Three Poems by Catfish McDaris

Portrait At 37

Living each painting
in a dark palette of
potato eaters & miners

Colors drove him mad,
lips quivering with emotion,
tears filling his eyes

His painting of Sorrow, a
naked, pregnant, starving
woman, he lived with in
Amsterdam

Capturing rivers, making
flowers grow, old empty
shoes dance

His brother loved him
& now the world.


The Spanish Juggler

Mandolin & Guitar,
The Jester in bronze,
Triumph of the Dove

Three Musicians,
Young Girl On A Ball,
Family With Monkey

Two Saltimbanques With Dog,
Night Fishing At Antibes,
Lanterns & Spears.


No Remorse
"A nest of vipers is not as deadly as the hunger of one man." an old Shinto proverb

Often I sit in
the parking lot
at work

Watching the sea
gulls & tug boats,
with men wearing
blaze orange caps
at the helm

Listening to David
Baerwald with his
bloody hands on
the cover of his
tape, Triage

Always thinking
about how easy
it would be to
just drive away
from my job

Head for Taos or
Mexico & look
for my amigo,
Torres the matador

I think I too
could kill bulls

Then I look up
from my daydreams
& see a beautiful
woman in a black
patent leather coat
with matching stiletto
high heels

She walks by &
stops in front of
my car & smiles

& I forget who
or where I am.