Category: Poems

Poem 20141211

crow

at easter
the kids hunted in the backyard
for eggs bill and i hid
the eggs had money in them
fluorescent pinks blues greens yellows
like a rainbow gone radioactive
in the comic book sense of radioactive
hiding in bushes and grass
and empty flower pots and the coiled hose
among the smooth river rocks
on top of the cinderblock fence in plain sight
we led the kids around until they found
the easy ones
then hinted by standing near
where the harder eggs
were hidden pointing with our feet
leaning against the wall
and carelessly exposing the egg
in its hiding place
and the kids knew what we were doing
and didn’t care
and filled their baskets
little victorious hunters

Poem 20141210

crow

with the hint of warmer weather
after a cool spring
i ate lunch on park bench
you found me there
walking with a mutual friend
who suspiciously had to go
so you sat next to me
we skated along the edge
of summer
our last year
while you educated me on
the various types of flicking
vicious, light, and the rest
i accused you later of
using magic to capture me
but you swore it was just
the flicking

Poem 20141209

crow

i want to fold paper–
origami if you will–
but something for you to wear
something that rustles as you move
and fragile
weak against the sweat on your skin
weak against the fire in your blood
weak against the touch of my fingers
something shiny and glittering
with gold filagree
and red chrysanthemums
hard to look at like the sun
impossible to look away from
like the full moon
in the winter sky

Poem 20141208

crow

the police set up barricades
that didn’t stem the endless tide of cars
in and out of the neighborhood
just slowed them down
and we had to park pretty far away
since you wanted to get out and walk
which was the better way
to see the christmas lights

it was cold for a southern california december night
and talking with you
i watched my breath form vapor clouds
your breath came out like steam too
and our breath mingled
a miniature weather system
between us

i gave you my jacket
the long green overcoat
i had bought secondhand
and we walked close
like we shared ribs and organs and bloodflow
and we barely noticed the grinch and snoopy
the parade of lit-up wisemen
a hundred santas that burned
as bright as the afterimage of fireworks

when i slipped my hand into the false pocket
and found your skin
warm inside in spite of the cold
we had to hurry back to the car