THE HEAD HUNTERS

WITH A RUSH THAT MADE MY HOT TEMPLES THROB
THERE CAME VIVIDLY TO MY MIND
RECOLLECTIONS OF THE HEAD-HUNTERS-
THOSE GRIM,FLINTY,RELENTLESS LITTLE MEN EVER SEEN,
BUT CHILLING THE WARMEST NOONDAY
BY THE SUBTLE TERROR OF THEIR CONCEALED PRESENCE….
FROM TIME TO TIME,AS VANITY OR LOVE
OR JEALOUSY OR AMBITION MAY MOVE HIM,
ONE CREEPS FORTH WITH HIS TOMAHAWK
AND TAKES UP THE SILENT TRAIL….
BACK HE COMES, TRIUMPHANT,
BEARING THE SEVERED GORY HEAD OF HIS VICTIM….
HIS PARTICULAR WHITE OR BROWN MAID LINGERS,
WITH FLUTTERING BOSOM,
CASTING SOFT TIGER’S EYES AT THE EVIDENCE OF HIS LOVE FOR HER.

SIGNED- ALAN “GADZOOK” PANGBORN

ROADS

ROADS OF DESTINY
I GO TO SEEK MANY ROADS
WHAT IS TO BE TRUE. TRUE HEART & STRONG,
WITH LOVE TO LIGHT-
WILL THEY NOT BEAR ME IN THE FIGHT
TO ORDER, SHUN OR WIELD OR MOULD
MY DESTINY?
THREE LEAGUES THEN, THE ROAD RAN,
AND TURNED INTO A PUZZLE.
IT JOINED WITH ANOTHER & A LARGER ROAD
AT RIGHT ANGLES.
I STOOD, UNCERTAIN FOR WHILE ,
WHETHER TO TAKE THE ROAD TO LEFT
OR WHETHER TO TAKE THE ROAD TO RIGHT
AND THEN SAT MYSELF TO REST UPON MY SIDE.

SIGNED - ALAN “GADZOOK” PANGBORN

CITYSCAPES

THE CITY HIDES IT’S SECRETS

BUT ONE WHOSE VOCATIONS ARE IN SURPLUS

HAS SO MANY MORE THAT

IS MORE SECRET THAN ANY OTHER

ELSEWHERE BY THE DYNAMICS OF PARADOX

THE SECRET LIVE IN THE TELLING

THEY MURMUR LIFE INTO MONOTONY

STREETCORNERS AND BLEAK ALLEYWAYS

INTO THE GARBAGE PEPPERED REARS

OF WINDOWLESS LODGINGS

AND THE NEAR-BLACKENED FLOORS

OF GREASE-BATHED WORKSHOPS

BUT HITHER, WHERE ALL LAW

NATURAL & MORTAL , IS HELD

IN WHIMSICAL SUSPENSION THAT WHICH

IS SHROUDED, HAS NO NEED OF WORDS

TO PROVIDE IT LIFE; LIKE ANY CREATURE

THAT LIVES IN A NEFARIOUS ASPECT

IT MUTATES TO UNEARTH SUBSISTENCE

PRECISELY WHERE IT SEEMS TO BE MOST

GROSSLY RESTRAINED, IN THIS OCCASION

IN SILENCE.

SIGNED-ALAN “GADZOOK” PANGBORN