Dreaming as a 10-year-old
before acceptance letters
and decision day
commencement speeches
and ceremonies
I thought of college as some mythical place
some mysterious paradise
of granted logic, satisfying meaning
somewhere of hope and possibility
which I know now doesn’t exist in full
but at least the buildings look like Hogwarts
from time to time
If I looped a day this week it would be
The one of paper eyes, water on fire
And a wave of scattered dice
A room erupting in howling cheers
And you are part of those cheers
And the cacophony is almost as sweet
As the impromptu victory feast of three afterwards
The one of cackling sailors and bees
Mechanical smiles reflecting my own
Popcorn boxes and pinball machines
Acid-touched stone man, wall of magicians and elephants
Going together to each of the
Drums, zombies, and a card with my fortune
Root beer floats, overflowing or not
And I could get used to it all
And to the
Quiet in the sunlight afterward
As turkey tails sprout from rotting logs
And every yard begins to turn blue with flowers
Because whether it’s something old or new
I still feel at home
Corporeal Cloud
if you look too long at the sky
you’ll fall in
plunging deep in the pocket
between times and spaces
that weren’t there yesterday
to steal your breath and the blood
in your bones a talisman for the justification
the gathering of your insides
in vague palms like cotton candy mounds
flossing between windowsills and rooftop shingles
a corporeal cloud
which is all too much
until you feel your feet on the ground
This is the break between winter and spring
Coal and glass and shells line the rivers
Carving their way through mountains of
Budding trees and rhododendrons
The clouds make the sun come down in rays
And along the cliff’s edge I can see
Vultures take flight alongside
A raven finding a home on thawing branches
Its call echoing through the trees
Part of the woods are scorched
Singe marks at each base of bark
And ashen earth, but beneath it
I can still see deep mossy greens
And on and on I note the
First flowers I’ve seen this year
The first web I’ve seen this year
The first deer I’ve seen this year
Wandering past swings yet to be used
The sun sets behinds wisps of orange
The sky open, free of any light below
And I know the cold will return
Before it goes away again
But for now, I take this moment
This is the break between winter and spring
Awake with dread in a blue room wishing to
Close my eyes knowing that with every passing
Moment my mind, quenching tears creates time tombs.
Who knew that sorrow could cure happy living
Water is healing when thinking how, or who
Gets to be, gets sleep, gets to keep succeeding.
Loneliness feels best when striving for greatness
I wonder how I’ll sleep when there’s nothing less.
Make my bones like papier-mâché
So that I may be whole while hollow
Create my mouth like calculator
So that my speech may be accurate while calm
Humble my ears like honey
So that I only see what is sweet
The Midnight Drive
your favorite is the midnight drive
that’s dark except the headlights and
traffic stops. green, yellow, red
glimmering in a stigmatism
seeking solace in the hug
farther up the road
a warmth atop a chill
that softly breathes
an exhale of relief
you didn’t know you needed
goosebumps on your arms
resting back on the headrest
eyes like swollen stars
you look out the glass
at your reflection in the night
knowing home will come
that you’ll sleep it away
but dream of the midnight drive
