Tuesday, January 13, 2026

> unseen


> unseen

He's invisible, yet
he's sitting there,
clearly pretending
to be unnoticed

by the round table,
next to the big window
where he basks daily
in warm sunshine.

He arrives early
every morning when
they unlock the doors
to our local public library.
He finds his place by nine.

He has his vending
machine coffee
capped. It may be hot,
but is more likely
warm, even cold by now.

He sort of just
slides it back and forth
a little left, a little right
nudging it with fingertips.
That, and he nods...

still, staring straight and still
at the same page of whatever
newspaper he's been reading
all this time.

But not really. He's more into
reflection than refraction-
and leaves what little magic he has left
as seldom clear most of the time.

-dp-


6-2-26
3-15-25
(from Dismissive Remarks)



> unseen

He's invisible, yet
he's sitting there,
clearly pretending
to be unnoticed

by the round table,                    >only
next to the big window                    >near
where he basks 
daily                     >bathes
in warm sunshine.

He arrives early                        >
every morning when  
they unlock the doors                >open
to our local public library.
He finds his place by nine.                    >in his

He has his vending 
machine coffee 
capped. It may be hot, 
but is more likely
warm, even cold by now.

He sort of just 
slides it back and forth 
a  little left, a little right
nudging it with fingertips. 
That, and he nods... 

Nods, staring straight and still 
at the same page of whatever 
newspaper he's been reading 
all this time.

But not really. He's more into
reflection than refraction-
and leaves what little magic he has left
as seldom clear most of the time.

-dp-



6-2-26
3-15-25
(from Dismissive Remarks)



He's invisible, and yet
He's sitting there,
clearly pretending
to be unnoticed

at the only table,
near the big window,
where he bathes himself
in warm sunshine.

He's there every day
from not long after
the doors open
at our public library.
He can usually find his spot by nine.

There's always a soft cup of coffee near his right hand.
It might have been hot, but now it's probably cold.
The cup may be spiked or even be emptied by now.

He just sort of pushes it,
slides it back and forth,
a bit now, a bit then,
nudging with his fingertips.
and nodding...

Nodding, staring still towards
the same page of whatever paper
He's been reading all this time.

But not really.
He's more into
reflection than refraction-
and the magic he had left
is seldom clear all the time.

-dp-

3-15-25

> near oz (WP)

> near oz



Find a place, far away
enough to feel like oz,
or home.


A place so distant
it could shelter anyone,
even us.


We should not think
of this, or turn away
from hope.


But we must keep running
at least to look around
that next corner



-dp-
4-11-25 (15+)

 Boring note: I made a lot of revisions to this during this final draft, including a title change. It seems my constant folly with words is never never satisfied. I'm never happy, and may sometimes ruin things at the last impulse. We'll see!

> unseen

> unseen He's invisible, yet he's sitting there, clearly pretending to be unnoticed by the round table, next to the big window ...