Old enough
to be your
Grandfather

Young enough
to be your
Friend

Wise enough
to see your
Greatness

Where time
and tide
— depend

(University City: April, 2025)

A stone
cannot be broken
but bent inside—
its fault lines
only strain
in harsh weather.

It does not
try to lift
or roll away—
just taught
to keep
its hurt
under hard gray
quiet.

It will stay
where it fell—
move only
if you kick it
or push it
away—
feeling nothing
but your hurt.

What bleeds
in you
only makes me
a stronger
boulder—
don’t hurt
just be calm
and come lean
against me.

You love him as I love you,
You hurt as I was hurt too,
You move on as I lay inert,
Apologies if I seem curt.

Really, what else could I want?
Gave us everything we wanted,
Still I remain just as haunted,
Feels like a self-inflicted taunt.

You love him as I love you,
You hurt as I was hurt too,
You move on as I lay inert,
Apologies if I seem curt.

Even so- with a white whale,
I hate to leave it incomplete,
Face meet the street, eat concrete,
It’s only right I don’t bite- just exhale.

Searched the turquoise in between,
Wispy cirrus clouds of tender gold,
Filter light through a sentient fold,
It’s all sublime, simply serene.

You love him as I love you,
You hurt as I was hurt too,
You move on as I lay inert,
Apologies if I seem curt.