a little ditty

     i’m gonna drink this
              blue ribbon beer
and get zen

                   run around the
          kitchen table
                on newly-waxed floors
     in my bubble-wrap socks

gettin’ noisy while i
               march down to
             the rio and
                    move the borders

[play the A-Team theme]
                         reconquista
             for the new king

planning massive protests
      while cussin’ at the
                pinball machine
     in the corner

             the people here
are nice but sometimes
         they’re a little crazy

the feel of it

funny that it sounded
                   reverent
          gripping like stubble
    on a muscled jaw

this habit          upright
keeps silent so long
            then gives way
      to clicking on concrete

the rhythm of deep blue reason
                       and cotton-speak kisses
      lingering
                outside the community center

she was good
     she was very…

to say the least

shindig

i scribbled
           alligators
    on dirty white cinder walls
wrapping invisible bands
                     on the background
   like giants     but a bit less harmful

                   i nodded and tapped
           my foot on the waxed
                    cement floor
when the fighting broke out
         and i noticed that
      i couldn’t see my reflection
                              anymore

routine

he drew in
           another breath
and opened his eyes

                   focused and imagined
         expecting to see rain
    falling on the shoreline
                     absorbed by
                                    the tree
                  until it reaches the wind
                  and forms another cloud

               all he found
                          was noise
          the sort of refinements
that keep life from being
                                  polite
            ideas about things
                                    shouting
        chasing each other
               refusing to be
the first to stop
           and take notice
     when they’ve reached
               the place where there
                                       is no sound