As I trudged home from school one day
A sweet sight met my eyes.
Amidst the dreary clouds of gray
Flew millions
Of butterflies.
On painted, colored wings they fluttered
Delicately, all about,
And even a heart as hard as mine couldn’t have shuttered
Their bright joy
Out.
They frolicked gaily in the breeze
As my wonder-filled eyes watched from below.
Then like a dancing flower from the trees,
One landed softly
On my nose.
Its jewelled eyes gazed into mine
And peered deep into my soul,
And it shook its head sadly when it did find
An empty, aching, armored
Hole.
Its soft wings brushed against my cheek
As glistening water fell down my face.
It gave me a kiss, sweet and meek,
And with its fellows
Flew away.
Now, after heartbreak that pierced me so,
The butterflies’ kind gift remains.
For they opened a door inside my soul
And let me learn
To love again.

Why not.
Not why.

I returned
a book at the library,
"Soul on Ice"

"it smells
like beer," Emily,
the librarian said, smiled.
so I asked her for a date

St. George Orthodox Church
was having a festival.
I took Emily

must have
drank a pint
or more of ouzo

i thought it was a Greek custom
and i began
smashing plates on the floor
but the Father said
the church uses the plates
for meals

and I said,
"I guess no one
will have to wash dishes."

so we left

"your too
drunk to drive
on the street," Emily warned.
so I drove over the curb onto
my neighbor's yard
circled his house
2 times

I saw him
looking out his window
and he didn't look surprised
at all
just shook his head
turned off the light

(the sound of sirens in the distance)

so we left

I had drank a 6 pack
on the way to the library
shoved the empty cans
under the seat
I went to put on the brakes
and
a can rolled out
under the brake
and I could
not stop
Emily,  SCREAMED
I went through a red light but
we made to her house
anyway

(7 year old Igor
Emily's son
bit a chunk
out of my eyebrow,
her pit bull bit in my ***)

bought a scratch off at WaWa
won 300 dollars
we went to the horse races

i told Emily to pick a horse
any horse
and i'd put all 300 dollars on it
she picked a 40 to one shot

PERFECT INSANITY

i was feeling lucky...
and...

we know each other better than we know ourselves...