troysherdahl

imagine, if you will

a picture frame without

a picture

across the room, in the reflection

of his mirror

the picture frame now

contains a faded, gaudy painting

two pictures that thrust the viewer into

the ego fight zone—

I was a sleeping lion

laughy Daffy Duck

The Silver Surfer

an angry young buck

selfish super dooper

the envy cup so full

I floated downstream in a mug

as someone else turned the spoon

one of the limbo bimbo lost souls

wearing nothing but

expensive shoe soles

scowl me a smile, Troy

sour me awhile, boy

burning embers sparked

a coaster

the best of it flamed to me

and I have become a great actor

I am the great sneaker deaker—

but you can’t fake spirit

you can’t hide your voice

I am a feeling

of light

I am a breath

of dust

alas, my lass says

I am no one

going nowhere

with nothing

pity

I love that faded, gaudy painting

those shoes, my ego

this is the ego fight zone—

the true self

is the picture frame

without a picture

imagine, if you will, that

I am happy as

an empty vessel

I am an empty vessel

apologetic and glad

with parkas, big boots

here, plaid’s no fad

—that Canadian look

red serge and mukluks

from Hudson’s Bay

to the Mounties, eh?

I’m sorry I look so good

prairie wind chill fashion school

arctic lows to Rocky Mountain highs

prairie wind chill fashion school

we learn what keeps us warm

prairie wind chill fashion school— ’cause

black skin frostbite don’t look cool

snow and ice

is the northern price

lotsa luck, you southern schmuck

ya gotta be cool to be Johnny Canuck

the big beards are back

with handlebar moustaches

like Blacque Jacque Shellacque

mad trapper and the lumberjack

is that Canadian look

warm in furs and pioneers felt

buckskin fringe? First Nations, or the Voyageurs

and hats made of the beaver pelt

the skin on which this country’s built

is that Canadian look

big goose down jackets

flannel-lined blue jeans, toques supreme

big goose down jackets

moose-hide moccasins, the snowshoe dream

big goose down jackets— can

make you look like the Michelin Man

snow and ice

is the northern price

lotsa luck, you southern schmuck

ya gotta be cool to be Johnny Canuck

apologetic and glad

from Hudson’s Bay

to the Mounties, eh?

I’m sorry I look so good

our boys took Vimy Ridge that day

but Vimy took our boys away

for King and country, hip hip hooray!

we’ll fight the Hun, hooray hooray!

the maple leaf forever, eh?

and Canada came of age they say

a country came of age that day

there’s no quiet on the western front

when the Canadian Corps is singing

there’s no quiet on the western front

while shell shocked ears are ringing

there’s no quiet on the western front

with stretcher bearers bringing—

muddy boys

bloody boys

the screaming, dead

and glory boys

our boys took Vimy Ridge that day

but Vimy took our boys away

and Canada came of age

they say

strange fruit I got

LSD kumquat

universe in a

paper dot

on the tongue

parking lot

out of body

moon shot

spacewalk

sought and sought

—is a smile caught

deep in comfy sock box

closet closed, locked

in the dark, rocked

strange fruit I got

LSD kumquat

amber liquid spot

magenta lightning

what not

giant amoeba with

flaming butterflies— hot

moving in the melting pot

fishing for the

sought and sought

—is a smile caught

is an orange crush primal scream

me smiling?

deep in comfy sock box

closet closed, locked

in the dark, rocked

strange fruit I got

LSD kumquat

LSD kumquat

the premature buddhahood

want to come out early

and half awake

walking around in pajamas and lulu lemon

their light is a figment of a filament

the pink pig might say, some are comfortably numb

why do they think they’re the dharma bums?

egos still want personality

fear and power

so that bulb isn’t on yet

the womb is dark

can they be induced?

sleep talkers are

sleep walkers

the premature buddhahood

have come out

too early

to be enlightened, too early

to be—

enlighteners

met this man who could float

a macrobiotic cruise—

dark hair, animated eyes

small stature buoyancy

life force life preserver

like macrobiotic food

well chewed cereals and local veg

traditionally wise, Edo edge

food has energy

dude has energy

he was a Golden Gate

big bridge from yin to yang

his special method of touch

touching new shores

over our processed fog

and—

I wanted to take him home

in my suitcase

Mujeres cat

ugly cat

street cat

cautious cat—

hungry cat

tossing pork at

that cat

no eye contact

no human comfort cat

just wants a meal cat

so sat no fat

skinny cat

Mujeres cat

ugly cat

street cat

free cat—

full cat

somedays i wanna be that

Mujeres cat

live your lost

love your limbo

facing costs

with arms akimbo

the past, it’s gone

find the now

the future beckons

you choose how

so live your lost

love that essence

that’s the cost

for being present

it takes two

to fold sheets

one can’t do it

too well

her and I

fold sheets

very well—

and sleep

better

together