G. P. Skratz

G. P. Skratz (GPSkratz@aol.com) performs poetry & music with Arundo, acoustic

theater music with Smooth Toad, & rock n roll with The Serfs.

OPIUM

1. Nature Poem

first poppy

blossom of the season:

scarlet with black

bottom, wearing

a little green

turbin which is off

by noon

as the scarlet

fans out:

crepe paper fun

over nether dark,

suggesting

the gift

to come.

2. (after Basho)

harvest moon:

curled worm

in poppy pod.

3. Moon Viewing Poem

when we wearied of fucking

in the hot sticky

opium baths in the deep

of the saucer, we gazed

out the porthole at the moon,

saw the flashes reflected,

lighting even

what the sun would not:

flashes of earth,

in the pan.

4. O

o the o

pium pop

pies are a

swayin in

the gently roll

in earth

quake & the

viruses are brew

in in

the kiss.

5. In Dream

in dream the scab-dark poppie

petals shut tight as palms

pressed in a virginal prayer

as what can not be answered:

for example: why the lord

strikes down the righteous

with the gusto he spent on sodom,

& the petals open, fall away, surrender

& tears pour from the pod:

healings for all, st francis

to hitler, all of us in its blossom,

in dream in dream in dream.

- G. P. Skratz