sustanance.
Hiding in rotten pieces of brain matter
Feeding on smaller more helpless notions
Which happened across their paths.

Taking refuge here
They waited with thirsty tongues peeping out
For the rains of re-inspiration
To come pouring down.

Fly Away

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Young lovers, all-consumed in their passion
With no thought for anyone else
Break violently thru the barred doors of indecision
Then die in each other's arms.

Their lives ending with an exclamation point.

Not far away from the hallowed ground where they expired
Twin butterfly spirits, with wings like the sunset, drink nectar from the same flower

Then sad awakenings begin.

Cut down like two stalks of wheat in the sudden flow of spring
The land around them bleeds into an early autumn
Forced to mature ahead of time.

The birds mark their passing
By singing the tragic couple's favorite love song over and over.

While from bright starry mansions
Angels can be heard weeping in tones of unutterable sadness.

Now each day
The two glorified lovers go strolling over the tops of mountainous clouds
Where Bluebells and Daffodils grow.

But in the little town below, nothing ever changes.

Time is frozen there now
And the land stays perpetually young.

Like Paradise
Before the fall.

Returnings

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Its sacred union with the sky completed
The earth heaves and sighs
In a misty orgasm.
Receasing
Strange spirits into the night.

Like departed loved ones
They hover close to our memories
Fanning their wings back and forth
Graceful and swanlike like in motion.

Then gently they enfold all of our dreams
And lay them down to sleep with the stars.

Bidding us farewell now
They whisper off into the silver shades of evening
Floating away upon the soft nesting clouds of angels.

This poem and the one preceeding it are based on two movies I saw.

Dancing With A Dream

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



What I love most about her
Is not her voice
Tho she could enchant the angels with a whispered lullaby.

It's not her eyes
Tho they be scattered with glittering stars
More lovely to gaze upon than Heaven.

It's not her hair
Tho it shimmers like frosted gold and is softer than the breath of a swan.

It's not her caress
Tho it is more tender-sweet than the touch of moonlight to my soul.

It's not her lips
Tho they belong to a goddess and taste more luscious than honey-wine.

No.
It's none of those.

What I love most about her
Is her wings.

I love how they enfold me completely whenever we kiss.

I love the way they flutter gently as I touch her cheek.

And I love the way they open to greet the sun when she awakens.

But most of all
I love the way they arc upwards
Towards the sky
Whenever she sings
About how she's mine.

Voices From Our Shattered Past

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Make-believe playmates
Still bearing
The scars of childhood

Romp and frolic together now
Thru meadows sweet.

Where tender flower petals
Of faded hue
Lie scattered like wishes unspoken.

Amidst the goldening leaves of forgetfulness.

Soft
In the distance
Unsure footsteps
Venture off
Into the darkening woods.

Where never a bird sings

In which the bare trees shake with cold remembrance.

Where unseen eyes watch every sparrow fall
Hidden within the twisted knarled shapes
Of hollow secrets.

A poem about child abuse

Bench Buddies

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Disruptive thoughts

Of life

Intruded upon the peaceful

Scenery of the Sunday park

As a slow moving

Sad faced old gentlemen

Frozen by the years

Of solitude

Made small talk

With the chattering

Afternoon bird crowd

Recling in a death pose

Upon the bench

He frowned at the sky

As the sun forced him

Out of his pretended

Grave shell.

And the passing breeze

Gently prodded him

With thoughts of decay.

"I was you once

Before the soft feather down of clouds

Framed my presence with seaswirls

And landrot.

Now I am told where to blow.

Gone are the days
When I skimmed over the ocean
In limitless contemplation of all life.

The East
Ahhh, the East always demanded more of me than I was willing to give
The West
The West loved me for the legends I blew through their land
The North
Yes, The North owns my heart, and always will
The South never wanted me, tho they were always glad whenever I showed up.

That is my tale

So move over my old friend
Let me rest my weary bones beside you.

Share in your pain

Until the dark mistress arrives
To cover my presence
With the black light
Of obscurity.

The Seasons of Change

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


It was Springtime, when
Daphne sunned by the river
God, giver of life, overflowing
Banks and we all moved further
Inland, to rest under the cool shade of trees
Sloping towards the hill verge
Where bright freedom awaited us in the guise
Of maniacs dancing with their shadows.

Then Summer came and
Leaving off our fell pleasures
We descended into the valleydeeps
Explored the ancient labrinths
Discovered ourselves to monsters
Became one with them
Till heros appeared
Barely disquising their thin forms
Behind war-cry of desolation.

Then came the Fall
We held our ground
Swords flashing like fire
Enveloping the night
With whispered tales
Of electrifying glory.
We came so far
But didn't give an inch
Then the seasons changed
And Winter came

Bringing with it, images
Of our melting greatness.

The Seasons of Change

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


It was Springtime, when
Daphne sunned by the river
God, giver of life, overflowing
Banks and we all moved further
Inland, to rest under the cool shade of trees
Sloping towards the hill verge
Where bright freedom awaited us in the guise
Of maniacs dancing with their shadows.

Then Summer came and
Leaving off our fell pleasures
We descended into the valleydeeps
Explored the ancient labrinths
Discovered ourselves to monsters
Became one with them
Till heros appeared
Barely disquising their thin forms
Behind war-cry of desolation.

Then came the Fall
We held our ground
Swords flashing like fire
Enveloping the night
With whispered tales
Of electrifying glory.
We came so far
But didn't give an inch
Then the seasons changed
And Winter came

Bringing with it, images
Of our melting greatness.

Chasing Away Shadows

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Heavy silence lingers
Around the tables
Which once held people
Who talked of art
Talked of love
And talked of life

Life unhurried and uncluttered
Drifting away
Into the slow painful hours
Of the morning.

Where freedom hides.

Then unshy angels
Dodge the darkness
And exude a golden light
Which draws all attention their way.

They flash and disappear
But their afterglow lingers still.

A soft momentary
Shattering
Of deep lonliness.

This poem, and the ones following it, were written while I was drinking at various bars on First Street over several nights.

Costly Failure

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


The restless crowd of people
Moved along
Like some great beast
Of ancient power

Come to wet its tongue
At the kill.

Madness
Creeped behind
In its shadow.

As the lofty vision
Fell
Wrecked at its feet.

Contemplate

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


The rhythm of silence
Fell
On deaf ears.

When a single
Unspoken word
Could save them.

Then a peaceful
Look of violence
Rewrote history.

And two flowers
Bloomed
In a garden of cement.

Unredeemed

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Emptiness of purpose
Quelled all feelings
Of joy.

As the light turned
To sudden darkness.

Like a hungry animal
Driven to desperation.

Praying upon innocent shelterlings
From the immaculate shores.

Then a simple spark
Burns desire away

As the foam of untold centuries
Lay hard upon mankind's awakening.

And the fever of knowledge
Lays low the unborn.

The Loser's Prize

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


The herd drinks from the well
Till lonliness fades
In the pale light of reason.

A pitiful excuse for fulfillment.

Does it matter?

As the monster courts the maiden
And wins her affection
With a single gesture.

Then a dream of happiness
Draws near
Yet still unapproachable

As time embraces all possiblities
Then mercifully withdraws all chance of hope.

End

Unaltered Endings

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


The blind prospects of change are in the air.

Like a dusty wind
Blowing thru a sleepy ghost town

Awakening dead legends there.

Forgotten now and forsaken
They roam aimlessly thru the streets.

Drifting in and out of saloons
And jaihouses

Looking for reminders of the old days.
Still trying to buy happiness
With fool's gold.

Outside a boarded up motel
There's a sign that reads:

"Welcome. Free Rooms For Rent
To Lonely Spirits.
Please Check Your Pain At The Door
And Go Inside"

Within an abandoned bar room
Are the phantom sounds
Of voices, coins jingling
shattered glasses and gun shots

As the shades
Of former outlaws
Sit around and play cards
Tell stories

And whisper words
Into the ears of the living.

What do they say?

They tell us to wind back the clocks
To recapture the glory of yesteryear

Before the past can catch up to us.

A Touch Of Lovliness

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


She reminds me of a young goddess.

The Sun
Caresses her skin
With hues of blended light.

Lingers there
Then strokes her hair
With sweet tenderness.

Bathing every part of her with dreamglow.

Coloring her every movement and thought
With the warmth of love's fire
Which never leaves her.

Her eyes wetting
Like moist jewels.

Bright dew drops dapple her hair.

She wraps the wind around her finger
Playfully
Then let's it go.

It sweeps along
Flowers
Which turn into butterflies.

Butterflies
Which turn into birds.

And birds
Which turn into stars.

She catches the stars
One by one
Gives them each a kiss
And lets them go.

Then they float upwards, and burst into
radiant star flowers.

Each one falling beneath her feet
As steps softly along.

The trees all
Bow before her

And each leaf
Whispers her name
In newly minted tales
Of adoration.

Precious Beauty

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Oh windswept Maiden of the murmuring trees
So radiant and fair.

Every single aspect of you
Is gorgeous beyond compare.

Your love burns like a cosmic fire
Mirrored in the lake of your eyes

Which then gush forth into crystal clear fountains
Whose every droplet reflects back a perfect sunrise.

As you shake bright angelic tresses
Your body is surrounded with a halo of light

Which then showers down upon a flower-strewn meadow
To touch the child's heart, and endow it with flight.

Your voice is softer than the morning breeze
Which caresses the sleeping dove.

Everyone who hears you speak
Can't help but fall in love.

Your lips, which I long to kiss
Are delicate, luscious and sweet.

Like mouth-watering passion-fruit
Grown from the tears that you weep.

Your touch is magical and soothing
More gentle than a nightingale's wings

Whenever you're near me
Baby angels draw close
And in tones of wonderment they sing.

Your fragrance
Is like a field of Jasmine
Rising up in a mist.

I breath it in
And think of you
In a state of
Neverending bliss.

Litany of Affection

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Oh dark princess
Of ravishing beauty
Walking in lovedreams
Across the sky.

Your voluputous body was fashioned
From moonlight
Softer than a baby's sigh.

The locks of your hair
Were woven together
From the strands
Of whispering night.

Glowing ever fresh and wet
Dripping with drops
Of diamond starlight.

Your eyes are alive
With the fire of Heaven
Flowing down
In radiant beams.

Capturing
The hearts of all
Who see you
Like flowers
In a rainbow stream.

Your voice plays
Like a melody
Of sweet pureness
From a fairy choir.

Delighting
The soul of all creation
With the music
Of desire.

Your caress
Is like a warm
Summer wind
Lingering in the air

You impart such joy
To whomever
You're near
With the tenderness
Of your care.

Still Life

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Shattered glass.
Sudden realization overcomes me
As I look at myself
In a cracked molten surface
Of undiffused light
And see the fragments of an image
Detatched from itself.

Now, sear the painful expression there
Into my mind
So I don't forget
All the tomorrows
Which yesterday never saw
Still waiting on them
Living my life in reverse.

Then widen the gap as I grow older
Looking back the year in pictures
Each one a precise negative
That never developed
Placed carefully
In the plastic overlay photo album of memories
The ones where i did'nt smile
Always out of focus

My whole existence
Up till now
Seems like a single snapshot blur
Cut into frames
No happy recollections here
Just a hazy kind of confused feeling
Of....where did it all go?

As the watery lakeside reflection
Of insubstantial dreams
Is suddenly disturbed
By the rock of reality
Smooth hard and cold
Dropped in and sunk me to the bottom

Where I now flounder about uncertain
Running out of air
Just lost
In wondering
What if?
As the grains of sand
Continue to trickle.

Unremembered

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


What befell the towering monolith?
At the top of the hill verge.

In calm silence
In the dead of moon pale
He lay peacefully
In forgetful dust.

His broken stone hand lay by him
Clutching a shattered sword.

I stare into his woefully distant eyes
Then wonder.

Had he won his ancient battle?

Did this statue erected to some mighty warrior king of old
Ever emerge from his fight with the overpowering sense of victory?

I think not.

For Time, it seems
Had bested him.

Yet limped away wounded
And unforgiving.

Unresolved

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Watch now I pray you
As I let fly
This arrow
Into the misty
Sky.

Wherever it lands
Whether far
Or nigh
You shall bury my body
In that place
When I die.

No tears
Will be shed
All cheeks
Will stay
Dry
When all of you
Stand there
And say
Your goodbyes.

There shall not
Be heard
So much
As a sigh
But with this
One request
You must comply.

Upon the tombstone
Over the grave
Where I lie
The only epitaph
You shall inscribe
Is the word
Why.

Floating Promises

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


The sad
Tear-filled
Clouds
Linger above us.

They change shapes sometimes.

One cloud
Is bright and beautiful
Tinged with all the colors
Of Creation's first sunrise.

The other cloud
Is dark and gloomy
Swept along by storms
Of sorrow and doubt.

They reach out to each other.
They try and hold on
Yes, they try and hold on.

But then a contrary breeze
Forces them apart
Again.

They briefly touch
In passing.

Sometimes just a smile.

Or a well-meant glance
Of care
And understanding.

Then the drifting continues.

But wait
Suddenly the weather clears
The Sun is shining again.

One more chance to make it happen.

They get closer
Hold hands
Kiss
And embrace.

Then they let go.

Is it forever?

Maybe so.

But as they drift apart
They leave tiny trails behind

So that perhaps
One day
They can find their way
Back to each other

If ever the Wind changes.

By Your Side

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Like a dream she floats
As my arms resist
Her presence hovers
Like an Angel of bliss.

Just longing to inhale
The fragrance of love
And linger close
To a snow white dove.

Her every movement
Glows with soft pink light
Like a magic vision
She transforms the night.

Her eyes sparkle
Like Spainish treaure
Just to be near her
Is my greatest pleasure.

Her voice calls to me
Like whispering bells
In a Garden of golden apples
She dwells.

Eternal Spring flowers
Grow in that place
And she rules them all
With sweetness and grace.

Wild creatures also
Play there and dance
As she tames their spirits
With a single glance.

Her beauty is a work
Of sublime art
As she beckons me on
With the charms of her heart.

So I journey thence
Over Seas and Lands
Just for the honor
Of kissing her hand.

My Gift To You

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


My greatest Christmas wish
This year
Is that all your dreams come true
My Dear.

It doesn't matter
If my life is good or bad.
Just know I'll be happier
If you're never sad.

I wish I could be
A part of those dreams
But something always happens
To ruin my schemes.

Since I cannot be the one
On whom you depend
I offer you this Holiday wish
As a friend.

When life brings you down
And you're feeling blue.
May God look down
And smile upon you.

May your heart never break
Over a careless lover.
If it does, may a kind friend
Help you recover.

May health and success
Always be yours.
With someone polite
To open your doors.

May you never have to search
For the things you are missing.
I hope you find them all
In a good night's kissing.

May your beauty and sweetness
Never fade.
I hope you stay just as lovely
As the day you were made.

There is one more thing
For which I hope and pray.
May you never know
A lonely day.

May someone always be there
To hold your hand.
And make your joy complete
With a wedding band.

Merry Christmas My Friend.

Shattered Snow Globes

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Is it not sad
How we try to capture
The dying breath of Christmas
In a fragile teardrop
Formed from lonliness?

Looking into
Its delicate reality
We see frozen likenesses
Of ourselves.

Carefully posed
In holiday settings
Devoid of life.

Then, like some lofty Titan
In whose clumsy hands
The Universe sits.
The whims of fate
Shake our world violently.

Stirring up fearful tempests
Thru which we wander on blindly
Unsure of every step.

As one hope
After another
Slips from our grasp.

And our little world
Comes crashing down.

Lying there
In broken dreamshards
Before us.

And we try to dream again.

Cracks in the Canvas

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


I want to crawl into a wet painting before it dries
as it graces a decaying wall of abnormalities.
Looking out into the unfinished world with abstract vision.

I want to rebrush it Picasso style.
Twisted bodies and dead horses.
Madmen wailing, as the clouds mushroom into a large scale version of peace.

Tuck the children in
and see if they can make it
thru the wild wooley fun of plummeting nightmare nursery prayers.

As scenes of altered doom on a clear day
embrace the outlying land with unnatural darkness.
Lulling the world to dreams, with whispered tales of good fortune's beggary

While the sky bundles the stars
onto one side of itself
closes its giant bludgened eye, and drifts off to sleep.

Leaving the wolves to stand guard over the sheep.
Angels scream
then the hunt begins.

The Need Never Satisfied

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



I can't hear them anymore
The voices are hoarse from calling.
On the chalkboard childlike scrawlings
Unfolding our doom in simple ways.

The apple busted open reveals a five-pointed star within.
See it?
Go on....pick it up
Smell it
Bite it
Then listen...
This sound comes with a flavor.

Ah, the sweet taste of self-destruction.
The flame that burns the loudest.
So loud you don't even hear it
Till after your deaf.
How we love to bask in it's invitingly decadant glare.

We run our fingers thru it
And nothing happens.
We hold our hand over it
And still nothing.
Just a mild numbing sensation
That overspreads your brain in waves of unmeasured excess.

But there be many fires
By which we warm ourselves.
There is the bright flame of forbidden desire
Which glows a deep rich purple
And burns off the threads of worldly attatchments.

Then there is the vibrant amber glow of the leaves
As they begin to change color
When the cancerous decay of autumn sets in.
And again the crackling orange flames of the campfire
Where we all sit around
And tell scary stories.

Behold how the sparks fly upwards
Ocaasionally landing on someone.
They're drawn to us.
Like fireflies they're fun
But they won't hurt you.

Sometimes I just wanna dive into this self-consuming flame
I see raging before me
And end it all.
But no, I would never do that
That's the easy way out.
And besides
I prefer the slow burn I get
When I light another ciggarette.

Spheres Of Intoxication

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Oh dark enchantress
With eyes like rivers
Hair like a black swan's feathers.

Fire and ice are your gifts
Inflaming, and cooling my lust, with the flow of your release.

Loving ardent passion drips down your breasts
Wetting every part of me with a thirst for you.

Dampened, you open
Like the multi-hued oyster
Letting me take the pearl inside of you.

Then, you close....like the loving night around the moon stone
I am warmed by your rays.

Take me to your orbit on a star
And let me bask in the delight of knowing your dark side.

I long to float thru your universe
Touched by your exotic night breezes
As I drift beyond recall

Lost forever in the immesurable wetness
Of your being.

Mortal Blooms

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Take these flowers from before me
They are good for nothing.

Remove them hence!

These tear-smitten love growths
See how they droop and wilt in my hands
I will rip all their soft pinkery
Their faded hues hurt my eyes

With honest lies.

I want to behold some mad
looking posies.

Sick of adorning the green stem
of scented frippery.

Hate embellished roses
that's what I want to see.

Bouqets of long-suffering
flesh petals
bloodstained

which make the senses
recoil
with their pungent
wind sprays.

Mutated Orchids
disdain the garden.

Blooming in gaudy
defiance
from
the trash heap.

Unplucked
they vomit their aromatic
gushings
with stifled breath

graceful in decay.

They shoot forth
with lilting smiles

Like the houseplant
cursing the hand
that nurtures

blessed in uprooting.

Becoming more glorious
when cast away.

Refusing life
in tragic colors
that beautify

the dust
where they lie.

One More Dance

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


The sorrowing winds
Carried with it
Reminders of the past.

Soft whisperings of us
Under the trees at moon dawn.

Your eyes speaking softly
Telling me your heart
Still cares.

So does mine.

Though I never had the pleasure
Of tasting you

I can feel you all around me.

Your warmth
Your smile
Your tenderness

Oversweeten the air.

A simple word
A simple look
From you
And I am inspired.

My dear muse

Tho I never had the honor
Of holding your hand
I believe our spirits touched.

I could never hurt you
Nor be angry with you

Because you are my dream.

When I look back

I sigh in sad regret

Because my plans came to nothing.

Although
It didn't work out
For us

I want you to know

The music of your love
Is the song
My soul
Will forever sing to.

Untwogetherness

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Dug deep into the frozen ground

from that hardness

came no sound.

Except a low whisper

from the pain of loss.

Simplified

too lessen

the cost.

A free gift given

from the heart.

Will serve

to unite

the world

apart.

To

sunder the halves

back together

as one.

A leftover offering

from the silence

of

none.

Untwogetherness

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Dug deep into the frozen ground

from that hardness

came no sound.

Except a low whisper

from the pain of loss.

Simplified

too lessen

the cost.

A free gift given

from the heart.

Will serve

to unite

the world

apart.

To

sunder the halves

back together

as one.

A leftover offering

from the silence

of

none.

A Flagrant Violation of Perceived Opposites

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



He smiled in wretched sadness

Weeping brittle tears of joy

at the empty hole his life had become.

We wrote a letter in pencil

to his dearly departed friend

but ran out of ink

so he started all over again

at the end.

I think of you sometimes

when the warm winter winds blow

dragging with it, dustdrops

of water.

They form your face in the street

but then the cold-hearted Sun dries your smile away.

Yet, I remember you.

I recall fondly, the time we spent apart.

I still have all the letters you never sent me.

Thank you for those.

Those conversations we never had

I replay them over and over again in my mind.

All those awkward trips

our mothers made us go on together.

I'm sorry I never showed up.

I hope I never see you again

one day soon.

I miss hearing

the sound of your silence.

Eve and the boys send love and flowers.

We all miss you terribly

you rotten bastard.

Hope you're doing well

in Hell.

Regretfully,

Your friend Adam.

A Flagrant Violation of Perceived Opposites

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



He smiled in wretched sadness

Weeping brittle tears of joy

at the empty hole his life had become.

We wrote a letter in pencil

to his dearly departed friend

but ran out of ink

so he started all over again

at the end.

I think of you sometimes

when the warm winter winds blow

dragging with it, dustdrops

of water.

They form your face in the street

but then the cold-hearted Sun dries your smile away.

Yet, I remember you.

I recall fondly, the time we spent apart.

I still have all the letters you never sent me.

Thank you for those.

Those conversations we never had

I replay them over and over again in my mind.

All those awkward trips

our mothers made us go on together.

I'm sorry I never showed up.

I hope I never see you again

one day soon.

I miss hearing

the sound of your silence.

Eve and the boys send love and flowers.

We all miss you terribly

you rotten bastard.

Hope you're doing well

in Hell.

Regretfully,

Your friend Adam.

A Flagrant Violation of Perceived Opposites

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



He smiled in wretched sadness

Weeping brittle tears of joy

at the empty hole his life had become.

We wrote a letter in pencil

to his dearly departed friend

but ran out of ink

so he started all over again

at the end.

I think of you sometimes

when the warm winter winds blow

dragging with it, dustdrops

of water.

They form your face in the street

but then the cold-hearted Sun dries your smile away.

Yet, I remember you.

I recall fondly, the time we spent apart.

I still have all the letters you never sent me.

Thank you for those.

Those conversations we never had

I replay them over and over again in my mind.

All those awkward trips

our mothers made us go on together.

I'm sorry I never showed up.

I hope I never see you again

one day soon.

I miss hearing

the sound of your silence.

Eve and the boys send love and flowers.

We all miss you terribly

you rotten bastard.

Hope you're doing well

in Hell.

Regretfully,

Your friend Adam.

Creation

by

Dwayne Pagnotto

First man rises from dust.

Beholds the Sun shining in newness of life.

Enveloping his skin

with overflowing warmth and love.

As the shadow of consciousness awakens

within

and all the morning stars dance

in dazzling splendor before him.

All around

the dew laden atmosphere

bursting with new forms of life.

Insect noise

hovering near

curious and friendly.

Some give off light

and hum close to green pools

where pockets of air

rise up from the underdeep

as the Earth settles its mass

causing cloudy billows to appear

in the 2nd sky.

The immense flaming presence

sinks down

as he looks up

to behold the firmament

insane with stars

opulent in the surrendering

night.

Scattered with far flung galaxies

like a strand of lustrous pearls

hung in display

of glorious pageant

around the neck of Heaven

And he kneels down

in awe of the Creator’s hand.

Word Wars

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Discoveration

of yellowed

peopleless worldlets

where wordlings

throw off

their hand-forged

paper manacles.

The periodots

set alight

word flares

of warning.

"Halt ye waywords.

Turn back!

Approach not

the sacred

line break!"

But the forces of symbolism

speed beyondwards

strong in their literary power.

They utter their acrostic war cry.

Each capital letter

marching into battle.

They form the word

OVERTHROW

They send out first the vowels

Fierce in their wordless fury.

The commas

rise up to meet them

bold in their pause

nowed into action.

The vowels fall back

break apart

regroup

joined by the consonants.

They form the word

ONSLAUGHT.

Then they meet the commas head on

which shrinkle

before the silencing

of their doomfall.

Down

they go.

Unable to stand

in flexible eyestoppage.

Then come forth

the semi-colons

who fight but half-heartedly

then stop midway

and turn back.

The question marks

unsure of the outcome

remain behind the lines

and never see action.

The periodots

do not endoff

there.

They call up the exclamation points

who thunder across the open plane

loud in their interception

of the rebel characters.

ONSLAUGHT rushes forth

O encircles them and closes in

N nullifies the devastating pierce of sound

S Stops the feigned retreat and attack

L forms an unbreakable shield wall

A attempts a left manuever and demolishes the right flank

U undertakes a terrible rush to force them from the page

G gains ground and lays low the strongest

H harries them as they attempt to escape

T takes out the main center and tramples the survivors underfoot

Then the letters rearrange themselves

to form the word

VICTORIOUS

They rush across the page

in mad joyful languages

becoming brilliant sentences of flaming color.

They consume the paper

in glorious eye-scorching

expressions

metaphors

expletives

profuse in their overflow

without inflection

or syntax.

Dissolving into the ether

of the reader's stunned mind

leaving in their wake

a blank bloodless field

of white.

Daring the writer's hand to tempt them

with another verbal victory

UN-punctuated.

A Piece Of The Other

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Live the ode to maniac strings

hanging from destruction's sheer cliff

Delve into the box of crayons

find me the colorless one

that colors outside the pages.

Glimpse the swell

overtaking the washed out sin

Looken the bravish

eyesols and disrobe

the hideoish monester

Flirtashown becometh her

And breezalings of dresslocks

playfullingly dallayance around

her oposened neckline ruin-carvings.

Find the hog

that chased the dog

which ate the frog

which lived in a log

at the bottom of a bog

in a blood-thick fog

Which creeped up ever-slowly

while we played in the yard

outside the picket fence

where everything finally made sense.

What did he just say?

I don't know.

Ask him again.

I did.

What did he say?

The same thing.

I don't understand.

Exactly.

A Piece Of The Other

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Live the ode to maniac strings

hanging from destruction's sheer cliff

Delve into the box of crayons

find me the colorless one

that colors outside the pages.

Glimpse the swell

overtaking the washed out sin

Looken the bravish

eyesols and disrobe

the hideoish monester

Flirtashown becometh her

And breezalings of dresslocks

playfullingly dallayance around

her oposened neckline ruin-carvings.

Find the hog

that chased the dog

which ate the frog

which lived in a log

at the bottom of a bog

in a blood-thick fog

Which creeped up ever-slowly

while we played in the yard

outside the picket fence

where everything finally made sense.

What did he just say?

I don't know.

Ask him again.

I did.

What did he say?

The same thing.

I don't understand.

Exactly.

A Piece Of The Other

by

Dwayne Pagnotto


Live the ode to maniac strings

hanging from destruction's sheer cliff

Delve into the box of crayons

find me the colorless one

that colors outside the pages.

Glimpse the swell

overtaking the washed out sin

Looken the bravish

eyesols and disrobe

the hideoish monester

Flirtashown becometh her

And breezalings of dresslocks

playfullingly dallayance around

her oposened neckline ruin-carvings.

Find the hog

that chased the dog

which ate the frog

which lived in a log

at the bottom of a bog

in a blood-thick fog

Which creeped up ever-slowly

while we played in the yard

outside the picket fence

where everything finally made sense.

What did he just say?

I don't know.

Ask him again.

I did.

What did he say?

The same thing.

I don't understand.

Exactly.

Bathed In Blue

by

Dwayne Pagnotto



Ten skies became enamored of the young girl
downcast
with tangled, wishful hair.

In a concert of celestial sighs
they wove together a misty-veiled tapestry of golden light
in a green vale of morning dews.

Unhued by sullen colors, it spread out before the young maid’s feet
enwarming smiles within the delicate orchid of her heart.

She danced away laughing
her face gazing up

an everlasting memory to the sky.