Sage advice for Ken

Today

it seems

your world is crumbling

tomorrow

is your chance

to start to rebuild.

Father’s Day 2019

I breathe his breath

his air is mine

so when I cry

his tears remind

me how to love

and where to find

the strength to heal

one day at a time.

hands of men

there will always be

enough hands

to lift a boulder

or make a mess

but may there never be

enough, hands of men

to gently raise

a child

point of view

Is that a quote or a poem,
a rhyme or a love note?

Half of the time
I don’t really know.

The other half
I really don’t care.

It’s like when you know it
you know it, and when
you don’t, you
show it, in hope

that someone
just
might
be standing too,

back against the wall
just as tired as you

but able to explain
from another point of view.

bent out of shape

It’s natural

to push

and pull

and push

some more.

Getting all bent

out of shape

is healthy

I’m sure.

It’s the only

form

I’ve ever known

that’s kept me

going.

All crooked

and crazy, and

out of control

but

alive, loopy

and looking forward

to

tomorrow.

scars

We do all we can

to convince ourselves

the past will fade

into our scars

where even those

wrinkled, hardened

reminders

no longer hurt

as much as

the new cuts

we are bound to receive.

sleeping in the afternoon

sleeping in

the afternoon

dreamless

I wake

nursing a wound

which as, I

breathe

it breathes too

a porous

little mouth

reminding

me, to rise

against

the death

of sleep,

do all

I can

to speak —

and dream —

and try

once more

to heal.

stop, relax and wonder.

I know people

far too busy

to stop, relax and wonder.

And it’s quite sad

in a way

to stop, relax and wonder.

If they knew I

had the time

to stop, relax and wonder.

They’d probably scoff

like nobody ought

to stop, relax and wonder.

Until the sordid, morbid day

they stop, relax and wonder

perhaps it’s I

who’s mourned the day

one too many times over?

sex, love, and war

if it’s all

sex, love

and war

then where we stand

is better, for

what it’s worth

the things we carry

lies, lore

even drugs, barely

rock and roll

our sundry hearts

whose spirits lurk

dear Joan of Arc,

if it’s all

been heaven sent

then hear me now

as I repent,

tied together

at the stake

a Sid and Nancy

sealed fate,

but dare I ask

what you desire

if and when

they light my fire,

come on, come on

make it quick

like silver I’ve

two dimes that’s it,

nothing more

and nothing less

dear lizard king

feel this

music sung

inside my heart

sailing on

a Noah’s Ark,

and in a cage

twisted, tangled

two minds race

they jingle jangle,

pulling teeth

and gumming glass

spitting blood

and skipping mass

for if it’s all

sex, love

and war

then know the reasons

worth fighting for

Every last bit

Don’t give in, until

you’ve given up

everything.

Every

last

bit,

until

there is

nothing but air —

and everyone you know

is gasping

for one

last

breath.