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 ?

Capturing Campus: December

Heaven on Earth

are you born from the snow

an angel? 

or something real

phosphorescence, incandescence

I double over at the sight of you

you call my name

I’ll carry you

to the Heavens

we’ll rise

but I’ve forgotten

my back doesn’t come with wings

so you rise while I

f

     a

           l

               l

all I want is too high

so I lay in the snow

where I found you