In the darkness of the living room
the street light breaks through the blinds

He sleeps on the couch
A flannel blanket so small
every night is a decision
Shoulders?
Or feet?

I give him a fresh diaper
and light him a smoke

Tonight
before bed
he tells me a story
the only one I have ever heard from him
about the war

His best friend was named Mike
Mike got sick
Fever and blood in every cough

"I kept telling him everything was going to be okay"
He said
"but he kept asking me to leave him
Said to just send his wife a letter.
I never found any letter.
I wrote one later as if were him"

"I found him one morning
Cut his own throat"

My father's gone through five cigarettes by now

He lays down
covers his feet tonight

"When you're a burden to the people you love
it is okay to give up
That is what I am trying to tell you boy"

Just like that
he gave up

I am not saying my father was a good man
But in the end
I forgive him
for everything

Blistering boundaries
Wordless worry
Lightly laying
Just you and me

Sharing stories
Of occasions
Almost abandoned
Just you and me

Kissing kids
Holding hands
Forgetting fate
Just you and me

A year
A month
A week
A day
An hour
A minute

Any second
With you
Is great.

Dark butterflies
Flutter through the garden
No burden or care
As they wander through
The thoughts I hold dear

Rose from the view
Summer's day never too soon
Friendship sought and found
Underneath an orange moon

Tears from the sorrow
Couldn't hold me away
Tried to really help
Hold on for one more day

Didn't think about the love
About my heart or its desire
Just cried with you all night
But in secret getting higher
On the fact that you were you
Because I realized from the dawn
That you were in need of love
And I wanted to write you a song.

Seconds after seconds,
Living while dreaming of the past,
Living while thinking of the future,
But never in the moment.

From energetic child to a fading senior.

A Hundred Years,
Slowly Ticks Away.

Tick-Tock,
In a snap of a finger.

Where have Life gone?

Where to go
How to be
When to show
How to please
One more step
In this direction
Clueless but
Got your attention
Good enough
Or so it seems
Happy now
But by extremes
Reality says
Nothing at all
But that's because
I don't answer it's call.

I saw a green jacket today.
It really made my day.

But I realized it wasn't you,
I suddenly felt really blue.

I can't wait to see the familiar sight,
of the happy green bright.

I wish you were here,
but instead you are there.

I wish you were here,
for our fun group chats,
with Dylan, Keara, and I.
but instead you are there.

I really miss you here,
but you are gone somewhere else.

I hope you come back soon,
We are here waiting for you.

Until then I will feel blue,
with my stomach clenched too,
And I wish you were here.

Black Jacket
Yellow Jacket
Grey Jackets too
but only Green Jacket will do
because it means you.

I hope you have fun there,
as we all wait here.

Come back soon,
before I turn blue.

Small words exchanged
With the spaces and marks
Though nothing's changed
No longer in the dark
Now sharing thoughts
And news always there
Doesn't explain the loss
Of his despair.

Her letters so neat
Put together; no other.
But not always complete
Still stuck in her suffer
To help.  My goal.
Even though I may gain
In persisting to console
Must continue in the game.

Rules in the way
Head filled to the brim
So when appearing grey
All doubt fills him.
Second-guessing.  Incorrect?
Impossible to know.
Unable to collect
Her feelings down below.

Head over heels?
Falling indefinitely, it seems.
No control.  No appeal.
Too open by all means.

The longer I breathe
Without You
The harder I seem
To try
The more I think
About you
The higher I want
To fly

The higher I want to fly
The higher I want to go
To a place where we're together
To a place where we're alone

A place too often dreamt of
A place not think nor thin
To see your face up close
To see your shining skin

Skin perfected in its flaws
Skin abused but not forgotten
Lost to cope with her anxiety
Lost herself in great depression

Together or alone
Difference only in the name
But time and love are one
One question still remain

Will you return the love?