Aft

Churning boiling splashing swirling air infused white 

Caps glistening rumbling aft forces propelling 

Vibrations blue deep blue cut angry and disturbed 

Frothing mad a paleness flat rising and falling 

This highway left behind its visibility 

Disintegrating into nets of sea froth whom 

Will ever travel forth this same path of water 

No one knows for sure thick panels of glass frosted

Panes solid immovable hurricane force wind 

Resistant slow sways and sprays lines of light brown sea 

Matter cutting paths toward the tyrannical 

Wake water blown apart formation scattered as 

Far as the eye can see a long flat line even 

Our relentless trail traverses only about 

Half this visible distance before being lost

Swallowed up forever nothing lasting and all 

Just passing into angled panes stained by streaks of 

Ocean salt and ship cleansers while brisk breezes and

A swelling a rising a reclamation to 

Reclaim that which was lost just momentarily 

Melded back together that volume of sea split 

Apart by an imposing bulk a bow so fixed

Rudely separated by revelers travelers 

In a steel hull shell of a structure determined

Disturbed yet transfixed by this hypnotic process 

Of PEACE making to regain a semblance of its 

Stolid demeanor to permit man’s steel hard shelled 

Device to pass through sea foam with no objections 

With no outwardly objections other than this 

Dissipating sea foam trail this dissipation 

This missive sea foam trail that only the sparse inhabitants 

Immediately ABOVE and below might care to read.

Gary Edward Geraci

Just How Things Are

i believe it’s true 

very few people believe 

in You otherwise 

these seats would be filled and the 

crowd would be red on its knees

Gary Edward Geraci

Not Just Slightly Perfected

I Baptismus

An improved version 

Of yourself? No. You 

Won’t want to lust anymore. 

The absence of the evil 

Fall of fallenness 

Will be palatable, 

A gain. 

II Reconciliationis

No slick of nudes,

Draught of vodka,

Or hit of weed 

Will measure up to

This; no

Press of flesh,

Push of power,

III Communio

Blast of freedom,

Will top this.

They’d be simply

Too human.

Rather like bland

And stale and so yesterday.

For this new and 

IV Confirmationis

Eternal glorified 

State, this new you, 

Is the you you

Were always known 

To be in the eyes 

Of your Maker, melded,

The heart of your Creator, 

V Matrimonium

Before these earthly errors, 

And earthbound corruptions.

So Amen: there simply 

Has not been, nor will there 

Ever be, another one

Flesh union quite like us!

Ah, a fine cliche? 

VI Ordines

A command brother!

Commanded into being;

An act of love first and 

While you were yet powerless. 

And you’d want nothing 

Less, after all, being in 

The presence of such a 

VII Unctionem

Magnificent Lover.

The fulfillment of all

Nubile people, nudge and

Play, prurient prose and

Salacious symbol making;

Scabrous stanzas of twentieth

Century thought simply seeking Purity.

-Gary Edward Geraci

Look Up Look Down All On Our Phones

Yes, this is just how things are.

Work today to pay this bill...

Touch to send, you seem so far.

Tap to text my words bizarre;

You’re within arm’s length - but still.

Yes, this is just how things are.

I’d write “say look up, that Star!”

“Can’t, my vision blurred, this pill.”

Touch to send, you seem so far.

The apartment paid, this car

Is new, the payment due still.

Yes, this is just how things are.

Avoid my best: a test or spar,

“I think I’m gonna be ill.”

Touch to send, you seem so far.

We’re separate we’re afar

All according to our will.

Yes, this is just how things are,

Touch to send, you seem so far.

• Gary Edward Geraci

KC Knighted

In memory of Kendrick Castillo

More and more mankind put on guard,

This restless evil can’t be stilled,

Attacking, twisted minds, vision blurred,

Seeking to harm, their own joy killed.

And you showed up ready to give,

You charged the gunman, you changed the course,

And paid the price so others live:

Been raised as knight by King Christ of hearts. 

So it is we call you brother,

The life you lived our example.

Death devil provokes the shooter,

It’s young men who’ll run the scramble.

While old men stroke their long white beards;

Nods of approval, admiration;

And ladies share kisses and tears;

You’ve won the day and our affection.

True, all are called to be heroes;

Yes: men and women of virtue;

Progressed in learning and theories.

Gift of grace may the Ghost guide you!

Yet too many, caught-up, feelings:

Weak and sickly, walled-in, can not speak;

Shunning those who’d help, and healings;

Feasts of inward hate; to harm they seek.

Mark the day, we will not crater,

We’ll love the loathing, bent over, pained,

Lift them, show them something greater

Than killing and leaving others maimed.

And so we gather in your honor,

Applaud your valor, we’re united,

Romans 12:21 our banner;

Our ovation: KC Knighted!

-Gary Edward Geraci

On August 6, 2019 the Knights of Columbus “bestowed [Kendrick] Castillo posthumously with the Knights’ highest award - the Caritas Award - and encouraged Knights to stand and vote to grant Castillo full membership in the Knights of Columbus, which they did with a standing ovation.” National Catholic Register - August 18, 2019