SWIMMING UPSTREAM

YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT LIES BEYOND
GATED WIRE FENCES
AND THE DANGER
ZONE
UNTIL ALL BARRIERS
ARE OPEN WIDE
AND SUDDENLY THE
SILVER FINS
HAVE NO PLACE
TO HIDE
IN A RIVER OF
HUGE
PROPORTIONS
RUSHING PAST
WITH SALMON
AND TROUT
COMING ABOUT
SWIMMING
UPSTREAM
IN THE FABULOUS
DREAM
OF PROCREATING
THE SPECIES,
RUSHING FAST
FORWARD
STRUGGLING
JUGGLING
DIVING
LOOPING
UNDER THE
WAVES,
WHILE HUGE
WIRE NETS
MAKE THEM
ALL KINDRED
SLAVES:
A HIGH
SEARCHING
TOWER MARKS
THE PROGRESS
(NOT THE
SADNESS),
THESE GUYS ARE
ON THEIR
WAY OUT,
GIVEN NO DOUBT
BY THE OFFICIALS
AND BADGES
AND WHISTLES
WHO WATCH
CAREFULLY
(THEY SEE YOU
AND ME),
HANGING OVER
THE WIRED FENCE
TO SHOOT
A PICTURE
OF CONSEQUENCE,

WHILE KIDS ROMP
ALONG
BELIEVING THE SONG
THAT ALL ENDS WELL
IT’S A TOUGH GUY’S
SELL,
FOR WHEN YOU
REACH THE
VERY LAST
GATE
WHERE THEY
GATHER IN CIRCLES
AND FINALLY
WAIT,
THE SILENCE BECOMES
LIKE A FAST BEATING
DRUM:
BEWARE
OUT THERE
FOR YOU MAY
BE NEXT,
LIMITING PLANS
FOR YOUR POPULAR
TEXT,
AND JUST LIKE
THE FISH
WHO FOLLOW
THE PATH
THE END IS
IN FRONT OF YOU,
COMING IN RESIDUE
DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
AND ACROSS THE
STREAM,
YOU MAY BE
THE TROUT
IN GOD’S FARCIAL
SCHEME,
SO SINCE NOTHING
LASTS
FOREVER,
SHINE ON
BABY:
IT’S NOW
OR NEVER!

©J.W. WINSLOW 12/1/17

Felt Cover

THE FELT COVER

IT CAME WRAPPED
IN PLAIN BROWN
PAPER:
A GIFT FROM
A FRIEND,
A MAN WHO
GOES
WAY BACK
WITH ME
AND CAN SEE
THE PATH I TAKE
ALONG THE MILES
OF LIFE,
HE HANDED IT
OVER WITH A
QUIET COMMENT
ABOUT
HELPING OUT,
BEING A PATRON
OF A POET
WHO IS CLINGING
TO THE CREATIVE
SCHEME
WHILE WALKING
DOGS
AND CATCHING
FROGS ALONG
THE LOS ANGELES
RIVER,
HE IS A GIVER
OF KINDNESS
AND BOUGHT
FOUR BOOKS
JUST TO
“COME ABOUT”
THERE IS NO
DOUBT
ABOUT HIS
INTENTIONS,
THEY ARE PURE
AND SURE TO
CATCH MY
ATTENTION,
AFTER I DISPLAY
MY DREAMY
COVER ART
YOU CAN TELL
US APART:
THE L.A. WRITER
AND ME,
SHE WHO LOVES
GIRLS
AND SWIRLS IN
THE DREAM OF
VAST SUCCESS

AND THE MISTRESS
OF MONTEREY
WHO HAS CHOSEN
A DIFFERENT
WAY
BUT WHAT
WE SHARE
IS THE
SWEET PINCH
OF A LINE
OR TWO,
(JUST FOR YOU)
SHE GIVES
ONE LITTLE
IDEA ON THE
PAGE,
A FEW
WORDS
AND I HAVE
COMPLETED
FORTY
CHAPTERS
AWAITING THE
SECOND DRAFT,
ARE WE BOTH
A LITTLE
DAFT,
OR JUST THE
NEWEST VERSION
OF THE KINGS
FOOL,
THE WONDERFUL
TOOLS
SUPPORTED BY
THE COURTIERS
AND DANCING
IN A STREAM
MOSTLY
IN OUR HEADS,
IT DOESN’T
HURT
TO BELIEVE,
SO DREAM ON
LITTLE BOOK
WITH THE
FELT COVER,
YOU AND I
HAVE BECOME
TRUE LOVERS.

©J.W. WINSLOW 11/1/17

Jim Vossen

October 12, 2017
Comcast Channel 27
AT&T Channel 99

Jim Vossen
President/Seaside Chamber of Commerce Director
Secrets of the West End