Every gardener
knows what it is
to be pricked
by a rose’s thorn.
to that end,
-wear gloves.

another ink blotch,
a sentiment in darkness,
timeless.
yet, one you forgot.
just a speck
trying to sound off.
a heart- restless,
learning to let go.
another drip of pen onto paper
and then,
type it up so (they) can murmur
and lie aloud again.

The lights on the street are dimmed
As if shrinking to the cold.
This winter brittles the bones of the old
And tightens the skin of the young.
-Forgetting himself and any grand illusions,
Whether holy or earthly influenced;
With a smile upon his weary face.
Accepting all null and void resolutions.
Looking out his window, seeing the passersby below;
The young and old, couples and solitary figures, sheepish and bold…
His heart is now easily content
As he sees himself in them.

there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say, stay in there, I'm not going
to let anybody see
you.
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I pur whiskey on him and inhale
cigarette smoke
and the ****** and the bartenders
and the grocery clerks
never know that
he's
in there.

there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too tough for him,
I say,
stay down, do you want to mess
me up?
you want to ***** up the
works?
you want to blow my book sales in
Europe?
there's a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I'm too clever, I only let him out
at night sometimes
when everybody's asleep.
I say, I know that you're there,
so don't be
sad.
then I put him back,
but he's singing a little
in there, I haven't quite let him
die
and we sleep together like
that
with our
secret pact
and it's nice enough to
make a man
weep, but I don't
weep, do
you?