work

sometimes you're high
at work
but hey, you're still chopping
onions
just fine
sometimes i wonder what you think
of me
so quiet
sometimes i think back to
my unrestrained chatter
so nervous and unaware
of the broken world
that first summer
working
i'll gladly do dishes
if i get a smile

unedit

i think i'm alive
really alive
when i'm in my car
in between
places
with no pressure
of editing speech
or action
or fitting snugly
into expectations
where i can chew with my mouth open
and sing songs loudly or softly
when i pray and feel
and smell and breathe
when i am free to roam
and simply go
without
pressure of tomorrow
or yesterday
without
deciding if the time is good or bad
this is when i live
in
the
wide open
moment

late call

a secret
lost on our
unequal sentiments

he dodged my
obvious interest with flattery
of another

deflections and rejections
and mumbled ends about
being tired

silly me
called a boy
much
too
late.

summer routine

i sat on my porch
ready to put up a wall
and instead i'm happy
that you biked over to simply talk about
grapes
and hopefully
this
will be routine

divided

divided

a part of me clings to
reality
that life crushes
with bills, jobs
expectations
loneliness
routine
why marvel in the little things when
weightier matters press?

but a larger part still innocently
hopes
for spontaneity in the everyday
because living is about
seizing
even small opportunities
it’s waking
with anticipation
it’s splashing in mud puddles
and choosing to believe the best
about my boss
it’s an eager
waiting
and loving even when it
hurts

South Dakota

barefoot and goofy, we launched into field
yelling warnings about prickles
after the sound of whooshing cars and the flashes of headlights faded
far, far away
we unzipped the sleeping bag
we huddled in close
silent and aware of hands and feet
we looked up at the bright

promise me

needing coffee
needing a word
remind me this
is worth it
promise me
it’s worth it
because waking
is sometimes hard

poetry class

poetry class was hell
because you sat across from me
and most days you skipped anyhow
we all sat in a circle
to feel metaphors together
and I rolled my eyes
trying to separate from dishonesty

consort

his benefit concert
I contemplated going
all day
I did
to be strumming the guitar
with goofy socks for something really important and meaningful, probably
like kids with aids
makes him feel worthwhile

I know deeply
there’s courage tucked in security
and that’s what he’s looking for
not some cheap admiration
some ego tweaking guitar gig
but how do I even say that
soft and unhurried
so he hears?

what if(s)

it’s morning and I’m pleading
with the bright sun
I’m breathing lightly
stepping lightly
tormented
tossing
thinking
I’ll never get back

on the way to work
pinkish sky in my peripheral
memories at the forefront
still and sorry
remembering seems to steal today
minutes pass
dormant

a crust of white snow
I must decide
to make something
new

never did call you samuel

i.
my hair was short
when we first met
now it’s long
it’s so long
since we’ve
said a thing

ii.
turning
thirty
is that a dirty word to him?
I often pray while singing
he’ll probably never
know those songs
for him

iii.
I’m terrified
that
trusting is the
hardest part

The Weekend

i woke up with my lamp already on

memories desperately tried to link
the series of conscious mes
but despite my best efforts

atoms had changed and
cells had changed and

i embraced the routine

you eventually called me
and when i agreed to see you
you knew my voice

but on our date
you told your church group that
we were just friends
and on the hay ride
despite my best efforts
i never once touched you
and in the car on the way home
conversation was sparse in the wrong way
and i could tell you didn't know me

because atoms had changed and
cells had changed and

i embraced the routine

---------------------------------------------

i couldn't let myself sleep

i wanted to hold onto this
as long as i could
so i turned on the light
hoping it would keep me awake

as i stared at the ceiling
i focused on the timbre of your voice
and the black knit gloves you insisted on wearing inside
to keep from biting your nails

and how slowly and carefully
you laid your head on my shoulder
and the warmth of your breath

i focused on that perfume you always wear
and how cute a look you give me
when i do something out of the ordinary for you

and i remembered the time
we went to the football game and the weather was awful
so we were stuck under an umbrella

it was cold so i went to get
hot chocolate from the concession stand
and tim was working the stand
he gave me two cups and i spilled a bit from the one
but it just kept pouring from the cup
and the rain fell harder and stung my cheeks
while mud and chocolate rose together
and the warm murky water swept me away

---------------------------------------------

who let us sit beside each other?

it's nice cause
i was tired of being
beside myself

falling asleep on your shoulder
was probably intentional
and when i woke you were still there

we ate in the parking lot
and in a wordless conversation
i wrapped my arm around you
as you leaned into me

and in the car on the way home
we shared pillows and glances sort of awkwardly
you woke me up when we got there
and hugged me like you knew me

and maybe you did know me

rebuilding

being fully
broken
being me
without definition
the external securities dried up
left
with the clarity of powerlessness
but clarity
nevertheless

kitchen talk

nightly dishes
late
you decided to
tell me
then
one bulb over the sink
I focused on the puddle
of light on the counter
you told me
softly
stay home

misty tuesday

& when you came in
I thought your sister from Italy
was your new girlfriend
blonde & beautiful

& when you hugged me
I missed you
& knew that we were
finally
fine

erasing

the newness
of white
erasing
took me from that contained dorm room

gloves and you
with me
boots and hat
together

of course
on that pier
you looked me in the eyes
deliberate

I was nervous
and aware

I didn't want words
definition
words about you and me
us

just wanted a walk
embracing snow
allowing the uncertainty of flakes
swirling
to hide the world
a momentary blurring of reality

wanted to forget studies
to forget work and emails
to forget expectations
to forget

and for
once
not make

anything

acceptance

I want to tell you
loudly
than any outward success of my own
was never as
unfathomable
as lasting
as bottomless
as your unyielding acceptance:
such love has the depth of
pain and failure
hope
and life

far away

I never thought
these city streets
would be home
that tracing memories in my car
would be normal
that thoughts could wander
blurring this now familiar
scenery
snapping by

found

covered

by this surge of understanding
he saw a burst of my lowest
yet he still saw me
and “solid”
was his conclusion

held

by the swelling sensation of relief
briefly I forgot the bareness
of feeling alone

The Waitress

Alone in the back
Fumbling
With sugar packets
With coffee stains on her apron
With calluses on her toes
With untamed, rampant thoughts