“ We Proceed “ ...

“ We Proceed “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

We proceed hearing creatures
slithering and stampeding
beneath the crying out of trees

feathers on the wing
as if harkening
to outlines in “V”s
on future green fields

tasting the bitter
and the sweet
innocently balancing
like anthered lilies
expelling intense scents...

“ Within Days “ ...

” Within Days “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Within days
seeking emergency stays
peppered with distaste
for rampant speculation
having boomed over decades
carrying posters reading,
“Standing room only”
for local foods and groceries
signing, “What’s in a name?”
being deemed, “intimate takes”
when toasted by tastemakers...

“ Playing Hardball “ ...

” Playing Hardball “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Playing hardball
wholeheartedly endorsed
offering warnings
at second headquarters
largely because of rents soaring

under development
while being aggressively bid against
getting peppered with dissent
culminating in successes
with compellingly inventive
win/win measures...

“ Made No Mention “ ...

” Made No Mention “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Made no mention
of intrepid investors
under threats
of nuclear weapons

jarring homeless residents
exasperated by contenders
atop tensions of “Good Shepherds”
offering extensive unseen efforts
from both the living and the dead

having encountered
uncomfortable questions
from ectoplastic protests
as unofficial upsets
in science and medicine...

“ A Vow “ ...

” A Vow “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

A vow of partly cloudy
to partly sunny
for steamy summers
as stray thunder
rumbles above
skimpy summits
like punch-drunk antitrusts
conundrums setbacks struggles
disgruntled lovers
significantly exculpatory
romantic longing
re-opening doors for causes
that can no longer
be contained anymore
dragging fingernails
across chalkboards
in order to signal the right call
deemed feeling, “cautiously loyal”...

“ Having Nothing “ ...

“ Having Nothing “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Having nothing to hide
blending effortlessly
into velvety preciousness
like “Best Friends Forever”

devilishly irreverent
ceaselessly creative
passionate innovation

exquisitely printed and framed
daily destinations as inspiration
being likened to undissipated heydays...

“ A Matter “ ...

” A Matter “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

A matter of pride
and flagrant surprise
plus entitlement
yet feeling obliged
to vainly try
“To do what’s right”
having been threatened
many times
by hatchets and knives
unhesitant to fire
toward radiators and tires
while keeping both sides
of the story in mind...

“ Home Made “ ...

” Home Made “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Home made informally
as back talk unleashes havoc
“Pay attention out there!”

making it on air unprepared
by communal setting-of-standards
lacking in candor it’s all about abandon...

“Sizing Up” ...

“ Sizing Up “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Sizing up tumult
donning hard hats
to demolition parties
issuing magic markers
during shaky opening starts

earning high marks
boarding early-mourning
departures for the once forgotten
headed for loading docks in crime novels
by riding coattails and sipping cocktails
while relying on magic carpet rides...

“ In the Face “ ...

“ In the Face “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

In the face
calls for restraint
armed and able

obviated lectures
still proclaimed
being outweighed
by groundbreaking
charity from nature

“Men carry
their superiority inside;
animals outside.”

documenting places of honor
like a hierarchical god
as an expert marksman
no need for false modesty...

“ Totally “ ...

” Totally “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Totally reasonable
righteous even
painfully clear

both legend and fact
reacting accordingly
scaring away any boar

ears back ready to attack
uncannily at random
yet extensively first hand

acting at full capacity
as boundary-keeping
males and females

shamanic tigers
notwithstanding
luxuriant guard hairs...

“ Seemed “ ...

“ Seemed “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Seemed pre-destined
understandably accepted
upon passing inspection
having acquired new dimensions
via “Scarlet Letters”
as all-the-better-far-flung adventures
front and center culinary mentors
being tasted in segments
of arresting sequences from funky menus
mimicking artisan methods
made with scorched lemons
far from nonentities like pitted cherries...

“ Unless “ ...

“ Unless “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Unless otherwise noted
no shoo goody-two shoes
including rather private rules
deemed, “The acuteness
of unspoken rules”
for photographing humans
in the pursuit
of coital opportunities
expressed metaphorically
as, “Making music”
arriving via streaming archives
called, “Safe at home plate”
by masked umpires
while crouching on the front lines
being likened to, “Artists’
sex-driven lives” ...

“ Where “ ...

“ Where “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Where or whether teachers
can teach themselves
with a hand up in a new land
where barriers lag
via laptops anywhere
uncertainty prevailing
take bold stands
while still on campus
as catalysts reform frats
pens to power...

“ In Search “ ...

“ In Search “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

In search of a reason
like modern lead ins
sweet tubers leggy waders
coming well within range
of reconfigured landscapes
weightlessly accentuated
arcanely stowed away
with weakening strangeness
as the quaintest case of old notations
through spirited portrayals
and cult favorites of sex-bomb updates...

“ Included “ ...

” Included “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Included adaptations
like biopic forays
with implifications
of a “Lost Coltrane”

ground-shaking horse races
being delivered on stage
as a steady improvisation
band cut that day
with alternative takes

having attempted to wrangle
between swinging and straight
theater spaces of fact and speculation
free of contemporary names
sashaying, boldly saying, “Walk this way!”...

“ Safely “ ...

“ Safely “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Safely back
not taken for granted
tougher than nails
knowing family
both parents days after
small knapsacks
having been spared
actuality
while moving
in a linear fashion
feeling vulnerable
to dominant males
inconceivably
compared to a man-eater
as a calculated audacity
checking traps
sheltering in branches
under a commanding
grasp of a barrel
where nothing happens - no matter...

“ Beyond “ ...

“ Beyond “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Beyond
a request
and a nod
of a marksman

no need for modesty
all but guaranteed
boar or deer

over extended periods
being tracked continuously
while literally sleeping
and eliciting no neutral feelings

snow deepening
observing deciphering
in total silence

needing to kill to survive
via unprecedented violence
deemed, “primal”

unconceptualized
blood sacrifice
saber-toothed tigers

hunger thirst climate
deeper insights
hyena lion pre-fire...

“ At the Outset “ ...

” At the Outset “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

At the outset
of the conceptual
numbers and letters
successfully connected
as a presence uninterrupted
by booing and heckling

not giving up hope yet
presumably meant
like a pipe bend
of, “You Betcha!”

confident implements
a little dense minus incident
alteration and neglect
restored by affection

based on harlequin
conventions
not worth questioning
by long-sought-after
artists-in-residence

accentuating predicaments
however distressing
stowed-away conceits
making baubles of a step

indicating strangeness
weakening
the power that’s left
worked from memory...

“ An Affectionate Portrait Lost “ ...

” An Affectionate Portrait Lost “

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

An affectionate portait lost
beguiled by gaunt
off-kilter suspended balls

never been offered a choice
of exploding with applause
or growing through walls
due to creative forces

circling around corners
with the poise
of allegorical choral voices
within a pictorial out of doors

yet never really feeling
exhausted but very often deemed
exploited as is entirely the point

having drawn distortions
while tripping along
inscrutable game boards...

“ Less Common “ ...

” Less Common “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Less common
than believed
glitches
exposing millions
as exaggerated
gig economies
hit pretty hard
via dangerous
chemicals
on the market
being
identified on Mars
having survived harsh
bombardment
by waste products
found in meteor pockets...

“Ups and Downs” ...

” Ups and Downs “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Ups
and downs
opposites
attract
like letting
the steppes
get trampled
as plants
and animals
don’t stand
a chance

pleading
for total bans
having taken
heavy tolls
on old-
fashioned
champions

advocating
fragrant
blossoms
on branches
by a fanged
straw man
for population
crashes
with the biggest
racks

along with a handful
of fanciful overlaps
for choice habitats
along tributaries
of the latter

flowing quickly past
hunting barracks
taking note of tiger tracks...

“ Visiting the Ancient “ ...

“ Visiting the Ancient “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Visiting
the Ancient
each day
via topiary
left unscathed
and still playful
unprepossessing gates
no two the same
precisely crazed
back in the day
as eccentric shapes
along swollen banks
of prior mistakes
fully embraced...

“ Sunshine then Clouds “ ...

” Sunshine then Clouds “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Sunshine then clouds
relapsing cloaked in ash
subordinates acting
upon sanctions late in the day
impending investigations
everyone else must obey
clouds breaking rain
vowing to change
access to information
exhausted humanely
melting landscapes
exposing risk-taking
with high stakes freeze frame...

“ Not Gone Unnoticed “ ...

“ Not Gone Unnoticed “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Not gone unnoticed
no need for chemo
think trickling graffiti
for dry mini-VGs
post cancer surgery

as painless sex gets
more and more expensive
with and without consent
for tricky hormonal therapies

like folklore baddies
deemed, “Slammin’ Sammy”
having issued new standards
for bats finishing six strokes back

while cliffhangers
come at a scary standstill
completely free of detail
lacking in candor

gone hunting
for wild muscari
in woodland plantings
for example

also available elsewhere
for popular sale
of the relatively rare
hillside scramble...

“ Like Never Before “ ...

” Like Never Before “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Like never before
cascading waterfall
as food for thought

along sea floors as corals
bear the brunt of storms
via orgies of mass spawning

responding to warmer waters
and disastrous die-offs
in deeper waters

edging forward
halting onslaughts
palatial walls
breaking points...

“ Impossible “ ...

“ Impossible “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Impossible
to accurately tally
the collective impacts
of living big cats
down to the patterning
of shamanic critical masses
as songs and banners
confound matters

like first-hand prowling
in flimsy barracks
then stepping slowly backwards
as if feeling threatened or attacked
while bordering on the romantic
getting caught in amber...

“ Not Over “ ...

” Not Over “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Not over
open
to hope

drawing
closer
stopping
short

at a full boil
ready to recoil
feeling cut off

scaling
impenetrable walls
prefixed with “warrior”
hopping on point...

“ Easy Pieces “ ...

” Easy Pieces “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Easy pieces
odd museums
not-to-be-missed
sun-kissed skin
mega platinum
radiance unmasked

destination status pleasures of travel
great-and-powerful
world-renowned Triple Crowns
at a gallop of sensual acts
racing ‘round the track
ecstatically relaxed post climax...

“ Figured In Visions “ ...

“ Figured in Visions “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Figured in visions
preparing to cringe
via wireless systems
and virtual currencies

pulling in millions
upon bidding for Sprint
but being kept in no-frills limbo
while lagging in microchips
for the very very rich

as markets skid due to tariffs
for passenger aircraft
and peanut butter sales
where women remain scarce
due to “imbalances in crackers”
proclaiming, “The Earth is still flat!”...

“ At Least Partly “ ...

” At Least Partly “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

At least partly
out of grasp
allowing push-back
strategy dangling
concessions
creating leverage
fueling ascent
removing objectionable
quarter centuries
of hedged bets
left undetected
as secret questions
spooked by the “hi-tech”
of competing messages
attempting
to redefine epic truth-telling...