They used to tell me,
"Just be yourself"
when I was a kid,
as maybe a way
to act on a date
or something,
so now,
late in life,
I have finally
figured out
what it means,
so here goes -
"Be yourself" means
don't be that other guy
who is yourself,
who is that phony guy
who is yourself,
but be, instead,
yourself,
who is not that other guy
who is yourself,
but be yourself instead,
so you see why
I didn't understand
what they meant,
and that was why
my dates
were all
****** up.

Well, we all probably hear voices inside,
these days,
so here's a fun game
to play with your voices,
what you could do
is to talk to them
and listen to their answers,
and goof around with them,
and play with them,
and write down
what they say,
and stuff like that,
but just keep in mind
the simple idea
that they are not exactly real
and that what they say
is not exactly true
or not exactly false,
and have fun with them,
so then
you're not crazy,
you're just fooling around
having fun,
so try talking to Napolean
or Buddha or somebody like that
and have fun.
Amen!

Layer, lick, stick, twist, ignite.
Exhale pungent exploration,
The dark taps at my window,
Beckoning me to join it,
Great snowy mountains broken by the tectonic plates of a Barclays card,
A burning nostril feels like home,
Search, locate, press play, enjoy,
My feet find pavement,
And the pavement finds people,
Great masses of weekend warriors,
Descend on the neon boulevards,
Sour euphoria engulfed with a wince,


Wait, watch, listen, feel,
What is that surging through me,
A storm of electric emotion,
A touch from Zeus himself,
I think the DJ has changed the song,
Or was there ever a DJ to begin with?
Look, touch, embrace, lips lock on my evening Juliette,
Or will she be my Bonnie?
My Iris retreats like a turning tide,
My pupils are the night now,
And we own the night,
For tomorrow will be Sunday,
And we all have responsibilities.

Wee cosy, tranquil Gatehouse Library
Ah come in quite a lot tay see yi,
Tay read yir books and use yir wifi
                An' chat tay Joannie,
Sae noo Ah'm goannie sing yir praises,
                Ah'm pure dead goannie.

Ye're sic' a cultural oasis,
Wan o' ma favourite learnin' places,
Yir books can form the verra basis
                O' Scottish brain power,
Enrichin' minds an' cheeky faces
                O' Scottish wean power.

So let us pray they never close yi
Tay those who would, we will oppose yi.
We'll be the storm an ill wind blows yi
                At sic' a crunch time.
The only closin' we'll allow
                Is Joannie's lunch time.

I have heard
some people say
that they feel
terrible
when they wake up
in the morning,
and I used to think
that I did too,
so I put
a little Zen spin
on it,
and realized
that the feeling
in the morning
is not terrible,
it is like
being on a lot of
hard-core street drugs,
and I feel
higher than
a kite,
so now,
in the morning,
when I am drinking
my coffee,
I feel ******
out of my gourd,
so that's much better,
don't you think?

I remember before
I remember when it was just a bunch of poets most in unrelinquishing agony
I remember when I came on this site and it was a safe haven
I remember being inspired by Great writers that are still out there
I remember the passion
The fire
I remember what HP was
I remember it's better days
...
I am not a fan of the new HP
I know for some they feel they are writing poetry but others, well it's offensive.
I come here to breathe to be with those that I can relate to
It Was a garden full of blossoming roses
But every time I appear now
It feels like a high school situation
This is a site for poetry not pathetic ******* petty drama
Between poets
Write your heart, try to help other poets
Express yourself
I refuse to hashtag it up
Because i respect those who use them
But in all honesty I hate what it has done
Maybe the people changed
Maybe some left
...
I remember when here wasn't a need for "public service announcements"
I remember when there wasn't a worry about a "bully"
I remember when the thought of plagiarism occurring was a joke
I remember what it use to be
And now it's future I feel isn't so bright
All it feels like now it a popularity contest
I long for what it use to be