Dear You,

Trying to Start on an "Up" Note

You shoulda seen the

huge eerie gorgeous
triangular herds of birds
ricocheting around the narrow valley
rippling and squawking and shitting
this morning.

(I'm trying to start on an "Up" Note
before the whining begins in earnest)

There are more birds now
than in the future
I'm sure of it

Lucky birds ---
high enough to see
the food-filled flatlands



My Ad

It cracks me up
that when you reply to me
your e-mail contains ads!!!

Here's my ad!

Bouncing Merrily

After the All-Company Meeting
all day my mood was like the stuff
on the pack mule in front of me . . .

. . . gradually gradually gradually
sagging

until some bag of pancake batter
or box of ammunition
goes bouncing merrily down the creekbank

and the whole company stops

and swears

and loosens all the ropes
and tries to jam everything up high on the mule again

I got into an utter depressing
"What am I doing with my life?!"

by mid afternoon


The Gang Crossing a Creek





Flip Out

One of the sweet Heavy Metal
Goth Rock Kids
flipped out today

They sent him to me
(like they often do}
And Skip handed him the reins
and let him walk beside me
while I rode Nastibelle

The Idiotic Protocol back here
requires that Knights ride
and Squires & Grooms walk
(I'm playing Knight this month)

. . . when the natural thing
would have been to let the kid ride

he was sobbing and hyperventilating
it was terrible

So I listened and tried gingerly
to figure out what was up

Turns out it's his sister's birthday
and he's guilty he couldn't send her anything
They were basically orphans together

. . . anway, we patched him up
and wrote her a funny poem
that he sent tonight already on this laptop


Our Story So Far

. . . so's you can understand the impact
of the bombshell Regine dropped today . . .

1) All last Spring and Summer
we shuffled up and down the Po Valley
between Greater Venice and Greater Milan
looking cool,
negotiating double deals,
and trying our damndest not get into a fight.
Meetings, meetings, meetings!

2) By Autumn when we finally inked a contract
with the Viscontis of Milan
it was the end of the fightin' season!
Time to pack up the weapons and
go to Winter Camp! Woo hoo!

3) Winter Camp in Switzerland:
working out, sleeping, drinking, telling stories
Did I mention being bored out of our minds?

4) Then they told us the only thing we'd have to do
before going Home
is make a ceremonial appearance
at this big Visconti Wedding Party in Milan
at the beginning of June

Co-Ed Pee Break
on the Trail


(we're way beyond modesty)

Skip Hovering for the Laptop

Skip is next in line to use this laptop

I can see him glaring with theatrical impatience
out of the corner of my eye
But I when I look over
his face softens and he looks at the tent-roof sweetly
by candlelight

now he's saying mock-sarcastically:
"What? What? Why are you staring at me?
Take all the time you want!"

so I've gotta hurry

Company Meeting: The New Business Plan

An All-Company Meeting is never a good thing.



After breakfast Regine announces that there's a

"reason"

we're going to the Visconti Wedding in Milan
(I knew there was something strange about it, god damn it!)

The corporation wants her to go
meet with an English General Contractor

the man they call Sir John Hawkwood

and fucking try to sign on with his army

and actually go campaign for Milan for a while!!!

They told us Hawkwood was our enemy!

They switch sides so often back here
it makes your head spin!
Just like Afghanistan.

They told us we wouldn't have to fight!

We all thought we were home free.


Enough About Me

So sorry to read that you had to work
late again.

Did you make it to yoga?


Tell your supervisor they'd better
hire a replacement for what's-her-face
Tell 'em you can't be expected to carry
the whole team on your back!!!


Are you wearing your wrist braces, my friend?
Are you taking care of your computer-sore hands?
Are you switching your mouse from the left side
to the right side and back?


Here's the view


. . . of the gorgeous Italian landscape

I had today


But, Hey, What Am I Worried About?

The worst that could happen is that we get bought
by another company . . . we'd have to change
banners and logos
big "boo hoo"


Look deep into History
and you will find
yours truly,

Bert Hault