The song of the ney blends
with the dunes:
as ancient paths
follow footsteps out,
into the wilderness of the desert,
seeking a truth greater
than constricted life settled allows;

The percussion of the drum,
missed heartbeats:
stopping at wells
dotting the scape, where,
the earth pours her agony forth
from her sorrowing depths,
the prophet's sons wept for God.

The grieving oases mourn
an unhealed
wound, of long
a heart searching the
sands, for one who gave his life
for the love of his Lord
here and his humble fellow man.

Watch out for the smiles
Because they don't always tell the truth
Crooked smiles...

*** & Coke secure,
We sat back and
Scanned the surroundings:
     Dingy room? Check.
     Dancing candles? Check.
     Dark humor? Check.
Elements all in place,
We were officially ready
To conduct our séance
Off a twenty-dollar Ouija Board
Hot off the presses from the
Local Toy ‘R Us.

As silly as it seems
We felt a tad closer to you
Especially when we asked:
“Why’d you have to leave so soon?”
And you simply signed back:
“Because applesauce, man. It just ******* exists.”
Inadvertently proving the profound:
There’s **** in heaven, too.

secrets sigh all night
tigers slide into the sun
dappled shadows in between
memories of forests more real than they were living
death is a concept of linear minds
thoughts traverse a limitless space
sensations of touch on a cloudy day as real as the moment we first saw them
filed them away
pull them out again another day
emptiness is the space between the bell where the melody begins
ripples, build like a song
and a dance
the music tugs a string inside us, we call it a soul
a need
a desire
feel the notes like rushes of the wind on a chilly fall day
like touches of the tips of fingers in the dark
of lips on the soft
cold skin on the back
of the hand of the lost
in the sea we can drift and we can feel the current blow
underwater weather rages like the storms above and we can
be

Bible
Cigarette
31 candles
Death Certificate
Eulogy
Memorial Service Program
Obituary
May 2012 letter from Erin
Two crocodiles
African Coffee
A Crucifix
Crucifix
Avett Brothers

Jade's love
Rob's love (a Lion's love)

Ashes

You and your favorites

So:
Go Ahead
Chuck tonight's stardust
Through the screen door

I don't mind my freckle's
Illuminati

Confirm:
Scar tissue's
a weaker skin
seal, yes?

Your ashes in my hand
Beneath a bag of
Japanese sand

Same fate:
Ocean

A USPS
Worker slapped
the "Cremated Remains"
Sticker on the box of
You

$25 and 8,000 miles

You in a box

I lay you on
Bob Marley's
Freedom Song

Item by item
I cry

A scar tissue
tear
    and tears

I'll learn to dance with
A limp like
Anne Lamott does

I  still crave much more
Of you than I need

But:
Who knew palm fronds
Are lined in metal too?

Memories that
Don't fade    (illuminate)
Don't stale    (crisp)
Don't mold   (cleanse)

So
Attach a bag of dust
to a day dream's balloon

Send you off to my
fondest memories

To the sea
To the sea
To the sea

she leaned on my shoulder once and in that
moment i knew we loved each other more
than those around us could perceive.  but that
is often the way it should be.  i think

i gave her that hoodie in an attempt
to hug her even when i'm not there. and
although i fear the world may be too cold,
i will not stop trying to keep her warm.