Capturing Campus: February

In the garden

I searched for a flower
that reminded me of you

aster
begonias
carnations
chrysanthemums
cosmos
dahlias
daisies
hydrangeas
irises
lavender
lilacs
lilies
lotus
marigolds
orchids
peonies
poppies
roses
sunflowers
tulips
zinnias

but none were quite right
because I remember you said
you don’t like flowers

Capturing Campus: January

Beautiful
smoke stacking into stairs
billowing between the sun and the earth
star-bound and suffocating
with burning in the backs of throats
and tears in the eyes
not from memory or sunken phrases
but from particulates
and particular toxins
that stack so subtly
borrowing blue air
in an innocent display
that isn’t so innocent
the longer you linger
in the space between the sun and the earth
compelled to watch
the world dissolve
your body erode
in the beauty of it all

Smoke stacks on the University of Michigan campus.

Capturing Campus: January

Friday on State

images of old America
glitter in Hollywood
rock bands roiling
and German beer (not so German anymore)
with patriotism and Ann Arbor trees
bright green walls, newly renovated
plants at the window (could be fake)
boba and straw in hesitant hands
your friend tells you it isn’t very good
but insists you drink it anyway
and anyway isn’t so bad, right?

Capturing Campus: January

Thoughts before the end

My exam is in two days, and I’d rather pitch my head through a wall
but I trekked to Walgreens for toothpaste instead, so I must be an adult now
living somewhere that’s always alive with conversations
(you wouldn’t believe what I heard in the elevator)
What if I moved to Canada next autumn
I’m tired of discovering myself
to be more complicated 
than yesterday’s inbox 
I’ll sift through it
sometime (not soon)
I’m headed to the party
but the whole world’s on fire
wondering what she said to her
that made her leave
Can I walk with you
I’m so tired
Could you promise me 
that everything will be okay in the end

Capturing Campus: December

Violent Midnight

blurry eyes

heavy face

itching for sleep

that won’t come

because the ball will drop at midnight

shining in a million colors

levitating like a God

among men

the crowd stretches 

blocks away

counting down

destruction in ten

shattering

fracturing

an explosion

ringing ears

ring in the new year

new excitement

five minutes until midnight

and I’m starting to question

the expense, an effort done

just to destroy the ball

why ring in the new year

with violence

one minute

thirty

fifteen

ten

nine

eight

seven

six

five

four

three

two

one, it drops

but doesn’t plummet

falls but doesn’t break

why did I expect it to

b r e    a k ?