I stuck chickens in my baggy tie dye shirt
nuzzled on the couch, coffee in hand.
I enjoyed a deep conversation with a willow tree
and asked how it felt about the other species.
I slid cookies in the back pocket of my tattered jeans
before biking through the morning air.
I smiled at old Ted in the nursing home
with a wink, he smiled back.
I dribbled the basketball with the strong scent
of campfire coming from my backyard.
I danced in the shower
the warm droplets falling on my skin.
I smoked in the sparkling cove
with strangers that became my friends.
I flew off the high rocks
and submerged into cold crystal waters.
I looked into those faded blue eyes,
and chuckled cause' we do that.
I balanced on the fallen limb
and hopped up onto the beautiful stump.
I giggled with my sisters
cause' we made some really mean jokes.
I ate spaghetti with my friends,
and laughed so hard we choked.
I tumbled over tree roots
got back up and kept on trailin'.
I thanked God for this life
and he said you're welcome.

cigarette smoke
empty balconies
trippy lights
one band
and it can only be crime funk

I watched the mailman go by again.
He's always at it, delivering mail.
It reminded me how the days pass by and
how theres always Thursdays.
The mailman goes by day after day,
shoving mail into box after box.
I watch him.
I watch his technique.
He doesn't know I'm watching,
but then slowly people trickle out of their houses.
To open the previously closed box
and open the previously sealed letter.
One letter may be special.
So lets be thankful for this doorless truck and its driver.
But really its all about the driver
The mailman.

Sitting among seven strangers
sharing stories and shepards pie.
I found myself talking to a man named Rick.
Rick was homeless and out of work for eight years.
No loving family.
You see, he began talking to me
Telling me his story.
I listened, pondered.
I did not ask many questions.
He just talked and talked.
I was somebody he could talk to.
He is 50, he outlined a few of his struggles.
He told me during Christmas time...
He didn't want to make it to 51
Because he was lonely.
Lonely.
Lonely?
Lonely.
Billions of people on the planet..
And he's lonely.
Lonely.

I returned from a foreign land
The land of Jesus
Israel.
I had only forgotten one thing
Over the course of two weeks
I forgot I had a blue bathtub
The tub of blue took me offguard
I stared at it for a long time
Then I had to accept the fact.
My bathtub was indeed blue

The fiery red light was staring into my soul.
There was nobody around...
So naturally I hit the gas.

Looked up in that rear view
and some crazy blue lights were ashinin'.
Then came my swerve of shame to the beckoning curb.

My friend to the right kept his cool
While mowing down on two cheese burgers
As he ate, I shook with a casual fear.

The talk with the police was brief
I handed him my license and registration
and he skipped back over to that cop car.

I sat in fear
he ate burgers
we waited

My boy the police came right on back.
he gave me the blissful news.
NO TICKET.

He began the lecture of eating and driving.
that's when my little burger eater chimed right in.
"Sir, I was just handing her a pickle"

I confirmed the statement.
And next thing I knew I was rollin the streets again
Lucked out.

I feel like a lot of people can relate
to the never-failing love for all the cookies on my plate.

Sweet, delicate, chocolate chip.
I glance at the milk, then take a sip.

Even raisin, sugar, or oatmeal
cause' any kind of cookie is a good deal.

Every cookie, every crumb
these beauties make my heart go numb.

The excitement within me grows and grows
at the pace of the aroma drifting into my nose.

Without realizing, I may have eaten over thirty-one
Any regrets? ha! None.

Four Years.
Four years
of high school basketball:
has come to an abrupt halt.

You see, we'd swag into the locker room.
Pump up the tunes.
throw on the black air Jordan jump suits
and whip out the pre-game moves.

The three coaches walked in
We listened to the pre-game speech
Popped a couple altoids to "keep it fresh"
then slugged a bit of water

The warm up commenced
Lay-ups
Three on Two
Shooting

One more locker room run.
Jersy's on!
But right back on to the court
Where the fans anticipate.

Just a few more shots
Now one minute left
Time for the National Anthem.
"Gentlemen remove your hats."

Pre-game nerves suddenly sink in.
"Oh say can you see."
Thoughts about the game fill my mind.
I look at the crowd, and my loving team mates.

"And now for tonights starting line-up."
Names announced.
Team has last minute words
one. two. three. "swag" ....Tip-off!

We were so good.
So athletic.
A team with 8 returning seniors
we were such ballers

Conference Champs
District Champs
But we couldn't beat them
"The best team in the state."

We weren't sad about the loss though.
We were sad that we had to leave this team.
This team that we'd been with for four years.
We loved each other more than anything.

The final moments in the locker room were bittersweet.
Tears of sadness, tears of joy
We accomplished so much, but above all
It was about the memories we made together.

The tears on my keyboard
bespeak the pain
that is in my heart

I can't write research papers
about books
I can only read books

and besides
poems.
are the best kind of writing

There's something quirky about Thursdays.
I don't know if it's that they happen once every 7 days,
or if it's because they sneak up on you after every Wednesday.
Or maybe it's because Friday is right after.
Maybe it's because you're supposed to eat tacos and only tacos
And put those three fingers into a bowling ball.
On occasional Wednesday nights it's good to stay up til' Thursday.
Whatever it is about this day: I know one thing.
Make every Thursday memorable.

Splashing in the salty foam
I caught sight
of a whale.

Not just any whale
but a humpback whale
and I realized

It's wednesday
****-day
humpback whales swim even on Wednesdays.

Then I realized
it's my birthday
I'm 18

I am an adult
for the first time
in my entire life
& it's gonna be great.

The man took a bold step outside into the sunlight.
His glasses began delicately shifting to a shade of gray:
this made others around him feel uncomfortable.

Mischief
under the
moon
in Michigan
means
making
many
memories.

Glistening in the bowl of milk,
I gaze upon circular wheat.
Made of honey and of silk,
My life is now complete

I send 10 spoonfuls down the hatch
slowly dozing off...
Because breakfast? No.
I like cereal as a bedtime snack

I was once told a story
of a kindergartener
who slipped on her face
during class
and shattered all her teeth.
The teacher looked at the teeth
coating the floor
and told her students to
"Pick them up."

Are you like a beached whale
in a cardboard box
with Gandhi
singin'
"Why can't we be friends?!"