We clanked our wine glasses together
Suits for the occasion
And I tried to remember the names
Especially the ones who’s faces I recognize
One man in particular looks older than I remember, with a haircut far too young
Talking all about
The deal of the last year
Maybe a Christmas bonus this year
So he can go home to his wife
“Look honey we can buy another car”
And maybe this time she won’t sleep
With the neighbor
I shake his hand hard because the poor old b*stard needs something
And maybes its this extravagant event
guys like me shaking his hand firm enough
That he knows he’s important somewhere
And we are all impressed by his hard work and loyalty

I published a children’s book
So that I could say I was a writer
Before then it was just
Scratches in my notebook
Notes in my phone
Conversations in my head

That first month
After the publishing
And the handling
The marketing
distributing

I had 18 cents
That said I can do this
And so I probably will

Maybe it was mountains
Instead we drank our way to something
Of bravado
Feats of intoxication
And instafame

Telling stories we’d lived
We thought they couldn’t be lived again
And so we stepped into our late 20’s
Hearing mirroring stories form our
Middle aged colleagues

When I stepped into a poetry class
I thought I had an edge
That i’d lived
That the love I’d lost was real enough
To be worth something

This was before Bukowski,
McCourt, Hamill

I have nothing unique to say
But still I say it
Because it finds its way out
Eventually

for all the plans you’ve made
but have never found the time

I didn't want to get sick
so I let them stab me with a needle
after they made sure
I had the right paperwork

she must have found what she wanted
because here I am at 26
looking back she thinks she may have been too young
but her and my father are not the divorcing type
she tends her garden every spring
and looks forward to visits from her sons
she spoils her grand-dogs
and is looking forward to grandchildren
that may be years away
but now there are friends to walk with
on occasion, a party to host
a wine cooler
she confides in me
that she is happy and would do it all again
I'm too young for her advice
but feel too old to require it
even so, I listen

surrounded by music rather
than campfire
your touch intends
to pull me closer
tonight we are lovers
the door shut
here we are again
less afraid this time
still, the miles matter
regardless how much
we will find this again
in another place
at another time