24 october

a thing with feathers
according to emily
although tar is a risk
even as rain rolls off
and the wind lifts up
shifts shapes to shade the sky
there is no measuring in teaspoons
only pouring buckets out
seeing no end to the horizon
no star keeping track of time

23 october

dreams made out of garlic
bread or nachos or an unexpecte
commercial endorsing salvation
for a problem unseen will
play and rewind and remix
and refresh to address the
lessons of the day and the
prices still pending balanced
on the sheet with the hopes
still worth defending -- a spillover
fourleafclovering into the
exchange to rearrange the
digits from zeros and ones
to maybes and fun's a
possibility even though dreams
we see can come true if
it is up to you nobody
else will do

22 october

know what to let go of
how to hold on to
pieces that matter most
finetuning the forgetting
forgiving the foregone
somewhere in the foreground
someone singing some song
words you ought to know better
join in at the chorus

21 october

but if i walk into the other room
you will still be fine, tucked in
dark will be as safe
the door will be as secure
nobody can get to you
you are safe and can exhale
i am here, just out of sight
nothing gets to you but you

20 october

afterward i realized i had forgotten
to pack everything i needed and
still i managed to get by
probably the same again
let me learn and let me also
be more patient when others
miss the mark repeatedly
or miss the measure
hanging the strings
unhinging and also winding up
giving away every drop in the cup
thirsty and still forgetting how to follow

19 october

ticking down the talk
taking stock:
shelve the arguments
we are our owning selves
rather than to sell, we raise rent
tent poles and other hired hands
grandstanding to higher ground
loud enough for yellow jackets
busier than common sense
dictate as the clock gets struck
count the hatches as they chicken out
nothing debatable at this stage
catch the coin and toss it back
head out and turn tails

18 october

red lights and cigaretes
suddenly there is no other time
take a breath and turn
easy enough to step back
repeat repeat repeat
take out trash instead of delay
empty the shelves, fill the stove
backward order but only apologies
here is no room here for more
wonder why i wondered otherwise
stepping back into the traffic