Three poems by K.Lipschutz

"MY OFFICE MY SELF," "ON THE HOUR," and "CORRIDOR"

CORRIDOR

                        for kathy
walk slow, my love
give your eyes time to
adjust
statistics mean nothing here
my prodigal princess
if you fall it is far
the railings have been
removed
just to make it interesting
feel carefully
you should have brought a cane
the swift hot wind is not
your enemy, my friend
was it necessary
to open that door?
can you forgive yourself
now in the midst
of
terror
scarier than any movie
because this time it’s you,
my angel?
i would have come with you
if it weren’t so dark and lonely
so narrow
please believe me when i wish
you luck, my light
i still fear
as much as pity
you, my lost past
my guiding star my shaken acrobat

ON THE HOUR

“Spring forward, fall back down”

1.

It rolled out from behind an easy chair
one wet March Monday morning
as I stared out the window
late again, one shoe on, at a passing
thought balloon about to burst—
into tears, primeval laughter or pure song.

2.

All summer long a rerun on a Stingray.
September: she was barefoot in a meadow . . .

3.

Button, button, autumn’s almost gone,
more sick of us than we are of ourselves.
The nights stretch out like cats inventing yoga
inside a cataleptic cuckoo clock
where sex-bored lovebirds call Death home.
Giant baby steps! Our darkest hour yet!

4.

My old man’s pocket watch is running fast.
Meantime, this big blue marble follows the sun.

MY OFFICE MY SELF

office hours in the Shroud of Smoke Café
office hours en el baño
office hours in the Carpal Syndrome Tunnel

cash flow clogged?
don't knock the pipes
we'll make an adjustment

office hours between rounds in the sack
office hours in Capoeira class
office hours on Mt. Tamalpais peak

fall down go boom?
don't have a cow
we're always hiring

office hours at the inaugural ball
office hours in a windowless cell
office hours on the Day of Atonement

the doctor is in
but his inner child
is playing miniature golf

office hours in the doghouse
office hours on a bicycle-built-for-two

K.Lipschutz (formerly klipschutz) is the author of Mr. Congeniality (2021) and seven other collections of poetry, starting with The Erection of Scaffolding for the Re-Painting of Heaven by the Lowest Bidder (1985). He has also co-written over a hundred songs released by international recording artist Chuck Prophet. His Long Engagement: New & Selected Poems (1985–2023), assembled in conjunction with long-time supporter Brenda Hillman, is looking for a home. Current work in Cordite (Australia), the Taos Journal of Poetry (Nov. 2023), and Literary Cocktail (fall 2023. He lives in downtown San Francisco with Colette Jappy and three cats.