Poets Unlimited

Destiny

A drop of water
That falls on a leaf
Is admired for its beauty
and has no grief

Hearing John Coltrane

I have listened to this
and have not understood,
and I have said to him,
John, buddy, you’re killing me,
and he has said…

Black Widow Shine

Subway train Get outta the rain
Piss in the halls
Busted stalls
Wino bum
Toilet…

Vermin of Sorrow

Swinging within,
This little moth of grief
A pleasant, sprinkling corpse
Left of a sleight of hand
The trick to soothe myself
For no other reason, but
To please whom I despise
To carry the ashes
Of other faded insects
And add, from my cocoon,
The dust of what has died inside

Land of Mines

Hidden behind the closed door, the sound of loud voices

front porch

a small room
on the front of my aunt’s house
is beginning to cave in

Asunder

I ride a razor blade
Imperfections in its edge
Carve and tear through the slicing's pain
Unmetered notes in a symphony
Of agony at being twained

Wonder-struck

I ponder how I got here.

Vastness before me, expands,
with every jaded…

This is how she looks to you

a storm swirls in her head
like a relinquished river from its dam
like lightning streaking a foreign sky
an…

Good Grief

Your consistency lulled me into submission

Pay attention.

Pay attention.

Extend some admiration. Maybe genuine validation.

Stay With Me Tonight

Lay with me a while,
Look at me and smile.
Tell me about your day,
Listen to what I say.
No need to set rules,
No need to…

Heave

Heave a heart back to rest
is no small task when asked.

The Gaze

The gaze, the constant gaze

Brings a salty taste to my mouth

Well Groomed

Thoroughbreds on race days — well groomed
criss-cross patterns raised on gleaming flanks
manes plaited in tight control,
flying free…

Straight lines

I watch them quietly 
they are everywhere
whichever way I turn
whenever I scan the rooms
to understand more
they live around corners…