Sundowner

A man I know forgot who he was

the last time he was alive

and so did I.

He forgot all the things he said

he’d do differently;

all the things he’d do

instead.

The birds beneath my feet carry sand

around the coast

and I walk

In leather boots coated in their

shit. 

Then I look up:

an eagle

Is teaching her young to fly

in the sky’s waves

tumbling together.

I forget who taught me how

to ride a bike

tumbling together.

I forget all the things I said

I’d do differently;

all the things I’d do

` instead.

I let the sun go down on me

while I think about

the moon.

The sky is getting old

the eagle is too

so is the man

so am I.

And I can’t remember who I was

the last time I was 

alive.

The Bear

I came home to a bear in my house

Eating an apple and calling me Goldilocks

So I laughed: how nice you are

Friendly hungry bear

He came back, spilled milk

Throughout my life to give me something to 

Cry about, and it worked, and I cried and the

Poor fattening bear clawed at my poems and

Laughed at the muddy pages

The growing bear flew head-on at my golden little tomcat

Throwing him to the rain with a kink in his tail —

And a gruesome growl

I sat trapped beneath the weight of this unbearable

Bear on my lap, begging for more of everything I’ve got

All the while he's laughing and calling me Goldilocks

So I shave my head and shoot the bastard

Crying for I knew he didn't mean it

But he’ll never know I didn't mean it either

And the winter will pass with an innocent death at my feet

And the endless thoughts of how I could’ve done better

Until next summer when my hair has grown back

And I leave fresh apples on the table for another starving bear

Winter Dreaming

A dream only remains a dream

under the covers

cool skin warmed by thumbprints

and breath

Hair tangled and tossed

as the winter wind rolls through

the cat’s window

purring at their feet

The blue sun rises and the bed

is empty

the dream a faded memory

of their future

Lonesome rituals pass forlorn days

thoughts of saints drift river nights

empty palms lay gaping by

empty sides

Roadkill Sunrise

I k i l l e d a bird

watching  the 

sunrise      on

the   highway

and I    cried.

The    sunrise

was beautiful

I              was 

n e r v o  u  s

I was the bird

I              was 

b e a u t i f u l

I was the sun.

Haiku

Midnight moonlight drive

Sparks flying from my eyes

While you fetishize

Busker at the Liquore Store

Douglas 

He says it means

from the dark waters 

You can see it in the plaque on his teeth

And the yellow on his calloused fingers

You can hear it in the blues he belts

And in the rustle of small change in his pockets

But you’d never guess it

From the smile piercing his cheeks 

On the coldest winter mornings

Draping sleepless nights

You’d never imagine

The waters could have been so dark

From the way he describes them

A transparent Caribbean blue

Reminiscent of his watering eyes

Douglas 

from the dark waters

a man, defiantly light

Filth

Filthy are the words

You think the slime

You say disgust O

Shame in bed in head

All red a symbol for

Lust and sheep you

Weep off the balconies

Of languid lovers

Leap from atmospheric

Gutters pouring into

The ribbon streets

While you listen to

Your laundry listen

To your silence listen

For the sea wind

To break the tension

With a joke choke

Smoke and the sun

Comes out the town

Is clean green sheen

And you are still

Filth your eyes your

Mouth your fingernails

Filth maybe next time

Maybe next time

Maybe next time

You’ll run clean too

Down the manholes

Through asphalt potholes

Into the foaming ocean.

Secrecy

I can smell the hangover in my

Underarms

I can feel it in the dirt

Under my nails

I remember it in

Your mouth

All while I write this forbidden 

Poem