Solitary Confinement
he held it
in his head
everything they said
so much so
there was
no room
for anything else
he drove through day
through night
and never took
a slice
never drank the rain
or sipped the snow
or let anybody know
his tortured soul
cept for her
TL
Lady
smeared shadow
runaway rouge
red ring mouth
slight arch of brow
corner of her lips curl
eyes the image
lit up like a tree
yards of blue satin
way past the knee
small soles swimming
in too high a heel
polished toe to nail
fingers all a ring
jangled jewels
floral scent
white gloves
wild hair
tamed by
a wide brim
ribbons and pearls
it’s good to be a girl
TL
Desperation
in a glance
he draws a breath
and looks around
is he the only one
TL
Working Class
and she’s
on her knees
scrubbing marble
and he’s in the stall
cleaning out the commode
and the Royce is rolling in
and the limos are rolling out
and steam is rising
off linen, off whistling kettles, off lobster pots
and cigar smoke is drifting
like uncorked champagne
and in the silver, you can see the chandelier
and above the clamour, you can hear the grand
and it’s a good night for servers and chefs
for bodyguards and bartenders
for concierge and valet
for musicians and maids
enjoy your stay
TL
Candlelight
simple really
wait for night
set the table
with a glass
and drop
the wax
and strike
a match
TL
Red Balloon
and you’re born
into this world
of blue sky and salty sea
tall trees and dark nights
twinkle lights strung high and low
solar rise and lunar fall
that feeling of being small
and then you know
what’s next
and you don’t know how
to be that
so you act a fool
and reach for lesser things
cool in a crowd
blend in
become a copy
fresh off assemble
robotic routine
beep, beep, beep
eat and drink
then there’s love
and you’re born again
helium high
floating across the sky
looking for a soft landing
convinced it’ll be different for you
is it
if it is
you haven’t landed yet
TL
Threshold
she looked down
at the toe of her shoe
and wagered
should she move
past the present
beyond the “Blue Bayou”
toward the crush
and figured
it’d be best
to take off
her shoes
first
TL
Say
have you
progressed
digressed
regressed
TL
Wild Women
two groups
of white-haired women
filed in
and assumed circle formation
round their respective tables
first group, stylishly coiffed, ordered
long stems of white wine
the second group, Santa wives, ordered
their regular – glass of water with a wedge of lemon
the first group engaged in pleasant conversation
while the second group whined to the waiter about the wait
each entrée seemed to center each table
this was their treat
their getaway
to meet on fall Fridays
for a few laughs
with the few that last
TL
All at Once
heard a preacher man say,
“Love is about responsibility …”
years since that sermon
still nodding my head
for words are just that
it’s the extended hand
not having to be asked
that room full of boxes,
and you picking one
that closet full of clothes
and you going through the motions, suit and tie
that letter he never read,
the one you wrote him and read aloud
picking up his last paycheck
closing his accounts
telling the caller, he’s dead
“Love is about responsibility …”
TL
Ever
if it were just so
how would you ever know
the difference
if the prince had no dragon to slay
would the princess ever know the depth
if children never left home
would they ever make it on their own
if dogs never got old and went away
would they ever know what they gave
if friends fade from sight
would you ever see them
if the love you gave had no return
would you ever know the sender
if the ocean never reached the castle
how then would a kingdom ever come
if there is nothing tested
how can there ever be a lesson
TL
Poverty Line
lone figure
on the street
can’t go home
can’t go there
blank resume
no experience
no schooling
no background
no reference
and even if
no threads
for a sit down
no face to match
the image
no breaks for him
the classifieds are classified
nobody ever gave him nothin’
but a hard time
he understands hate
what it is to be homeless
to be hungry
but those people
blowin’ down the highway
with their paychecks in their pockets
and PTA and pet poodles
and dinner on the table
and “TiVo” shows
and presents under the tree
and heat in the house
and a blessin’ before bed
they don’t understand
how could they
they got somewhere to go
somewhere to be
someone waitin’ for ‘em
someone in their corner
they got kids in college
degrees on the wall
investments
and equity
and deposits
and insurance
and stocks
and bonds
and it’s startin’ to drizzle
and they’re opening their umbrellas
gettin’ outta the car
hard day at work
and the wife’s whinin’ bout getting wet
and the weatherman predicts
a cold front
TL
Prism
one eye closed
there the light
spectrum of stars
suspended
indelibly burned
behind the aspect
clarity of a child
TL
Wanderlust
map on the wall
been there, been there, been there, been there,
not there, not there, not there, not there,
want to go where, want to go where, want to go where,
want to go there, want to go there, want to go there,
want to go …
TL
Gymnasium
to a kid
it was magic
sunlight streaming
through loft-like windows
pooling like sheers
on hardwood
the stage was set
the projector rolling
from the top bleacher
what dreams would spin
and then the bell would ring
through the Himalayas
and the kid would rope down
and open the metal gate that was the door
and watch a wedge of light turn to sliver
and then to dust
TL
Symphony
the ocean
was rimmed
in brown sugar
frothy foam rising
drunk before daylight
the stars danced
around the moon
and the moon curtseyed
behind the cloud
and there was a sipping sound
as the waves lapped against
the rock that was my chair
and the wind combed through
and the shells of the sea
shone bright white
against the velvet of the night
an orchestra of rotation
though long it’s been
still the strings
reverberate through
time and space
TL
Quiet
it was
black
like the bark
of a tree
after it rains
TL
Within
had a dream
about you
the other night
holding each other tight
and the water rose
up to our necks
in a salty sea
“I’m sorry I hurt you so …”
and I said the same
and we let go
TL
Captured
run out of memory
out of AA
out of filter
out of process
and there you are
exposed to the elements
no lens to change
or pixel or point or push
and the raindrops cling to the blade
and tiptoe across the rolling river
and drip from tin tops
and slide down each strand
and dive off the board of your nose
in sync with sound
to the dark dirt below
where it disappears
forevermore
from single sight
and human form
a blur of motion
gone to drink
TL
Goodbye
the white house
where they lived
where they carved the turkey
and hung the garland
and ate breakfast together
and cleared away dinner dishes
and slept warm in their beds
is empty now
possessions packed
in black garbage bags
stacked along the screened-in porch
where they used to sit
and watch the sun dip
Vivian with her book
and cup of tea
and Virgil with his memories
walking down the street in his beige coat
rounding the bend, making his way to the park
“I love to go there and watch the children play.
They remind me of when my kids were little.”
That’s what he used to say
TL