I admire the ones who
Walk away
The ones who’ve disappeared
From view
Who decided my words
My actions
Were just too much
For them

Maybe...
I shared too little

One...
Wanted forever
Like they all do
One...
Cried herself to sleep
In my arms
Many a night
I really thought she’d stay
She’s been gone for decades
I wonder if she found
Another tree to hold onto
One...
Emails me once a year
On my birthday
That’s it
The only day

Words...Actions...Mapping Out
Constellations
They’re never enough
To keep them from disappearing

I admire that

Because my memory is so good
I can remember ages 3-4
Lying on my back in the grass
Listening to the crickets
The ants doing their thing
The clouds and the moving
Watercolor paintings
Move across the sky

Welcome to Kindergarten
Go here...go there
Sit here...take this test
Make good grades
How was school today?
You need to do better if you
Want to get a good job
Make a good living
Schoolings over
Work begins
Get certified
Train
Come in early
Go home late
4am mornings
7pm get homes
2 weeks of vacation a year
Fill this out
Put this in the mail
Save for your retirement
Eat better for a longer life
Take a glimpse of that cloud
Rolling by
Rememberclouds?

‘You’re late...this Better never happen again or you’ll be looking for another job.’

Years pass much like those clouds

Retirement

‘What are you going to do with the rest of your life?’

‘I’m ready to die...I’m ready to be among the clouds.’

It’s when you no longer care or get excited about the future that you begin to look old...

Somewhere out there...
In all that cold...
All that
D
          A
                     R
                               K

Is a good woman
Ready to be loved
By a good man
If only
She’d let me go...

An officer is
Educated in war
Combat
Conducive to Compassion
Leaders among men
Knows even when he doesn’t
Delegated
&
Dedicated
To the cause

The dead were many
On this side
And on theirs
One stood out to the
Officer
As his enlisted ripped
Toiled
&
Dismembered
His lifeless
Body

Arm broken
Skin under his nails
Riddled with bullets
Innumerable number
Of the officer’s own
Around this enemy soldier
Face covered in blood
The officer wanted to know
Why

Then it came out
The Letter
Written by him that morning
The officer unfolded

‘By the time you read this it’ll be a week until you are my Mrs., my have and to hold...my forever entrenched...’

The officer folded it neatly
Placed it back where it fell
&
Ordered his men to clean the
Soldier
As if he were his own
Who fought
Valiantly
Not to leave this world
If
Only
For
Love

‘I wish we could all fight for a love as beautiful as this...’

What if we don’t get up from the bed today?
Don’t call in sick
Don’t go to class
Don’t notify anybody
Who would come for us?
Would there be any concern
For days?
Hopped out of the fray
Swam to shore
Out of this
Raging River
After a week
Your employer
Your mom or dad or siblings
Would be asking if everything
Is ok
Then the bill collector
Power company
Mortgage company
After a month
You just simply decided to leave
Without telling anyone
What freedom did you achieve?
We weren’t programmed for this
To work 12-14 hour days
To die tired
&
Yet we do it everyday

Hitting snooze 5 times this morning is my only victory

I’d caught your eye off Broadway
One evening
Your hair pulled back
The sweat from the streets

Followed you up to
Washington Square
In Autumn leaves
You turned around and smiled

That upright bass was pumping
Crowds were swaying in
Harlem
I had my best gray suit on
Polished Florsheim wingtips
Electric maroon tie

That lipstick of yours
Made your eyes
Glitter so much goodness
The floral print of that dress
Forever
Tattooed
Upon my memory

‘It’s nice to meet you...’
And we couldn’t take our eyes
Off each other
That first night
Jazz trumpets
Trane hitting that sax
Moonshine
To go with
Moonlight

3am
Walking back south
Through the park
Your hand disappeared in mine

‘I want to see you tomorrow...
I say
‘I want to stay with you today...
You say

‘I’ll never kiss another...’