Romance
cardboard castles
and stuffed dragons
distressed maidens
and distant knights
the drawbridge up
the drawbridge down
the torches lit
the feast abounds
her hand in his
they dance
without a hint
of longing
chivalrous and demure
a gloved hand
a terse nod
years go by
they dance again
ungloved
without a breath
between them
TL
“Save It For A Rainy Day”
the video’s
like a postcard
sent to somebody
you love
you miss
such a simple lyric
basic and beautiful
and true
it’s like
I’m there
with you
and I can feel
the sun’s ray
wash over me
as it dips
into the blue, blue
sea
TL
T-Ball
took a time
out
beneath the blink
of “Friday Night Lights”
bleacher high
I watched them play
in that easy, wonderful way
before
the scoreboard goes up
and the Crayons put down
#3 is up to bat
and he’s swinging hard
‘bout knocked a kneecap out
ball ain’t even on the stand yet
and he’s whacking the L out of it
patient is the coach
who bends over and stands it back up
10 times
and quickly sticks the ball atop
for the 11th whack
SMACK
“it’s outta here!”
TL
Weightless
there’s a lotta
t h i n g s
on my desk
and even though
I’ve cleared it
a time or two
it all comes back
somehow
things ‘ya can’t part with
no matter how
same with the car
front seat, back seat
console, glove
hatch
there’s a lotta that
and this
and the other
how many times
I’ve paused … to wonder
of the simple soul
that travels
near and far
unencumbered
TL
Biographies
suppose
I understand it
better now
the stories
all those stories
I had to read
I had to watch
all those stories
famous or not
dead or alive
a person’s life story
the book I have to read
the movie I have to watch
there is no choice
there never was
TL
Child of Circumstance
just read
his story
in the Times
saw his sad face
there
an orphan boy
left in Myanmar
he missed the boat
to Malaysia
the one that carried
his mother away
along with
his three brothers and sister
his mind understands
what his heart cannot
TL
Soundcheck
before the
seats are filled
to capacity
the cups and candy
what he’ll wear
out there
hat or no
which cologne
shaved or unshaved
boots or blades
in the details
the dust
cranks it up
perfect pitch
nobody but the band
the strings
the sticks
him at the mic
slow dancing
to “the taste
of strawberry wine …”
TL