When I look at those old photos in the book collecting dust in the spare bedroom
I marvel at the fresh-faced kids smiling back at me

how young–
and naiive we were then 
and now

Not fully aware of what was yet to come
the sorrows
the joys
the gift of our partnership through it all

My heart still skips a beat
when I look at the small moment
that microsecond before our eyes meet–
the look that you gave me then
the look that I still catch you giving me now
frozen on the glossy paper for part of eternity

As time speeds up to catch us
and and we slow down to meet it
so we can thank it for this moment before it springs ahead of us
I think how lucky we are to be older
with wisdom growing then
and wisdom collecting now

together

in a new photograph
off a page
on a screen

still with you

stupid can be fun.

i’ll pour my heart out elsewhere.

let me be stupid.

Bullard balls crack and 
spill across the velvet.
The condensation from the soda 
rolls down the back of my hand
Bought my friend an aumoretto sour
made love to it with my eyes

Have you ever been addicted to a person.
It felt like dope withdraw at the end. 
shaking in a hoodie
waiting for you 

One more month and I get my blue chip
Almost have my bronze from you

Oh the stars in your eyes,
I’ve never seen them shine so bright.
This is the kind of thing that makes me want to
tell you I’m in love with you.  

Were you mine, could I keep you?
Could you promise me the world too?
Never enough, brown eyes meet mine
Sign your name, on my mind.

Take me on your whirlwind,
let this new life begin
honestly I’m beggin’
for you to let me love you

Because the stars in your eyes,
I’ve never seen them shine so bright
and all that makes me want to do
is tell you I’m in love with you.

Darkness
water dripping from the eaves
distant traffic

Trees are taking shape
in the blue blackness
conversation of birds
companionable as chickens
invested in their lives
as we are in ours

Daylight
taking intself seriously now
squirrels chasing up and down
aggressive the mode of the day

I am compass–
     the plane tilts northwest
squares rectangles of green & gold
forest, olive, sage, shamrock
seen through a small oval 
window.

Like young King Arthur–
     Merlin has magically wished
me to be a bird, my arms of feathers,
grey, blue, black
a wingspan printing shadows–
now a floating linoleum block print
inked by earth colors 
shaded by water wind clouds.

In this lifetime–
     it did not take Merlin magic 
to show me–
          No boundaries exist

Once, before I learned

 AUTHOR’S NOTE: Step Nine of the Twelve Steps of programs such as A.R.T.S. Anonymous is, “Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.”  

Amassed a list of wrongs to
Make right, if I really ever can.
End at least my own regrets,
Not worrying about the results.
Determined to do better for
Someone other than myself.

Yeeaaahh,
We only found the sign
after we couldn’t find the car.

Thought it was a safe place to park
while at the Kentucky Proud baseball game,
and to be completely fair, it probably was

until about ten minutes before we got back;
the most expensive ten minutes of my life
because tow truckers can be pret-ty damn efficient.

I’ve seen the videos, they can be magical
but being honest, I was stupidly easy prey. 
Natural selection would not have picked me that night.

It’s a new experience, so let’s go full millennial.
Hello! I’m calling ’cause I’m fairly certain you have my car.
You’re open twenty-four hours? I’ll try to get a ride.

Uber driver offers me his best you-poor-bastard laugh
saying, I bring people here at least three times a month.
Hoo-ray. I am idiot of the week.

At the customer service desk, I lead with Hey. I done goofed.
Keep cracking jokes to prove ownership of this mistake.
The guy handling paperwork says I’m taking this very well!

He sits behind bulletproof glass covered in tiny fractures
where I’m told a guy once started pounding so hard
he jammed a knuckle into his forearm.

The lot attendant takes me straight to my car, says
he just brought it in about half an hour ago.
I’m shooting for a world record: Shortest Tow Lot Occupancy.

A few more bereaucratic measures and I’m able to drive out.
Everyone praises my grace and understanding in paying a hundred-fifty
for someone to park my car somewhere else for half an hour.

But hey! 
We won the baseball game at least!
😀