A Plane Curve Everywhere Equidistant from a Fixed Point

I have found
This round
An armament against

The cleft between
The temporal length of existence
And the inherent pledge to carry on

I've been the hopeful one
Guarding gratitude 
Like the last house
In line of wildfire

There is surety
In our elliptical birr
Just as the force
Of a strong wind

Removes the moment
Before it and redeems us
A forceful catch of breath 

Fruit Stripe

I remember every yellow light
I stopped for
Returned the pack of gum I stole
It was colorful and sweet
But my dad marched me back
And when I apologized 
The cashier seemed sad

She thought this was only the start
My life of crime fated maybe
Or else the exchange of the quarter
From my dad’s hand to mine to hers
Stirred in her a memory
Of parent or child

She was both then
As was Dad
Watching me sign the social contract
I will never take again without giving first
A pause, at least
To promise I'm listening
A beat
A breath
A particular series of words
“Please”

The ice cream softened in the back of the Nissan
Even with the windows down
The summer boiled
Some things we can't control
But for surrender










Verses Inspired By Things Seen at the Science Center

At the park outside
The frisbee-playing longboarders
Perform at 7
$10 only
Dr. Horrible’s Sing A-Long Blog
Enough said

Don't get fat
If you do
You will get sleep apnea
Nevermind your skinny uncle’s
Unsplinted mouth
Snoring
Nevermind the ways you're fine

At the planetarium
I'm falling forward without moving
One
With entire galaxies
With the probable core of Jupiter
Until the child beside me slams
Her rainbow boot into my hip

Molerats make poor pets
They breathe best asleep
In a pile
In their nakedness
The soldier molerat stands guard forever
Without a tunneler to defend
Or a queen to come home to

Apology to Freddie

For the days you stayed by the door
          I was in California
Mom and Dad left
           Both of them
And he returned
            Late
Changed out the clothes and books in his bag
And left again
Behind
           A hint
           A hit of
Antiseptics

The Marvel of Sight Becomes More Wonderful Than Whatever is Seen

1. The thirst
I need
I am
Without it
A child’s thickened frontopolar cortex
A screen flicker
A shrunken plant cell
Yet
When the truck plays
Pop! Goes the Weasel
I submit my thirst to be
Overwritten


2. When you change plans
I am seven again
Dragging art books along the concrete
When my ride never shows
I want to tell you you are a broken phone tree
But I wait
Truth is
I’m grateful for your self
Awareness


3. You can fall asleep during meditation
There is no timeline for when the thoughts
Arise
Will no longer
Drain you
But one day
Tiredness
Will be another state of energy


4. I think the thought,
“I am not thinking anything”
It is the closest I have been
To still water
I pace between a hospice bedside
And the neighbor’s casserole
Tomorrow
I find out the knot in my lungs
Is a bouncy ball
And I jump around


5. I fear there’s no point to
Any of this
No bounds leapt
Worth
Leaving the dishes in the sink
Acceptance is stasis
Right
Except now
I did not notice the dishwater gray
Nor the wafting tulip breeze of an
Open
Kitchen window
I did not see you come in or leave
The room
I will keep
Looking