four years ago
a 3-year-old Syrian boy
his lifeless body dressed
in red and blue, palms up,
lay face down on the shores
of the Mediterranean
hours ago
a Salvadoran father and 23-month-old daughter
her tiny right arm draped over his shoulders
lie face down in murky waters
of the Rio Grande
tonight
at Democratic Presidential Debate viewing parties
from LA to DC to sports bars in TriBeCa
seating is first-come-first-served
the candidates rehearse
their responses
Step to the edge
tremble
breathe
gulp dry air
repeat.
Close eyes
anticipate
orange light turning black
behind thin lids
breathe.
Open eyes
spread wings
shake out the dust
display the bright feathers
inch towards the edge
inhale fresh mountain air
exhale.
repeat.
ignore the chasm
embrace the chasm
eyes forward
sweat beading
jump.
flap
struggle
flap
soar
flap
dip
flap
climb
flap
steady
flap
fly.
He finished closing up the kitchen at the Irish pub near campus,
Knocked back his (several) shift shot(s), clumsily climbed on the borrowed bike,
And slowly made his way home.
Weariness and ethanol conspired to rob him of momentum
He pedaled weakly and even more slowly, until
Snake felt the bike slither out from under him,
Foiled by the lack of forward motion and consistent uprightness;
The rider fell right on his side near the curb.
In the postlapsarian seconds, Mr. Conrad heard mean laughter
Bellowing out from the equally besotted gentleman across the street.
As he pointed and jeered at Snake, he strode nonchalantly
Straight into a Stop sign, cracked his bald pate,
Sprawling him out, legs akimbo,
And into oncoming traffic.
1. Take 3 on empty stomach
2 hours before or 1 hour
after eating.
2x a day.
2. Take 1 with full glass
of water.
3x a day.
3. Take full dose
2 hours before
or 2 hours after #1 and 2.
4. Do not take
#1 and 2 at same time.
5. Take 1 daily
to counteract side
effects of #2.
6. Take 1-2 daily
to counteract possible
side effects of #2.
7. Drive with caution.
8. Do not drink alcohol.
9. Do not live your life.
Family of five, it is my job
to clean baseboards on Saturday morning
and wipe down the pantry shelves while I am at it.
When friends clamor for me to finally come out
in the afternoon on the hot asphalt street,
I play along to a game of Hong Kong Phooey.
I mumble-sing Josie and the Pussycats.
I do not know why everyone pays so much attention
to tall, tan, long-haired, bright blonde, Crissy,
but I energetically agree when they all say, “She’s Ideal!”
One tell-tale time, I drop a gum wrapper on the ground
and have to be a slow-witted cowboy for the rest of the day.
When I am in junior high, I work hand in glove
to place the offensive plain white packages of
CHICKEN SOUP and CORNFLAKES and COLA
behind the big red box of Stove Top Stuffing.
Looking back, a very Pink Panther move.
Years later, I buy a necklace from
the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea
and muffle a fake laugh when my friend says
“You look like the OOOO Mighty Isis!”
And, don’t you know, early last Saturday,
chatting with my mentor, he reveals that he helped engineer
the Easy Bake Oven, the Sit and Spin, and the amazing Stretch Armstrong.
Truth be told, the only thing I can smell is hot water and Pine-Sol.
single girl.
working hard in cold city.
kind to all, even cruel boss.
good girl, so lonely.
rough and tumble
blue collar man,
stubble, dirty shirt.
good man inside.
same diner for lunch
every day.
notice each over,
peering over coffee cups.
one day,
robber rushes in,
gun drawn.
girl pushed down.
man helps her up,
puts robber down.
cops come,
know man.
once saved child,
pulling from
fire.
fire between
man and girl grows.
lunch together,
dinner together.
dinner, then drinks,
bed, passion.
ooooooooohhh. hmmmm.
aaaaahhhhh.
love.
girl pregnant.
man wants to marry.
one day,
she says yes.
going to courthouse.
man doesn’t show.
girl heartbroken.
friends say
told her so.
cops from diner
enter, find girl.
say man struck
by speeding car.
he had helped
old lady with bags,
then ran the blocks
in rented suit,
crossing to other side
through traffic.
desperate to get
to courthouse
on time.
man died
as noon bells rang
over courthouse.
seven months later,
baby born.
man’s eyes,
mother’s heart.
I ride the twist and turns.
Snaking my way through
the straight pasaages
are always the easiest.
It’s the curves
those fast slow ones
that present problems.
The ones that sneak up
on me, going from right
to left, forward and back,
before I can blink my eyes,
when up feels like down.
So I ride on only to face
the next curve.
I know we all live
under the same moon.
I know that an identical skeleton
lives in all of our closets.
I know by faith or miracle
we have the same family heirloom.
This pain,
we pass down from each generation.
Only to stuff it into crevices
we hope nobody else will see.
Forgetting each time to check
behind all the other lonely doors.
Vacation
We’re celebrating spring
break with an awesome day
at the lake. Mom packed
sandwiches, and Dad loaded
the fishing gear. I drug out
the old Igloo cooler, now
a faded “sea foam green.”
I filled it with drinks and ice,
and changed into my swimming
trunks; then anxiously awaited
my dad’s famous words:
“And we’re off!”
