Winter Wander Dream

I look out the window

So high off the ground

I watch through the

Snow-strained branches

Of the tallest tree

Within reach through the panes

No one is out there

This mid-afternoon

The neighborhood is napping

I try, but am unable to dial the phone

I hear someone slowly

Climbing the stairs

I remain hunched on the beanbag

Watching the snow

Feeling alone

I’d rather climb down those branches

Than go out the front door

I am waiting where I should not be

The Siblings

My children see small things, too

They find laughter under stones

The young one brings the old one comfort

And the old one protects the young one.

Partners holding tight to each other

In our spinning world

Like a Mouse

I see the mother of one of my friends in my dreams
Rearranging thrift shop antiques in the crannies
of a giant old house on college row
The kind partitioned into a labyrinth of dorms
I'm always getting lost in a twisty attic
Equiped with an "Alice in Wonderland" hidden door
I always try to catch her
I long to talk to her
I'm moving too slowly
She can't hear me and she leaves
before I can grasp her shoulder

Stalling

I watched Shannon’s cherry tree

Swaying softly next to the yellow bananas

Hanging by the window sill

The peanut butter slid down

The back of my throat and

Under my tongue

I was thirsty more than hungry

But I wanted to eat something first

The jar of peanut butter was all

That was ready and

Appealing

It wasn’t what I wanted

I scooped out another spoonful

And licked it slowly

Stalling

Go outside and

Join the others weeding

The garden lining the drive

2003-2004?

Hightowers

I ride my bicycle so I think that I’m ok

I ride my bicycle to keep police away

I ride my bicycle so I can see

Much better in the dark

I ride my bicycle to take me someplace

If I had somewhere else to go

If I had somewhere else to go

If I had somewhere else to be

Then I wouldn’t be here

I live in a small town

I live all alone

I can keep busy during the day

But sometimes after 10 pm

When it is dark outside

I get a little freaky inside

There is a little bar on the other side

Where all the misfits go

I go there to dance my soul someplace

Somewhere far away

originally written unknown 2003-2004

The Fairy Tale

Max is 6 and wears a toddler shoe

Vowing to be small forever

The mad scientist has a plan

That will work

Eileen’s tears wish her life was

A fairy tale

Life is real

Life is real

What hour does the laughter curdle

And the sarcasm blacken bread

Little ribs

Little ribs

Tickle tickle tickle

A motor boat and

Rubber fish in the tub

Alice the toad

Lives in the tree root

The hummingbird

Does come to eat

Leave us alone

We want to do

What we want to do

We want to play

Now go away

Feelings Faces

Use your faces she instructed

The faces just make me laugh

I really don’t know what they mean

Do you have the answer sheet

They’re on the door

They’re even labeled

It is really so

Elementary

I scold you

While I’m laughing

Serve grave illness

With a smile

Please don’t dish me

Discomfort

It’s my right to

Terrorize

Wait, something feels wrong

I’ve suppressed a distant rumble

Swallowing the broken bottles

I’ll be swimming at the bottom

OLD FRIENDS

I remember the day I said 
to Shannon
I remember the day we 
Could only count a few
Then we counted many
Then we counted more
Until we couldn't count one
For their blackness
Covered the whole horizon 
Between the meadow and the sky
As we stood on the hill on
Edith Avenue on a warm
Gray orange treed day
I remember how we turned our backs 
to them
I remember the Sarsaparilla and 
Prickly Pear pop we shared
On our way back to the place
We'd been two or three miles ago
The time of day had changed-
We found the sky empty
Quiet and gray 
Lonely before night and winter 
We walked home faster without words
Hands anxiously entwined
I was glad the swirly mass was gone
But today I'm not
-originally written 10-12-1995