Rick K. Reut Around A Word

(HIGHER AND HIGHER)

…drink as the heat keeps rising

higher, higher and higher.

Sizzling like a frying pan,

the highway on the horizon

appears to be on fire.

Every woman and man

reckless enough to stroll

along a sweltering street

walks his or her own shadow

like an annoyingly small

dog. Meanwhile, the heat

reaches the suburb meadow,

and then the forest wall.

After the rain, the sun

has come back to this town,

paving the streets with gold.

Everything else seems done.

Nothing is going down —

except maybe a cold…

…drink as the heat keeps rising higher, higher and higher. Sizzling like a frying pan, the highway on the horizon appears to be on fire. Every woman and man reckless enough to stroll along a sweltering street walks his or her own shadow like an annoyingly small dog. Meanwhile, the heat reaches the suburb meadow, and then the forest wall. After the rain, the sun has come back to this town, paving the streets with gold. Everything else seems done. Nothing is going down — except maybe a cold…

April 2012

(IN THE DISTANCE)

…while it changes like

a woman. Another rain-

coat hangs on the skyline,

dripping down the drain.

Colors seem to collide

in the distance between

two words you try to hide

from. Somebody is seen

coming in a long, dark

gown that covers the back

of what looks like a park

alley painted black

and blue. Red lanterns light

up the face of the night…

…while it changes like a woman. Another raincoat hangs on the skyline, dripping down the drain. Colors seem to collide in the distance between two words you try to hide from. Somebody is seen coming in a long, dark gown that covers the back of what looks like a park alley painted black and blue. Red lanterns light up the face of the night…

June 2012

(TILL THE NEXT DAWN)

…till the next dawn.

You turn the light

off and then on,

watching the night…

…till the next dawn. You turn the light off and then on, watching the night…

August 2012

(BETWEEN THE SHEETS)

…under a pretty dark night-

gown with holes of light.

It is so cold outside

that one can hardly think

of going out. Hide

yourself in bed on the brink

of sleep — as deep as you can

between the sheets — and stay

there, only now and then

allowing your soul to stray

from your body and freeze

the window like a snap-

shot of a bunch of trees

intertwined for a nap…

…under a pretty dark nightgown with holes of light. It is so cold outside that one can hardly think of going out. Hide yourself in bed on the brink of sleep — as deep as you can between the sheets — and stay there, only now and then allowing your soul to stray from your body and freeze the window like a snapshot of a bunch of trees intertwined for a nap…

October 2012

(A BIT BLURRED)

…nights that are glazed with snow

falling in fast and slow

motion, depending on

the speed of wind before dawn.

There is more snow on the roof-

top right across the street.

You see it in your room

window, which is a bit

blurred. As you start to close

your eyes, it swiftly grows

dark. There is a whole sea

of thoughts in your head. You see

something out of sight

on black as well as on white…

…nights that are glazed with snow falling in fast and slow motion, depending on the speed of wind before dawn. There is more snow on the rooftop right across the street. You see it in your room window, which is a bit blurred. As you start to close your eyes, it swiftly grows dark. There is a whole sea of thoughts in your head. You see something out of sight on black as well as on white…

February 2013

(THROUGH THE SNOW)

…falling again. The snow

is wiping the city clean

out of sight, but you know

that it can still be seen.

You close your eyes and look

inside yourself as if you

were an old picture book

to be published anew,

or a fresh photograph

polished in a photo shop

window where you laugh

through the snow that won’t stop…

…falling again. The snow is wiping the city clean out of sight, but you know that it can still be seen. You close your eyes and look inside yourself as if you were an old picture book to be published anew, or a fresh photograph polished in a photo shop window where you laugh through the snow that won’t stop…

March 2013

(OUT OF THE OPEN BOOK)

…of GOD? Do you see the same

things I see when I look

at everything that came

out of the open Book…

…of GOD? Do you see the same things I see when I look at everything that came out of the open Book…

April 2013

(ABOUT SPRING SNOW)

…about spring snow

deep in the night.

This time seems slow

enough to be right

on it. More rain

can easily drive

someone insane

enough to dive

into a stream

of cars. You dream…

…about spring snow deep in the night. This time seems slow enough to be right on it. More rain can easily drive someone insane enough to dive into a stream of cars. You dream…

May 2013

(A LONG LOOK)

…on. Now, take a long look

at a window-shaped book

and tell me what you see

in its black and white sea

of letters standing in lines

as words of truth and lies.

Though the city grows dark

trees in the central park,

there is still enough light

in the depths of the night

to see at least one street

corner we hope to meet…

…on. Now, take a long look at a window-shaped book and tell me what you see in its black and white sea of letters standing in lines as words of truth and lies. Though the city grows dark trees in the central park, there is still enough light in the depths of the night to see at least one street corner we hope to meet…

August 2013

(TIME MACHINE)

…of time in places where

that time stands still or flies

around like fireflies

in the neon night air.

Your memory is a time

machine taking you back

to the scene of each crime

you’ve committed in black

and white. You go to sleep

before you begin to dream

about all you did deep

in the past. It may seem

like you are looking back

to see someone like you

talk to someone you knew

once again. There’s a track…

…of time in places where that time stands still or flies around like fireflies in the neon night air. Your memory is a time machine taking you back to the scene of each crime you’ve committed in black and white. You go to sleep before you begin to dream about all you did deep in the past. It may seem like you are looking back to see someone like you talk to someone you knew once again. There’s a track…

November 2013

(AS TIME GOES BY)

…as time goes by.

The winter sky

keeps hanging low.

Though there’s no snow,

everything is

starting to freeze

like in a freeze frame

from some video game…

…as time goes by. The winter sky keeps hanging low. Though there’s no snow, everything is starting to freeze like in a freeze frame from some video game…

December 2013

(DARKENED SKIES)

…with no one’s eyes.

The darkened skies

are lit by a moon.

It looks like soon

another rain

will start. Again,

you look for a way

to stop and play

everything back

in retro black

and white on the screen

of the night seen…

…with no one’s eyes. The darkened skies are lit by a moon. It looks like soon another rain will start. Again, you look for a way to stop and play everything back in retro black and white on the screen of the night seen…

March 2014

(IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS)

…of silver includes some gold.

It’s worn by nights and days.

Obeying the Will of GOD

in mysterious ways,

the sky is touched by the rust

of a sunset in spring.

The present turns into past

in the future. A ring…

…of silver includes some gold. It’s worn by nights and days. Obeying the Will of GOD in mysterious ways, the sky is touched by the rust of a sunset in spring. The present turns into past in the future. A ring…

April 2014

(IN OTHER WORLDS)

…it’s what it was like

in your other life

in other worlds.

In other words,

there is a sea-

like summer sky-

line stretching by.

As you may see…

…it’s what it was like in your other life in other worlds. In other words, there is a sea-like summer skyline stretching by. As you may see…

May 2014

(WHERE IT HAPPENED)

…where it happened too fast

to process anything at

all. And now it is set

way too deep in the past…

…where it happened too fast to process anything at all. And now it is set way too deep in the past…

August 2014

(IN MY DREAMS)

…again. Everything looks

different from what it seems

when it’s written in books.

I see it all in my dreams…

…again. Everything looks different from what it seems when it’s written in books. I see it all in my dreams…

October 2014

(BY AN ABANDONED ARCADE)

…in the form of another year,

which you yearn for and fear

at the same time. This time

rises on a high tide

of dreams before they fade

by an abandoned arcade

reminding you of the best

times from your distant past.

Covered with morning rime,

there is a river of time

where the year starts to

end and begin anew…

…in the form of another year, which you yearn for and fear at the same time. This time rises on a high tide of dreams before they fade by an abandoned arcade reminding you of the best times from your distant past. Covered with morning rime, there is a river of time where the year starts to end and begin anew…

November 2014

(THIS TOWN)

…in winter that lasted a few

days. And now autumn has

come back to each avenue,

street, lane, alley and pass

of this town. The sky

above is completely grey.

If somebody wants to die

here, do it today.

Tomorrow may be too late.

Tomorrow is also not far

enough to escape the fate

of one more burned-out star

shooting films into the main

line in the form of rain…

…in winter that lasted a few days. And now autumn has come back to each avenue, street, lane, alley and pass of this town. The sky above is completely grey. If somebody wants to die here, do it today. Tomorrow may be too late. Tomorrow is also not far enough to escape the fate of one more burned-out star shooting films into the main line in the form of rain…

December 2014

(WITHOUT A WORD)

…snow falls on the ground

without a word

or even a sound.

While you’re getting bored…

…snow falls on the ground without a word or even a sound. While you’re getting bored…

January 2015

(IN THE LONG RUN)

…as all are ashes in the long run.

All look for better ashtrays

to burn out like the sun

in acceptable ways.

Since time out of mind,

we’ve seen this stairwell.

At its bottom, we find

something it’s hard to tell

the truth about. It seems

that souls are in bodies like

letters in almost seam-

less envelopes. Each life

is a mixture of pain

and pleasure, sorrow and

happiness from a drain

pipe dream. Afraid to end,

we look to our past

but see only our present.

It’s hard to make it last.

At least so far, it hasn’t…

…as all are ashes in the long run. All look for better ashtrays to burn out like the sun in acceptable ways. Since time out of mind, we’ve seen this stairwell. At its bottom, we find something it’s hard to tell the truth about. It seems that souls are in bodies like letters in almost seamless envelopes. Each life is a mixture of pain and pleasure, sorrow and happiness from a drain pipe dream. Afraid to end, we look to our past but see only our present. It’s hard to make it last. At least so far, it hasn’t…

February 2015

(OF SAND)

…of dreams out of reach.

Castles of sand

built on a beach

foreshadow a land…

…of dreams out of reach. Castles of sand built on a beach foreshadow a land…

April 2015

(THROUGH SPACE AND TIME)

…through space and time.

It’s hard to rhyme

around this place

far from the Face

of GOD. It seems

to be made of dreams

seen in a mirror

where one era

follows another like

one life another life…

…through space and time. It’s hard to rhyme around this place far from the Face of GOD. It seems to be made of dreams seen in a mirror where one era follows another like one life another life…

May 2015

(IN A STREAM)

…up the road rolling

beneath the wind-

shield like falling

rain on your mind,

driving you in-

sane with the din

of traffic jam tin

cans in a stream

that slowly flows

away like a dream.

A hard wind blows…

…up the road rolling beneath the windshield like falling rain on your mind, driving you insane with the din of traffic jam tin cans in a stream that slowly flows away like a dream. A hard wind blows…

June 2015

(OPEN BOOK)

…the colors of every fall

in the window. You look

into the open book

of your hand down the hall.

Trying to read each line,

you usually begin

with the one of your life,

slowly dissolving in…

…the colors of every fall in the window. You look into the open book of your hand down the hall. Trying to read each line, you usually begin with the one of your life, slowly dissolving in…

October 2015

(ALMOST NO LIGHT)

…in every sense.

It was a tense,

dark winter day.

Almost no light.

One way to stay

sane is to write

about yourself.

Your memory

is like a shelf

with you and me

on it. It’s strange

how one can change…

…in every sense. It was a tense, dark winter day. Almost no light. One way to stay sane is to write about yourself. Your memory is like a shelf with you and me on it. It’s strange how one can change…

December 2015

(BY AND BY)

…and see that winter has come

back with a powdery trail

of fresh snow. There are some

things that rarely fail

to surprise you. The weather

is one of them. You are too

far apart to be together,

but you think you can do

something you’ve never done

before to turn your luck

around. Like a setting sun

that may still rise to love

no matter what, today

is beautiful because, by

and by, GOD makes it okay.

You look up at the sky…

…and see that winter has come back with a powdery trail of fresh snow. There are some things that rarely fail to surprise you. The weather is one of them. You are too far apart to be together, but you think you can do something you’ve never done before to turn your luck around. Like a setting sun that may still rise to love no matter what, today is beautiful because, by and by, GOD makes it okay. You look up at the sky…

February 2016

(THROUGH THE PANE)

…that it’s hard to look

at them through the pane.

It is bound like a book

written with rain.

The sun melts away

almost all the night

snow, leaving some day

colors so bright…

…that it’s hard to look at them through the pane. It is bound like a book written with rain. The sun melts away almost all the night snow, leaving some day colors so bright…

March 2016

(BETTER FATE)

…telling the truth from lies.

When you open your eyes

in the morning and look

out of the picture book

of your window, you see

someone sowing a seed

of love in the soil of faith

and hope for a better fate…

…telling the truth from lies. When you open your eyes in the morning and look out of the picture book of your window, you see someone sowing a seed of love in the soil of faith and hope for a better fate…

April 2016

(INNOCENT SOUL)

…again through the Power of

GOD’s Everlasting Love.

The day’s being painted gray

with pretty broad strokes of hard

rain. Will you be okay

if somebody breaks your heart

into pieces? The sky

is split by a lightning flash-

back to when you and I

took turns wearing flesh

wounds only an innocent soul

could heal and make whole…

…again through the Power of GOD’s Everlasting Love. The day’s being painted gray with pretty broad strokes of hard rain. Will you be okay if somebody breaks your heart into pieces? The sky is split by a lightning flashback to when you and I took turns wearing flesh wounds only an innocent soul could heal and make whole…

May 2016

(JUST AS OFTEN)

…on earth. You’re often wrong.

You’re just as often right.

Sometimes a slip of the tongue

feels good enough to write

it down between the lines.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell

the truth from all sorts of lies,

like heaven on earth from hell…

…on earth. You’re often wrong. You’re just as often right. Sometimes a slip of the tongue feels good enough to write it down between the lines. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the truth from all sorts of lies, like heaven on earth from hell…

June 2016

(OUT OF YOUR MIND)

…all day long, and at night —

a gown of neon light

pictures out of your mind

projected onto a sheet

of paper snow. It’s lined

left to right like a street.

Every corner is signed

with a road sign like some

weird contract. You find

it everywhere as a sum

total of emptiness

wearing a summer dress…

…all day long, and at night — a gown of neon light pictures out of your mind projected onto a sheet of paper snow. It’s lined left to right like a street. Every corner is signed with a road sign like some weird contract. You find it everywhere as a sum total of emptiness wearing a summer dress…

August 2016