Paul Harding

Lightning Fits

stinging electric fingers
long thunder sliced ago
silver tomorrow slashed
fire-bright amplified licks,

so high so bombastic across the sky
crawdaddies temper found unfit
in Chicago black-eye peas
migrated from low moon trees, 

spotted dogs no trees so high
hallowing so across the sky
rumbling tossing ships sterns to brows
temper in middle of the sea drowns,

too dark to see heart struck bolts split
a man stuck behind a plow somehow
so high so fast cannot grasp the flash quick
at lavender horizon dusk lightning bugs lit.

Nocturnal Window

life window glance took
elbows in the sill rested 
meditation prelude self-esteem
no such neither dysfunctional hook 
alone too small depends infinite 
or vision called dream.

glass is glass, no culture’s frame the same 
neither self-wanting to wish others shame  
looking through vanquished sacrifice too dark 
expected blackness deep few expect gaze.
before falling in line again for civil rights same
brownstone solitary broom-swept stoop days

slower clouds rooftop horseshoe sunrays
with closed eyes window before a star see
becomes a fleeing jumpin’ railroad hobo star
life lifting arms of a champion sun too small
cut bad vanished into corner windowpane 
burning sharp too fast to run, after all gain.

Paul r. Harding – Published works: Hot Mustard & Lay Me Down (En Theos Press, 2003); Excerpts of Lamentation & Evidence of Starlite (Aurius Unlimited, 1993); short story in Black Renaissance Noire; excerpt of completed novel manuscript in Black Renaissance Noire; selected verse in Black Renaissance Noire, Transition 112, Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora, Konch, Coon Bidness, Berkeley Poetry Review, Earshot Jazz, Raven Chronicles and various anthologies. Unpublished manuscripts in both the Gwendolyn Brooks Papers at the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, and the Derek Walcott Collection at the Alma Jordan Library, University of West Indies. Awarded Philip Whalen Memorial Grant for poetry and Edith K. Draham Scholarship for fiction. ‘Spoken Music’ performed with legendary Charles Gayle, Ravi Coltrane, Joe Ford, Michael Bisio, and other renowned musicians. Former Earshot Jazz Board of Directors President, former Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle Education Director and founder of ULMS Children’s University. Currently teaches critical thinking, reading, and writing in the Bronx. Presently completing a manuscript of short poems and researching first non-fiction project: Race and Heroism in Hollywood: Die Like a Man.