The thousands of cigarette butts are making me wonder
where all the charred lungs are now.
Maybe the same hands
attached to the arms

attached to the ribs
which encase the lungs
are flicking another **** out the window right now--
sparks sizzling and hopping across the concrete.

My heart frowns inside my chest.
But it’s a different sadness then when I see
the headless raccoon
or the dead deer with its head swung way back.

I shudder when I see a styrofoam box
propped up with an untrustworthy smile on its lid.
Like it’s not going to turn to dust anytime soon
but the greasy chinese takeout inside might.

You can also never trust
the side of the road fire hydrant wearing a pink robe.
My sister just broke up with a boy because he threw
a straw out the window.

Dreaming
Controlling
So
Vivid
Cannot
Wake
UP
Cannot
move
my limbs
Paralyzed
from the neck down
Oh wait
It's just
Sleep Paralysis
Relieved

My idea of a good morning is at six AM
when two cases of fettuccine alfredo,
captured by the gravity of this planet,
dive for the white speckled tile.
Trying to **** me.
Glass, alfredo, smell of cheap pasta in the air.
I look around
sigh
delicately begin to pick up glass.
Tiny shards make my skin their home.
My leather boots have never encountered such a substance.
Oh fettuccine, sweet fettuccine
I will never consume again.

Long distance had its hardships
but now we're nice and close
let's hangout a few more times
and just see how it goes.
Maybe our relationship wasn't built to last.
and I made too many mistakes over time...
but what about this summer?
give it one more try.
I can be yours
and you can be mine.

You decided for the night that you were a big sports fan.
You’re not
but we drank some bud light limes
which was fitting because of the shitton of bud light commercials.
We also drank Bells Two Hearted Ale but you only had one sip
because “your palate has changed.”
Whatever.
More for me.

Guys clanked their heads together a few times.
The patriots won.
Who’s Tom Brady again?
We laughed at the illegal face to the hand slow mo’s
and cried at the car commercials.
We cuddled and shared millions of little kisses.
Then we just had to turn on Monsters, INC
which was free online
In honor and celebration of 2/3/19

When the timing is right
and the wind chimes are singing
and the lemons and limes are squeezin
and the words are rhymin
and the tree climbers are climbin
and the deaf are signin
and you are lookin so fiine-in
is when you take off your watch
and time stops timin.
Time stops timin
and the world becomes
timeless

I stood across from her for three maybe four minutes
in the front of the college campus shuttle bus.

We were hanging on for dear life
because the chaotic bus driver was driving like a maniac.
Speeding, then slamming the brakes, and taking sharp turns.
I think he was just excited there wasn’t snow on the ground anymore.

I liked her silvery, white, and purple tinted hair and
I also noticed that I really liked her makeup.
She was about at eye level with me
and I mentally complimented her height because
tall girls are the best.

We got off the bus and power walked in the same direction:
doesn’t take as many steps when you're five eleven.

We parted ways and two hours later I saw her in the library.
We made brief eye contact and I hope she thought:
"Oh wait that’s
That girl from the bus."

This one’s for the grass eaters:
the ones who teeter on the edge of
reality. For the ones who are hyper-
aware of their consciousness. It’s for
the ones who jump on the creaky wooden
floor to witness the annoyance of those
around them. It’s for the smile you let go after
someone catches you trying to ignore
them. It’s for the Ibuprofen that tears the lining of my
esophagus. It’s for rushing to get to church
so God knows you aren’t late. It’s for the baby
cactus that you are in denial of over-watering---
It’s for that handful of grass I just want to
throw in my mouth.

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.

Be careful when you peel your battles
Cause some oranges fight back.

It all happened while I was standing in a hallway
I peeled and orange, and it fought back

I stood there trying to get beaneath the skin
but it's juice dripped uncontrollably

The venom of the peel shot into my eye
and I was half-blind as the fight continued

I managed to get off a thumb-sized peel
it hit the carpet, with a thud
just kidding peels don't make noise when they fall
but I heard a thud in my mind

I gouged out one slice, mangeld, yet juicy
and handed it to a boy named Timmy

Timmy nodded, and said
"This is a good one, definitely worth the fight!"

The juice was so extreme
it was hitting my head, mid section, arms, and legs with full force

Almost beat, but not quite I looked down at my body..
I was thoroughly covered with orange insides

This was the last straw,
still peel covered, and losing lots of juice...
I opened it in half

Juice exploded everywhere and my hands were so slippery...
the entire orance took its plumet to the carpet

The orange fought back, and I didn't get to eat it
it saw its happy ending in the trash can

Oh how I wanted that orange
The orange that fought back.

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.

today my grandma told me something
something I never knew
and something she'd never forget
she told me I was baptized in tie dye socks
tiny little feet
tiny little socks
baptized in tiny little tie dye socks

Why do I feel like just a machine?
With the inabilty to think, to hope.... to dream.

Mindless work that covers all of the hours..
I get home, plop on my bed
through a grumpy mind, I feel sour

To use my mind in healthy ways
not stocking shelves or pulling weeds.

Go for a bike ride
read and write some more
to be intentional..
But nope only time to snore.

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.

college is suffocating.
chained by assignments due tomorrow.
eyelids heavy from five AM shifts
humans glued to screens
bus rides with thoughts unshared
world unexplored
stress high
falling deeper in debt
excited for this sumemr
when the sequioas scoop me up
swallow me whole
and set me free

You are my favorite passenger
my driver through tired eyes

You are my Nebraska rest stop lover
and the morning kiss in the tent.

You make my lips curl to a smile
and dance along your face.

You are the lime in my corona
and the clank to my bottle.

You are not my smores poptart
more like my layered dip

You're my backseat snoozer
and my cutest cuddle duddle

My late night fisherman
and my serving counterpart

You're my badlands baby cakes

You fill up my heart

You fill up my heart

Trees are wiser.
Trees are stronger.
Trees are most content.

Trees are taller.
Trees live longer.
Trees do not need shelter.

Trees are tougher.
Trees don't complain.
Trees have the most secrets and stories untold.

Trees are rooted deep.
Trees reach the clouds.
Trees provide homes to animals,
and us.

The greatest providers.
Trees are incomprehensible.
Trees have been since the beginning of time.

If you need advice...
Ask a nearby tree.

floating in space
with no trace
of the human race

oh wait there's a satellite

I think about you around the clock
hey cutie, you're my writers block

The enchiladas are taking too long
BUT I DON'T EVEN CARE
:)

Abandoned, round, and a beige off-white--
gallivanting along the curb, what a random sight.

One strong gust of wind, and oh Lord!
The yoga ball will shimmy head on with a Ford!

Will it pop, bounce, or cause a heart attack?
I should've snagged it for my future 6-pack.

Thank you, oh rogue yoga ball, that dwell in the street--
for a smile in my soul and this random sight here on the concrete.