Sunday, 3 March 2013

of Bananas and Donuts



Bananas are so yellow that
Andy Warhol
stripped his to pink
made undergrounds of velvet
quickly
coyly
covered
for inquisitive to gawp

Bananas are so yellow
that the sun is shy
but doesn’t burn them out of jealousy
or create banana cue

Bananas are so yellow
that canaries take flight
Kandinsky cancels play
Coldplay become hot
and Democracy is saved

But bananas are not donuts
not even for cops in cars
drunks in bars
not for dunkin
bananas r us
donuts are them
we sprinkle and tinkle
high carb low carb
celebrities crunch munch
so sure that
bananas are not donuts

But in some crazy mixed up world
Banana cream
Banana essence
Banana icing
hidden banana
beneath the dress
they fool the unwary into believing
that  they are

Friday, 22 February 2013

Poem - My Man Toro



My Man Toro


My man Toro
In this space
In this place
Making a case
Being here today
Not tomorrow
mild-mannered ‘n bespoke
not broke
a nice kinda of a bloke
he’s an artist
don’t laugh it’s
just
his moves
he’s in da grove
painting
doin’ his thing
splashing
slashing
dripping
dipping
into
his creativity
it’s a nativity
he
is where
its at
and he’s cooler
than man bat
that bat man
he’s so cool
he’s like ice
he’s nice
he is the perennial
sentinel
he’s good
he’s sensational
that’s my man toro.

I should like to borrow
His calm
His balm
And just wear it to be chill
And what a thrill
To see this man
Splash his can
Drip his paint
He aint
No pretender
Acting like he don’t  care
but I know he do
he true blue
exceptional
my pal
that man toro.

Just watch that man dash
Slash
Splash
He’s a raging bull
ebullient artist matador
but that’s a metaphor
for him to pour more
paint dances
taking his chances
weaving abstractions
distractions
contradictions
of visual space
in this place
and more
just like he has
in Singapore
wowed and vowed
becoming the king pin
and him
such a humble guy
and why
I hear you shout
It is
No doubt because
He’s a bronco
He’ll drive you loco
He’ll not let you wallow
There’s no sorrow
And you will follow
That graceful
Apollo
That’s
My man
This man
And what a man
Doin just what he can
He’s the amazing
He ain’t crazing
He’s the real taco
He’s hotter than a poncho
He’s el mano
He’s the
Staccato
Vibrato
He’s
This artist here today
Listen to what I say
He is mucho bravado
He’s straight as an arrow
Smooth as a canto
Can’t overshadow
This man
my man
Toro


recently read at the opening of Toro Temerity, Water Dragon Gallery, Yuchenco Museum, Manila The Philippines






Monday, 18 February 2013

Reading and Writing for the artist known as Toro

published in The Philippine Star 13.02.2013
published in Philippine Inquirer 12.02.2013

Thursday, 24 January 2013