aware

and forever
and forever
black and singing
almost screaming
schreeling
were it were
a word
blocked by insight
spitting
at its creator

excuse

the day
gets away
what can i say?

the season is here
for heartfelt apology
i pledge to work more

locked out

it is dark
and cold now
colder
than it seems and
than it should be

we will find
the key and soon
i promise
there are many
more places

til then
sit here
sit with me
hold on
hold tighter

worry not
i am here
and warm
warmer to the touch
than i should be

buttermilk biscuits
tight, tight pants and hot biscuits
i should write a song

time slows

rolling
     running
          laughing
caught on the playground
spinning
     spinning
          spinning
stuck seemingly forever
skinning
     crying
          forgetting
aching to grow up

pause

i am
frozen
my anger
ends at
your
doorstep
release
relief
for a time

first
without pause
through all doubt

canadian ham
no, canadian bacon
i’ll have eggs with that

advisory

a hurricane
     is coming
barefoot
wrapped in a
     summer dress
what there
     is of it
distracting
     with kisses
     with coos
make no mistake
a hurricane
     is coming
soft lips
warm breath
     and all

grass
stings sweaty
arms and legs

regret

and i am driving down park avenue in memphis tennessee and i am passing the second driveway to the hospital and i am passing my last chance and i am sure you want to see me and i am sure you are alone and i am just as scared as you and i am just not ready yet and i am never ready and i am never going to be and i am at another liquor store and i am not sober and i am too sober and i am on my way home and i am turning off park avenue and i am not going to make it and i am not going to call you and i am not going to apologize and i am already wishing that i had and i am out of forgiveness

falling
down on
the job again

summer heat and sweat
sticky clothes sticky vinyl
welcome to my town

when our freedom is gone,
the fireworks will be so much
louder than today.

ohio is gone
no rabbits and no goat’s milk
ohio is gone

death causes people
to forget their decency.
barbarians, all

television show
so much better than a book
that’s what i believe

santa fe

dusty
and desolate
brown
and sparse
more empty
than not
yet
fullchockfull
of that
which i have
no need

mud and rock and straw
seeking a new direction
rush down the driveway

penitent

i have
cut off all my hair
i have
been my own delilah
i have
sat in ash and sackcloth
i have
repented and confessed
i have
begged for my forgiveness

transportation

planes roar
overhead
seemingly
on the minute
so distant
the sound begins
have we a guest?
an intruder?
hard to know
more a rumble now
storm rolling?
no, skies are clear
the jet arrives
passes
drifts away

should haikus report
the day's events so plainly?
that’s not poetic.

a day approaches
welcome relief releasing
as water cleanses

boiled eggs and chicken
salt, pepper, mustard powder
bam! chicken salad

weinerhotdogfrank
onionrelishmustardbun
sodamilkshakebeer

natural causes
that’s what the doctors called it
what else could it be?

orange's lament

when ripe and round tis beautiful to see
the lusty luscious wonder of the orange
refreshing, quite. a complement to tea
first green but ripening into an orange

persian valencia navel or blood
a favorite no man could choose his orange
with passion likened to a violent flood
we are no longer speaking of an orange

her leaves for ever green the seasons race
from pip to sprout, sapling to tree then orange
no silver, gold or lemon could replace
the sweetly sticky juicy sexy orange

forever lonely without rhyming mate
in solitude behind the garden gate