Three New Poems

The sky set itself on fire, but

it really didn't make a whole lot of difference. Birds

knew not to worry any more than

usual. Trees thought and made the most

of their landscapes as a way of

being modern and yet timeless. It's only

people who suffer from too much starlight

and not enough moon. The oceans continue

to gulp their own feelings like blue

ice. You and I make our musics

and leave the singing to someone else.

We count off the same steps of

our eventual dissolving like petals given as

wishes to the wind, like hats blown

into another time and space. Again it

was that sky choosing to live in

a mirror rather than putting on shoes

that caused the day to crackle and

explode. We put our heads into our

hands like letters found in the attic.

A List of Some People

Some people got lost. Some

people are still falling

down. People were blown clean

away. Some people fled.

Some people buried their

own evenings in good

excuses. Some people

became like myths. And some

people knew better. Some

people starved some people

with lies; those people

killed us quite easily.

Some turned to look back. Some

waved their blinking flashlights

in our faces like hearts

beaming smoke signals. Some

people can take the pain

away. We need to thank

them. Some people haven't

been here since John. And all

being flawed, people take

flight and walk away to

their own clouds. People are start

to finish humble spies.

Poem for Lily T.

I only wish there was a

word I could give you that

no one else could, that's the

feeling I get when you talk.

I very much enjoy how your

eyes are endlessly crinkled into little

bunkered-down windows full of blue curtains

that turn into soft pastures of

cotton and sunflowers. I imagine making

you laugh would be like meeting

a warm breeze mixed with sunshine.

But I'm just a poet you've

never heard of, still I do

want you to have this drawing

of mine. It's all I have

to speak to you with. The

next time you pay attention to

any moon, please remember me; I 

was the one who cherished everything about

your bell, its joyfulness at clanging. 

Bonus poem:

This Road

 

Take this road and swallow it. You won't be hurt. What you'll be

Is found. That's the truth, but they discovered

Our joy and it made them go nuclear more than ever. They blasted

 

Our childhoods wide open rather than have to listen to all that noise.

But the colors leaked out any way, love

Has a way of doing that, because it seeks every person out for

 

A meeting with their soulful selves. I feel okay. I don't want you

To worry. Life is happening to me, that's

All, that and I wanted to tell you that I'm glad you exist.

 

Please don't ever think you have to miss me. All these poems should

Keep you glad company. And whenever you hear

New music being made you know it puts a deep smile on my

 

Face for you. That's another truth. Take the road and follow the day

Until night pulls up in his familiar car

Full of passenger stars and moons looking for someone like you to help

 

Pass out dreams for free. You'll fly, but it won't be just any

Old wind lifting you out of your seat,

It'll be you. That's what I wanted you to believe in all along.