he stomps on his block tower creation
“why, Billy, did you knock over the blocks?”
“because I wanted to,” says Billy
and teacher scolds Billy
“destruction without purpose is waste.”
he put away the blocks
playtime is over
but he wonders what he wasted here
blocks are still in the bin
no one is crying
and he wanted to

clean room
clean mind
clean soul

patch of flowers
grows out of asphalt
on the driveway
tires of the car
never squashed them

laughing like I haven’t
for months
eating grilled cheese
and rolling on my bed
a lovely night

power is the goal
achieved by me

bookworm girl sits
in her black and white room
behind sheer white curtains
shielded only slightly
from the evil of the world
by that curtain, those words
she experiences triumph and failure
but never lives it
living vicariously through characters