MIRED
I struggle and flap about
Unable to free myself
Coated in thick responsibility
I can not rise or fly
I drown in my
Success
-1995
WINTER RIVER
Black Water slips away
Gurgling, splashing
Reflecting naked trees, an old
Photograph
Black water slips away
Beneath wings of geese
They cry not in despair
But in the covenant of life
Black water slips away
Dancing 'cross flaxen ribbon
While winter sun sets
-1995
GROCERY CART MAN
Stepping
Off
The curb
I hesitate, to avoid the
Grocery cart man
He hawks and spits, rheumy eyes unfocused.
"outta my way fucker" he
hisses to no one in particular
I cross the street
Leaving him behind
-1995
PARK BENCH
Eyes shut, head
back
basking
warm sun
chipped green park bench
waiting on a friend
she smiles
-1995
THE PLATFORM
Eyes look eastward
Grey plumes drift from bundled
heads.Silence, then
a bell. Illuminated bodies
shuffle forward and
steel canisters ease past
crunching rocks as they roll
Doors sigh open
Silent ranks file in
Eager to start their day
-1995
THE STEP
Sitting at the table alone
I hear a foot scrape on the gravel outside
A door opens then bangs shut
Have they been to the bank?
Post office?
Laundromat?
Are they alone like me?
-1996
ALONE
Weather channel on mute
But I can look outside and see it is indeed a cloudy day
Traffic noise outside the window
A train sighs by....
Alone again
Others don't make you happy
Is self-peace possible?
Smoking too many cigarettes
And drinking too much coffee, trembling at my desk
Drinking to much again
Am I trying to kill my self slowly?
How often is lung disease and cirrhosis really suicide?
Why am I so fearful of the future when
I should be hopeful
-1997
HER REQUEST
You asked me to think of you only as a friend
Ripping my weak heart from my breast
Leaving behind the rusty blade
Someday I will live and love again
-1997
THE LITTLE THINGS
The way your eyes sparkle when you are glad
And cloud over when you're sad
You told me not to tell you unless you told me first
But a man must drink when he has a thirst
Those little smile lines, well they can make a man go blind
I waiting for my turn but I'm running out of time
The way you laugh out loud, you don't care what others think
But when I'm with you I need a drink
The little things about you, make me want to shout
The little things about you leave so little doubt
I never meant this to be
It just came on it's own
So why am I sitting here all alone?
The way you smile when you see me coming
Is that really for me or just something your momma taught you?
Well, it really doesn't matter
'cause it's done it's job
-1997
FINE'
I've boxed you up sweetheart
Bagged and tagged, boxed you up and set you aside
You hurt my feelings you hurt my pride.
I'd love to hate you, hate your guts
But I can't,and that just sucks
I loved you like no one else before
I handed you my heart, gave you my soul
You stared at it in horror before wanting no more
It's not my fault
But my love to your wound was like so much salt
It hurt to lose me, hurt more to stay
So I go now, blindly feeling my way
-1997
