You will never Know
the damage done
Until it can’t be mended.
When you ignore
All those things
That people needed you for
All the places
you neede to see,
All you did
Was hand them a favor
By teaching them
How to live without you.
I’m glad
You screwed up.
I promise
They’ll know every day
That leaving
Was always
Best.
I came out of the house
to see my son standing
with these women
in white shorts and button ups
all pastel and glowing in the sun
they tell me about
how this house
was thier home
built by thier father
how his workshop
was in the back room
of the basement
as if to prove they knew
blueprint of the house
they mentioned a fire
and I stood there knowing
they wanted to come in
it made me think about
those people when I was young
that would come to my house
stand on my porch and drink
a can of Pepsi
pat thier foreheads with
a scented napkin
they would talk about
the one room
schoolhouse turned church
that was on our land
today
those women looked at us
like those far away
stale air smelling
folks with heavy cameras
swinging from thier necks
did
like we didn’t deserve
what they left behind
a series of doctored up
memories too weak
to be held to the light
how beautiful you look in the sunlight!
no living creature could compare.
bold and familiar is the look you give (when I smile back, you hide your face in my neck and hair)
your soft laugh is quick and lovely, reminiscent of a dove flying free –
if the sun smiled, she is dull compared to you;
you leave the same impression, yet more blinding for me.
there is something ferocious and natural about my spirit for you
(something blinding, beautiful, and true)
—The horn heads in
making you turn
deep tones
pull you close
sauntering slowly
as the bass reminds you
the only way to move is now
The invitation is sent
the conversation sweet
slow and simmering
sustaining notes
hanging on
long in the air
defying gravity, sanity and
all other sounds
but for these
we would easily
trade in the universe
to slip-slide
with your eternal now,
Charlie Parker!
It started out on my shoulders.
He would add another weight
and I didn’t know I could just let go.
My shoulders are still scarred and hurting.
Then to my legs,
I couldn’t run
mouth frozen in terror
childhood scrapes running deep into scars.
My neck was next
bent over working
or escaping
or maybe both at the same time.
Then after a long anticipation, my head.
Screaming to be let out
clawing at the insides
finally breaking down.
My torso followed shortly afterwards.
It came from a habit I called “stabbing”
Thank God I had the sense to use my elbows
and not a real knife.
A couple years later, in a desperate attempt for affection
my arms gave out.
I used all my strength trying to support them
but now we aren’t close and they have a girlfriend.
Last of all, my feet.
Waiting in line at the baptismal water basin,
crying out
why have you all forsaken me
My heart is encouraged
just by seeing the smiling,
beautiful faces that I love
all gathered around the table
Sharing a meal is such a simple thing,
but the love and conversation flowing freely,
the encouragement and storytelling,
all make the gathering into a special memory.
i’m in love with a country girl
it’s the hardest thing
ignorance surrounds me
and no matter how hard i try to teach her
hearing the word nig***
come out of her mouth
is something i’ll never forget
Long before Orville and Wilbur first dreamt
of sailing among the clouds,
we were able to touch the sky.
With a little rope we could fashion for ouselves wings
and fly. We use metal nowadays, but the magic never changed.
Whether you lecture your grandchildren
on the land before the information superhighway’s construction
or slay the house down with Gucci drip,
a trip to the swingset
is your free ticket to flight.
Scraped knees and lingering bills melt
into the sweet melody of childhood bliss.
Asphalt and tire dust fade into the everlasting
expanse of the great open sky
as your feet brush the beyond.
Lean back and let the swaying leaves
tickle your nose and cast your skin the emerald green of the forest.
Look onward and behold cumulus dragons roaming
the heavens, sun-orange vapors drifting from shining snouts.
Let go of yourself, and soar
into an earth-bound paradise,
a world of what’s possible,
no pixie dust required.
i knew her instantly i
