Balance...

The subtle balance of my soul,
Surrounded by a stormy world,
Contains a quality, deep within,
Which puts my ship of life
On even keel and gently sails
Through all the tempests
And through times of stress
Along its own and certain path,
With Will and Hope and Faith,
Till that eternal darkness
Ends my voyage.....

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Inquisition, Stalin, etc.

If Jesus and Marx could only see,
How a splendid and noble idea
Would cause wars and misery,
They'd rise from their graves
And shout at you and me:
'What fools these mortals be!'

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Death

Death comes to us
In many a form,
He is a visitor we scorn,
Yet, in a life
Filled with uncertainty,
Death is the only guaranty.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Jenny

When I was young
And at life's crest,
With heart and soul,
I loved her best,
Her eyes,
An emerald green,
Her lips,
A deep, red gleam,
Her wavy hair,
A golden sheen,
Velvety to the touch,
Her pearly white skin,
A vision of beauty,
Rarely seen,
But my great affair,
A might have been,
For she was -
A lesbian queen...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Two Dolphins

There once were two dolphins,
They swam in the sea,
Always together they'd be,
Till one of them was caught
In a fisherman's net,
An accident,
But the poor dolphin was dead.
The surviving dolphin
Now travels the sea - all alone,
Just can't understand
Why his partner is gone,
Searching for his mate - forever,
Not knowing
That he'll find her - never.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

The Fittest Predator Survives

We are all carnivorous beasts,
But to the world we do appear
Thinly covered with a civilized veneer,
Our manners are salutary,
Yet, our instincts are predatory,
In a world where the shark survives,
While small fish pay with their lives.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

The Pleasure-Pain Principle

Most people will refrain
From relationships causing pain,
But in unions bringing pleasure,
They'll participate in full measure,
Thus, if your spouse is your pleasure,
Hold him close - he is a treasure,
But if he's a constant pain,
Dump him,
From his course he won't abstain,
All your efforts are in vain,
Find an other and stay sane.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Hurricanes

The hurricanes brought
Great devastation
To the Southern part of our nation,
But the insurance companies
Used all kinds of machinations
To escape their obligations,
With good lawyers and fine print,
As a clever, crooked stint,
Just as condo managements
Grew rich and fat,
By syphoning repair kickbacks,
While government stood idly by,
Ignoring crooks who cheat and lie.

Lets put those guilty people into jail,
And keep them there for years,
With not a chance for any bail!

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Times of Wine, Honey and Strife

The agony and the ecstasy
Have been the story of my life,
And in my waning years,
I do recall them well,
My days of paradise,
My nights of hell,
A strange, enchanting trip,
- up to that final bell...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Marcel's Theory

At the speed of light,
Cutting through
The black of night,
Time stands still
And always will,
Same as neurons
Traveling along a nerve,
Creating new thoughts,
Which will forever serve,
And long after we're gone,
Our dreams and ideas,
Forever will live on ....

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Compu-Man

Soon, man and computer will be one,
The unsupported brain to be gone,
Electronic chips to be inserted,
And man to a semi-machine converted,
No more schools or lengthy orientation,
But electronic mind manipulation,
With built in wafers an instant education,
A mechanical ant hill, a fantastic creation!

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Statue of Liberty 2006

Give me your rotten remnants
Of your aids-infested shore,
Give me your scummy druggies
Trying to make a score,
To senile folks open the door,
Invite the Arab terrorists,
Who never visited before,
And let all crooks and thieves
Raid our Treasury's store,
And when you hear
Doom's final bell,
Don't ask, don't ask,
Why did the US go to hell....

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

To my Loved Ones

Do not stand at my grave and cry,
My spirit is awake - I did not die,
Buried below, my soul does not lie,
I am the whisper in the breeze,
I am the rustle in the trees,
I am the glint in the morning snow,
I am the sunset in the evening glow,
I am the haze on the glittering sea,
I am there, when you remember me,
I'll always be with you,
Wherever you'll be......

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Mother

She gave me the most precious gift,
An inner quality beyond all measures,
Greater than all this world's treasures,
Far better than all passing pleasures,
More valuable than all the knowledge
Of hell below or heavens above,
She taught me the nature of love....

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

The Holocaust

I'm in the winter of my life,
One of the few who did survive,
The camps, the killings and the strife,
I wonder if the memories will linger on,
Once the last one of us is gone...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Driving in Florida

They drive their ancient, rocky cars,
Don't look at lights, but at the stars,
They do not see, they do not hear,
Of traffic cops they have no fear,
Stop signs and crossings they ignore,
Amassing fender benders by the score,
With happy seniors on the drive,
It's difficult to stay alive,
So watch your front and watch your back,
Or you'll wind up in some messy wreck...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Early Bird in Florida

At four o'clock
They stretch and run,
Before the early bird is gone,
The high point of the day - the feast,
When all frustration is released,
The flanken and gefilte fish
Or any other favorite dish,
The calories are piling up,
The feeding frenzy does not stop,
In wheelchairs and with walkers do they come,
And do not leave till all the food is gone,
Yes, every senior is a happy winner,
When he's done with his early bird dinner...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Try to be...

Try to be pleasant to everyone,
- however, this is just a sham,
try to pretend a high morality,
- however, quietly cover carnality,
try to be honest and true,
- however, this just puts one in a stew,
success, then, is to seem quite nice,
- however, silently practice every vice...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Selective Perception

Each mind within this mortal clay
Perceives the world in a different way,
Causing each individual's perception
To be tinted by a dissimilar reception,
The world one finds delightfully sublime,
May to some other be in decadent decline,
Thus, each man's nature-nurture syndrome
Does his environmental world define...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Florida Ladies

Like the bees strive for the honey,
Ladies chase the men with money,
And the girls will claw and fight
For the men who drive at night,
Even wife killers getting out of jail
Have girls waiting to make bail.
Yes, the ladies will do all the can
To capture a functioning man,
Widows, divorcees and the single gal
Follow the Florida mating call,
And the men, they love it too,
When they find somebody new...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Old Man John

Now, that John is old and gray,
Misfortune rules his day,
His loving wife has passed away,
His money and his health are gone,
And he is helpless and alone,
His life is just a hopeless mess.
His children?
They could not possibly care less.
At this stage John is asking why,
It is not best for him to die...

Millions of Johns are in our land,
And no one gives a helping hand!

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

String Theory and Nothingness

Some come to the conclusion,
That matter and life are but delusion,
We live in a narcotic bliss,
In a world which seems, but never is,
For all matter is mostly empty space,
With strings of energy its basic place,
Where also mind and matter are the same
In this illusionary game...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Never Say 'Never'

Never, ever 'never' say,
For the unexpected, extraordinary
May surprisingly come your way,
Your wife and your lover may
Accidentally meet in some small cafe,
And together, they could run away,
Your trusted business partner,
With his voice of honey,
May clean you out,
Taking your money,
Or you might open the mail and see,
You won the million dollar lottery,
Or when you go to sleep one night,
You may not ever wake again
To see the morning light,
So never, ever 'never' say,
The unexpected may
Just come your way...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Reverse Robin Hoods

We give to the rich,
And take from the poor,
Reverse Robin Hoods
Are we - for sure,
'Compassionate Conservatives',
Political hoods - simple and pure,
We cut all benefits and Medicare,
But to our paying lobbyists,
We devote the greatest care,
We make the selection
And buy each election,
And practice seduction
Through public corruption,
We talk about 'values',
But are rather callous,
We simply don't care,
For life is not fair...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Might Have Been...

We hope and dream
Throughout life's scene,
But then, fate has its own
Predestined scheme,
Leaving us with -
All that might have been...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Hungarian Gypsies 1935

At the village end,
On a flowery field,
The gypsy wagons stand,
And on quiet, moonlit nights,
Music drifts down from their camp,
Haunting notes from their gypsy band,
Melodies from a people apart,
Plaintive, sweet and melancholy,
They do break my heart.

They were burned in the ovens
At Auschwitz one day,
But on quiet, moonlit nights,
I still hear my gypsies play...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Applicant at Methadone Center

Chase the cold turkey blues,
And get the bread for the next fix,
Two C's worth of stuff for the day,
Had to rip off some dudes,
Early in the morning,
Around Chelsea,
Last one gave me static,
And I cooled him with my blade,
Stuck him good,
And split
Before the pigs came,
Brought the loot
To the connection,
And got me a quarter of dope,
Took it to the shooting gallery,
And got me a high,
Not as good as it used to be,
There's just never enough...
But man, I'm tired of the hassle,
Running, going nowhere,
Worrying about tomorrow's rip-off,
Gimme a chance, man,
Put me on today,
I'm beat, so damn beat,
Tired of cutting dudes,
Tired of the street...
I want to be like them dudes,
With the ties, all clean and nice...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Nature is Predatory

The perpetuation of the race
Seems to be nature's
Most redeeming grace,
That's why the fittest
Predator survives,
While the weaker
Of the specie or the race
Pay with their lives,
Thus, decency, fairness, morality,
Turn into nature's fatality,
For in a world,
Where big fish eat little fish,
Morality is but a hopeless wish.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Beware!

Beware of god appointed leaders,
Pontificating on 'gods, values
And chauvinistic religiosity',
With their redundant blathering,
They'll lead our country
Into a fundamentalist theocracy,
Where, in reality, oil magnates
And robber barons will rule the state,
And fascist overlords determine our fate,
Like past dictators once did,
Preaching war and hate.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Glenn Miller

Moving, moving...wild,
Going to the top of the world,
The id - id -id,
Rhythm, beat, intensity,
Nothing, except to go! go! go!
With the joy of life,
And we - dreaming down below
Of your plane up high,
At the zenith of life and success,
Flaming through the skies,
Leaving the world at the climax,
The climax before decay,
In the midst of joy,
Man - you lived right!
Man - you died right!

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Slums

The slums and the ghetto
Have turned my fresh, bright soul
Into a crooked thing,
A thing which slinks
Through dark and twisted alleys,
Forgetting miseries in dope and drink,
I loved the clear and beautiful once too,
When I was young and full of hope,
- Like you, like you...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Blame

When men are underlings,
Fate, parents, wives they blame,
But in reality, it is their nature,
Will and attitude which fail
To bring success and fame...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Hero?

Said the imam
To his suicide bomber:
'Blow up the infidel,
Don't wait any longer,
If, Allah forbid, you delay,
With the virgins in heaven,
You won't have your way,
And the Saudis won't pay
For your family's stay,
Just blow yourself up,
And amongst our heroes,
You'll be at the top.'

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Freedom for Iran

Defiantly a nation lifts its weary head,
A pulse of freedom cursing through its veins,
And in their souls immortalized
The anguish of their dead,
Boldly denying rights
Which the oppressors claim.

A spark, sublime, unites
These people in their plight,
Agaist the theocratic reign,
Beacons of freedom burning bright,
All hell and death proudly defied.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Shabby Genteel

"There is someone at the door,
Seems, I've seen this seedy chap before."

"Ah yes, I see him now,
Just let him in - I know him well,
He went from heaven to hell,
Came from a wealthy, old family,
Bad investments, he fell into poverty,
But in spite of loss of money and face,
He's still a man with class, style and grace.
Now, he's a member of the shabby genteel;
Strange, how fate will a man's fortune seal."

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Love, Sex and War

It's love which makes the world go 'round,
Those sexual habits - satisfying, sound,
Without it - offspring won't be found,
They are a most delicious occupation,
The greatest thrill in any nation,
And if people love each other well,
Humanity will never go to hell,
Except, we'll soon run out of space,
And need some wars to curb our race...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Breakup

They lived together
For a very long time,
While marriage and family
Were still in style,
But with the advent
Of sexual liberation,
They saw the animosity
In their relation,
Shook hands very politely,
And parted quite blithely.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

To Baruch College

To free the spirit
And move the boundaries
From the narrow provincialism
To a wider comprehension,
From the doldrums of confinement
To the larger view,
Extending the geography of the mind
Towards a deeper perception,
From crudeness to sophistication;
What on earth could be nobler than that?

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Compassionate Conservatives?

They talk of Honor, Country,
And of God,
Of Justice and Integrity,
And other righteous platitudes,
While deep within
A dark and decadent abyss
Holds evil and corruption
Of the most vicious kind,
Reflecting a society
Whose sickness grows
With every passing day,
Till no return is possible...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Applicant at Methadone Center

Chase the cold turkey blues
And get the bread for the next fix,
Two C's worth of stuff for the next day,
Had to rip off some dudes,
Early in the morning
Around Chelsea,
Last one gave me static,
And I cooled him with my blade,
Stuck him good,
And split
Before the pigs came,
Brought the loot
To the connection,
And got me a quarter of dope,
Took it to the shooting gallery,
And got me a high,
Not as good as it used to be,
There's just never enough...
But man, I'm tired of the hassle,
Running, going nowhere,
Worrying about
Tomorrow's rip-off,
Gimme a chance, man,
Put me on today,
I'm beat, so damn beat,
Tired of cutting dudes,
Tired of the street,
I want to be like them dudes
With the ties, all clean and nice...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Last Flower

When winter's iron fist
Touches the last flower's
Vivid bloom,
Condemns it to oblivion,
And wilted fall its petals
To the freezing ground,
Till naught is left,
The sky, the gentle
Whispering breeze,
And God, himself,
Will still remember
That so sacred spot
Where once a part
Of beauty lived...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Game

Every morning I take the cattle cars
Into the yellow city,
Past all the unsmiling faces,
Mirrors of infinite desperation,
Dulled by the numbness of indifference,
The midtown slaughterhouse is my destination,
The arena where gladiators in shabby suits
Perform for subsistence;
But yesterday it all seemed ludicrous to me,
And I bursted out laughing,
Right in the subway,
Suddenly everyone looked at me,
For I had violated the rules of the game,
The game?

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

The Mask

There's a successful chap,
Who has it made,
So happy, self-assured
Is his facade,
But what's behind that mask?
Better don't ask,
I know him well,
Although he'd never tell,
His life is hell...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Plea of Survivor

Pray, treat me gently,
Pray, treat me well,
I survived Auschwitz,
I've been through hell,
I've seen my loved ones
Go up in flames,
Smoke in the sky,
Six million names,
Pray, treat me gently,
Pray, treat me well,
I survived Auschwitz,
I've been through hell...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Nostalgia

On nights like these,
Sweet scent of jasmine in the air,
And moonbeams dancing on the silvery palms,
With crickets chirping through the night,
I think of you, my love,
And wonder if you sometimes think of me...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Aftermath

There is a silence in my home,
I sit and stare at walls - alone,
The center of my life, my love - is gone,
Murdered by savages with hearts of stone,
My sweet and gentle flower,
Turned into ashes
In Manhattan's gleaming tower,
There are no tears left in my eyes to shed,
The best I ever knew - my Rose is dead...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Twin Towers 9/11/01

Our Twin Towers,
Proud symbols of success,
They're gone,
Left us with broken hearts
And crumbling stone,
Three thousand innocents
Have ceased to be,
Left, torn to shreds
In burnt debris,
Murdered by vicious men,
Fanatics from across the sea,
A sleeping giant they awoke,
A mighty power they set free,
When our Towers fell
Through wicked infamy.

Beware, you terrorists,
Wrath may condemn your land
By our people's
Strong avenging hand,
For thee might toll
that final bell,
Turn all your towns
Into a radioactive hell...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

The Towers

The gleaming towers are no more,
It's not the same world as it was before,
The enemy is here - he's passed our door,
The savage anarchist of a darker past
Has come to our shore - at last,
Let us not go into eternal night,
If we are not to perish - let us fight,
We won't accept such ravages
From those fanatic savages,
We have the weapons and the force
To heap destruction on those devils
- at their source,
The sleeping giant of the West
Is now awake,
Those Arab terrorists made a mistake...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Since You're Gone

My life is but an empty shell,
Since you are gone,
My former heaven turned to hell,
Staring at walls in my lonely room,
My world - a place of gloom,
Within my soul - a sense of doom,
My one and only consolation
Are sweet memories of you,
The rest is silent desperation,
Still do I hope and pray,
We'll meet again
Some lucky day,
Don't know where or when...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Buzzards of Corruption

Hark, you buzzards of corruption,
Politicians flying high,
Getting fat on public money,
While in Iraq children die,
Our young men losing lives,
Don't know really why,
While 'Compassionate Conservatives',
Actually robber baron thieves,
Cut the taxes for their upper classes,
But cut benefits for the masses,
Waving flags, praising the Republic,
While they fleece and damn the public,
Though I think, they've drained their cup,
Comes election - their time is up!

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

Modern Times

Black power, white power, red power,
Green power - money power,
Hippy power - without shower,
Miniskirts - excessive stimulation,
Malthusian problem - overpopulation,
Changing sexual norms,
No virginity - parental storms,
Love, love, love - birth control pills,
Blood clots, discomfort and some chills,
Religious reforms - God is retired,
Topless habits for nuns,
Maybe the old boy was fired,
Atom bombs and overkill,
Gay excursions to some Iraq hill,
Anthrax bombs for germ warfare,
Napalm spread with loving care,
Have a fried baby, served on toast,
Or a yummy people roast,
Marxist theories, Islamic jazz,
Compassionate Conservatism
Or some other mess,
Fidel Castro or another neurotic,
Or Bush, who is less exotic,
Welfare clients in Cadillacs,
While the middle classes
Join the proletariat,
And everywhere you look,
- nothing but hair,
I see, you feel sick,
Sit down, have a chair,
I'll give you some dope,
And all will seem fair.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

To a Pretender

You spoke of love,
Yet mercenary was your soul,
To play and act,
Eternally just seemed your goal,
You spoke of love,
And yet your eyes were steel,
Your mouth caressed,
Your soul just seemed to feel,
But far beneath it all
Is emptiness, unreal,
Only your outer shell
Might have some sex appeal,
To gain advantage
Is your aim and will,
To love someone
And later send the bill,
What can I tell you now,
How shall I feel?
I only know one thing,
You think you capture much
With all this zeal,
And maybe you are right,
But all these values, ever,
I would not trade
For something real.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz

The Candidates

They smile, cajole, affect a toothy grin,
Shake hands, make promises, stick out their chin,
Kiss filthy babies with abandon and delight,
Secretly gargle disinfectants after such a blight,
In fields of corn they stand behind an oxen team,
While on the side they quickly take an antihistamine,
They'll pledge to farmers subsidies,
To businessmen a profit's increase,
To union labor wages for no work at all,
Promise to short men that they'll make them tall,
Give pensions, welfare, benefits galore,
Accompanied by tax decreases by the score,
They promise whites that they'll curb blacks,
And vow to blacks, they'll check white cats,
To doves they gently promise peace,
To hawks they forecast war's increase,
Oh yes, those ordinary men
Will do for power what they can,
For good men are too dear for jobs like these,
Such tasks require mediocre expertise.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz