You throw around words
like "hopeful" and "dreams"
but I find myself doubting your certainty
of their meaning

Words full of such desire
might only be realised
by the down-trodden and brokenhearted
the ones left alone, behind,
or otherwise disenfranchised

You will truly know hope
when you feel there's none left
and your dreams
will become much more truthful
after unending nightmares
Just give it time.

She moved with all the grace of a garbage truck
this is not to say she was graceless altogether
only that her movements were rollingly robotic
and she was prone to fits of repetitious arm-swings
with a physical presence neccesary
though sadly underappreciated

You know nearly nothing of my life
beyond the few whens and hows
that have been told to you
small stories that sit comfortably
in the eye of a needle
plucked from the pincushion
of whole existances
you don't know where I come from-
only the stuffy history book pictures
and anecdotes
that have been outlived
you don't know these people
beyond the stacks of stereotypes
you shuffle us in to
And the culture, my culture-
Our beautiful contradictions
and spectacular calamities -
You believe you understand us
but what you know is so much less
than we ever have been

forgive her, Cupid
she knows not what she does
but doesn’t- hasn't
maybe never will
her focus is off
while she waits for yesterday
to roll back around
so she can take it on
with the wisdom of tomorrow
If this life’s just a circle
that one true chance
should come spiraling back
any time now.
And this time,
maybe the arrow will stick.

mommies teach your baby boys

to smile at the teeth of the war machine

and not to cry when those teeth

grind them into bits

daddies tell your smart little sons

to go and fight for the cause

because, well just because

that’s what brave little boys do

do as you’re told and not as you think

forget what might be right and wrong

remember what keeps you alive

come back broken and different

and not the least bit yourself

but just tell yourself,

at least my parents are proud.

if we will meet
let us meet quickly
be friends before the introductions end
run our words, sentences, stories together
because we are the same
but not entirely

if we are attracted
one to the other
let it be flashy
a flash flood of emotions and pheremones
a flash fire from the second
we work up the courage
to brush carelessly against each other
to see where a brush fire leads

if you come with me
into my home
into my bed
accept the gives
and the here for the takings
enjoy enjoying each other

if you must leave
and you must
and we both know it
do not regret or dismiss
or expect movie-endings
or miracles

when you go
go with a kiss
and a smile
and you'll have your memories
and I'll keep mine
until and unless
we meet again

the war zone is open
a simple stumble
onto a carelessly unplanted landmine
the photographic proof
of the ones in the winning troops
a wire was tripped
my carefully grounded feet
now stumble sightlessly through
confused by combat
as the clouds of battle
brew and storm
mushroom around me
my soul is shattered
by the shrapnel of the relationships
that were never quite had
grenades packed with unbidden love
a thousand times stronger
than any known explosive
scar and pock my psyche
with their silent detonations
the rockets of unreason
guided by an unbalanced radar
pierce the pretend walls of armor
which were never successfully reinforced
this isn't the first or worst battle
know it won't be the last,
because
there is no safe zone
there is no ceasefire
there is only surrender
to the ceaseless uncertainty
a prisoner of my own
hostile forces