31 july

a role to serve to bake to butter
burnt on the top and dropped biscuit wild
reconcile disregard with interest
express the mess that gets the guess
right and wrong and otherwise
late dining and accidental findings
there is no other research to be done
no conclusions to be drawn or deposits to register
the blur of wonder and also of wishing
missing the point but finding the stars
strung along by arbitrary slant lines
clues that will deliver us to end rhymes

30 july

backward building as if code can be eroded
shown its own way out and down the street
meet yourself coming if there's still room left
the second right and through to links to blink at
scattered refrains and overwrought brains
the stressors for measures and also for time
unwind and be counted
there's no room for doubt at the inn
sink or brim with enthusiastic cheer
steering clear of obstacles and bicycles
popsicles and icicles -- in for a spin and a poke
a remote chance the dance plays on
abandoned by the band but lightfast nonetheless

29 july

wrestle with flip out turn over
takedown knockout buzzerbeater clinch
nailbiter allnighter doublestuffed
wornout overdoubt underwhelm
drainpipe steampunk disregard
harder to fall and cheaper to rise
no rest for the disenchanted
conspiring to slip away under cover
threatened to let in the others, the noise
enjoy more than what's given
find the good that you need

28 july

cold flashes fire and there is no other way to turn
boil as the burn sucks the air from lungs and hearts
part of the certainty of insecurity
reactions intractable and collapsible
no further steps to fall
no harder words to hear
look that's not for me, hand not to hold
there are smiles scattered piecemeal
tooth by star by glance away
hide the lonely lean

27 july

and in the heavy dusk living room
it was like drinking solid ice
    as if there could be any other kind
    in any other state
sharp over tongue, inside cheeks
a cold flood down the hatch
dreaming of numbing
but never enough
never the full pitcher
a concentration on condensation
the night that sweats alone
a glass -- a plastic -- gives into the air
bleeding beads to wear through summer nights

26 july

can't ask for more but sure enough it's needed
heeding all the signs means weak designs
in the lines and by the numbers by the book
cooking up a recipe i can't swallow anyway
stay away from the negatives
to give the right impression --
    to cut the hair and teach the lesson
    to duck down quiet and come up smiles --
denial is the worst rehearsed answer
come back when there's no point in asking

25 july

turn a different corner and the score is odd
even up the balance and the change spills out
no good can come of running ragged the wrong way round
ground albums and peppered sheets
streets paved with crickets and dogs walking themselves home
forgive us for our troubles visited on others
save us from our reflections and the echoes that we feel
steal that cool dark moment to keep beside in dreams
the wonder of comfort so far away from now --