when he was little
he locked the bathroom door
he had his mom’s tension belts
long wide strips of elastic
and he watched himself
wrap them around his upper torso
he imagined leaving the bathroom
but he never did
Poetry
I’m working on writing a thousand poems. I started in April 2015.
Poem #29
there’s an IV stuck in my arm
sugar water dripping down
and a little sedative injected in,
the sleepy apathy is always.
the sludge of other concerns
trudges along in my veins
there’s an incessant beeping
and banging on the side
but I ignore it willfully
sleep is easy
pow, pow, pow.
I sit up groggy,
this is better
it’s uncomfortable,
this is better.
Poem #28
they were twenty four and twenty five
bushy-tailed and bright-eyed
a salesman and his new wife
he carried her over the threshold
into his gift, their new home
she unpacked her mother’s china
while he was totally tryna
then the squeak of vinyl
this was bliss
and a bump named Trish
they should’ve quit
up to the attic one day
a second baby on the way
she vexed the shade
and woke a wraith
what a price they’d pay
it started simply enough
just really, really small stuff
it’s the evil waking up
his phone, the wrong room
sick in the afternoon
new perfume
scratches in the ceiling
she has a choked feeling
wide eyes of their children
a thud from upstairs
wakes from nightmares
her throat is even tighter
up to the attic one day
a new job on the way
he vexed the shade
and roused a wraith
what a price they’d pay
up to the attic one day
the family on the way
he vexed the shade
and irked the wraith
what a price they’d pay
everyone said she was a nice woman
her husband did what he shouldn’t
became a ghost, deal she couldn’t
stuck her head in the oven
nothing is ever forgiven
up to the attic one day
ambulance on the way
they vexed the shade
death by wraith
what a price they’d pay
Poem #27
a loud humming noise
constant and unrelenting
it was here before you
it’ll be here after me
a forgotten soundtrack
Poem #26
tough lives make tough lines
high fives and fake kinds
survive, friend of mine
Poem #25
two children hid under the slide
they didn’t want to get spied on
they exchanged secrets:
a sixth grader’s regrets,
about how a teacher lied,
a book one of them tried,
if you touch the sand you weaken,
getting detention for no reason.
nothing they say is snide
why did this ever subside?
Poem #24
I will take you,
girl with bright blue eyes
and endless kindness.
I will take you,
man with perfect legs
and enigmatic opinions.
I will take you,
girl with fierce eyelashes
and insurmountable swag.
I will take you,
woman with soft blue eyes
and altruistic love.
I will take you,
girl with luscious hair
and unrelenting realness.
I will take you,
boy with tough arms
and enthusiastic fervor.
And we’ll still be here,
just better and forever.
Poem #23
she walks down the aisle
her steps are slow and rhythmic
a can in her cart
Poem #22
Wait for it
Savor the delay
Then go for it!
Poem #21
his chest was tight
he liked it
his breath was intentional
it made him aware
it restricted him
contained his superfluous bits
it was freeing
he floated
he was right
he was whole