The In-Break

now that its too late.
it's all my fault, not too proud

i'm sorry, i'm sorry
and mix with the blood and memories
yolk spilled, smile fixed, tears flow
floor, coming from his head.
love intermingle with the blood on the
honeymoon. Memories of better days, better
it out together, in Nova Scotia, on their
examining when she struck. They had picked
the whalebone flute that he had been
in her hands. And a carving in his hand,
and she sits on the floor, with his head

forgiveness, finally, he came back.
he turns, eyes open, pleading for
Connects with the side of his head as
(as he tried to teach her so many times).
and swings, stepping into it
she steps into the room, hesitates.
no time to see what it is looking at
crouched unwary, unprepared, distracted.
a fear, a shadow, a figure, a cutout
broken glass. A shape silhouetted.
the fresh air. French doors, opened, no
can feel the temperature difference, smell
the house, something that should not be
to ward off fear. she knows someone is in
she slinks down the hall, weapon raised

memory now, time for action.
so boring and static). No time for
the game, tried to teach her. she hated it,
friend from the softball league (he loved
examined, approved. A gift, from his
door slides. over-sized bat retrieved,
bare feet pad velvet to the closet
sheets slide silently to the floor,
and she will not let it be defiled.
This is their house, was their refuge,
explanation, strategy, ideas, weapons.
mind flashes, hyper active, seeking
cold sweat suit coats her pores.
through the canyons of limbs
eyes flash open, adrenaline flash flood

windows. cold air on her cheek
she hears the night's song, wind against
stupid, stupid sauerkraut.
food now, no ham or pickles or
refrigerator hum, full of only her
major, at the time). She hears the
ancient Aztecs (she was an Anthro
eight in the morning about
they loved, fought, talked till
first. In this house, these halls
he was her light, her knight, at
oblivion, void free of memory.
waiting for sleep, for blessed
lying there in the dark alone.

sweaty, restless unused energy
marathon. Jitterbug, full of
sheets tousled like, un-run
a king sized bed, half full.
fat ripe fields. satin sheets in
whys and why nots plague the
dreamland. A locust swarm
sheep in the pasture adjoining on
better life. Maybes outnumber
like they ran together in a
marathons of ifs and oughts
her mind is racing, running
can't sleep, can't stop
alone in the house she

Sweetsleep

Heavy patchwork corduroy quilt drawn
Freehand in black ink, sharp lines and subtle shading
A sketchbook page, easily flipped through
Holds an image of a memory, transience
Captured

Sleeping on the couch he twitches in his sleep
Mumbles, turns, pulls the quilt up under his chin
Dreaming of days long past, days when we
Were young and carefree, with all the time
In the world

When a weekend felt like a lifetime and
Summers were never ending ladders up into the sky
climbing into music, friends, drugs, love
debating truth and beauty in pre-dawn
jam sessions

eyelids flicker, memories montage past
shutters close, a bubble rises to the top of consciousness
pops, memory released, summer night
all nighter, sitting on garage roof
stoned

staring at the stars, thoughts so scattered
free style rap with no beat and no rhythm, just kids
pretending to be cooler than they really
were. Wanting desperately to know
why

dream departs, memory returns to
subterranean swamp depths. Eyes yawn like lions
morning’s light falls on the page
sketchbook open to an image of a friend
waking from sleep

free soloing - rough

there is no pity in this implacable face
there is no mercy in the wind’s whistle
there will be no quarter in this battle

in one corner stands the skeleton of the world
great granite salient spires pierce
from the earth like broken femurs
protruding raw from shredded muscles
the champ stands eternal, defiant
proud peak with a winning streak
longer than he is high

and in the other corner is the challenger
an upstart monkey who cut his teeth
on trees. thinks he can, dares, to climb
one who was when those pines were kelp
this ape seeks to conquer time, to place
his mark as high as he can reach
stone smirks silently, confident

to tell the tale he scales the shale
stony whale with flukes and barnacles
he rides the great grey humpback
over a switchback, carrying no pack
just lungs full and tendons taut
muscles strain without a thought
mindless journey into naught

man meets mountain, it’s merely madness
to try to pierce the sky’s fastness
Olympian castle wreathed in clouds
Promethean scale and upward bound
in the ascent he seeks a sense
of worth unknown on the earth
rising higher rarely glimpsed heights
rarefied air and starlit nights
breathe champagne bathe in light
in the struggle he forgets to worry
lost in the journey, falling up
sleeps like just another rock

aqua vitae

smooth translucent sphere
reflective glimmering droplet
elongates trembling, bonds stretch
break away from leaf’s edge

splash on the mossy ground unseen
eyelids damn inevitable rivulets
lashes wet with weeping rivers
seeping from orbs of green
and white. riven with red veins of pain
tracery reflected in tear streaked cheeks

tear blurred visions cannot see
unbroken mirror stretching ahead
glassy coin amidst unending foliage
trackless explorer, lost and alone
last of those to claim the globe
fleeing from the forests wrath
flew so far no going back
home is a dream bubble popped

perfect ovoids obey gravity’s dicattes
slowly wash down cheekbone channels
draw pathways through jawline tangles
freefall past the forests edge
mirrored miniature globe falls forever
diamonds shatter when they hit the stream
symmetry splatters, casting grapeshot
all reunites beyond the mirror’s surface

the fountain of life that he could never find
he dwells on failure, wallows mire
golden circle in his hand
last token of god hood foretold by
prophecy across the sea
lost all to chase a dream

knifelike perfection cleaves the waves
creating shattered space in his wake
droplets fly, birds alight
wavelets radiate, no other trace

Lake Lynn, 1854

feverish furtive flight
in the watercolor pre-dawn impressionist mist
shifts misery swirls

concealing, revealing
sounds echo unmoored, unending, untraceable –
he hopes
huddled fetal free
escapism cloaked in smoke like dope exhaled
foxhole fugitive from the rope
feet pound pavement, pursuit confused, lost the scent over
running water frozen time skitter jitterbug the line

watch the needle dance over taut drum
dark ink dark skin barcoded

breathe mists occluding air fog twines fingers nappy hair

Hiding, providing
excuses embraces the erasures of races

records set stern as faces
serious like whip crack heart attack
fear the dog that’s never spared the lash

hobbled feral fierce
pain brewed stewed fermented decanted devoured
fires rage banked brown eyes
coals turn to wildfire
grow grumble ancient hunger
wet snout sniffs mosaic patterns through space and time
follow fear pheromones dark rich heady scent

manacles clink shiver shrink away
blood etched soul stained


naked back map
rivers of memory scar velvet perfection
princely skin ridges of punishment scourge
kindnesses reward




resting hoping
praying with closed eyes. dawn dreamed oracle

ancient branches spread
overhead spiderweb barren refuge
root throne self-made king


searching sniffing
snuffle whimper pant point rumble strain reach
chain tense leash slip
release

hoarse brays rend ears
years whip rends regal rags

bared coated salivating anticipation, hunts consummation

predator prey like two old friends meet again

teeth nails hair muscle wrestle paws hands

freedom instinct survival driver
brown coat black skin bruise throat eyes roll
bare breast. fangs leap.

jaws caught.
torn hands re-ripped life re-wrote
neck turns
eyes catch
lock
snap

back to collared kindness collared greens in cellar kitchens
brothers in servitude, sharing scraps of scraps
equally hungry, equally desperate

cold dawn remains
weeping runaway
weary rheumy eyes blink
frothy lips quiver. breath departs rattle leaves
fall breeze chills
goose prickles pickles black down
howl from afar
un-hung head drops. heels to hie
ever northward
through the mists