There is Icarus
Near death in the water.
Everyone laughs and jeers
to call him a fool
And his name becomes
A symbol
of Hubris.
But none of it changes
Icarus-
nearly dead and sunburned-
Smiling
After it all
Flying around
somehow with wax.
But the stars and planets
and even the sun
Are actually very beautiful.

All the pretty birds
perched on leafy branches
chirp to the waking morning,
“I am here. Where are you?
I am here. Where are you?
I am here. Where are you?
I am here. Where are you?”

And the puppy dogs
all starve for something
While the cats of fortune
laze about the alleyways.
But the pretty birds
all the morning long,
“I am here. Where are you?”

The tardy businessmen
and their non-fat lattes
squirm in BMWs,
Honking at traffic
with the most colorful swears,
“I am here! I am here!
I am here! I am mad! I am here!”

High-octane housewives
power walk the parks,
Gabbing. And the old folks
tossing breadcrumbs to the ducks,
Mumble to long gone loved ones,
“Where are you? Where are you?
Where am I? Where are you?”

But those ****** birds-
Those pretty, ******, little birds-
They have it figured out.
They know the secrets
to Happiness:
‘I am here.
Where are you?’

If we could watch our memories fade
Like dying flowers shrivel
We could see the years be paid
And desert this empty vigil.

I’ve sat alone the restless night
In search of buried skill
But I hate most of the things I write
And lack the vital courage still.

Eventually, I need the sleep
And drag my meat to bed.
I close my eyes to count the sheep
But curse my life instead.

And though there could still be hope
I give up hoping altogether.

Suddenly you thirst for her kiss
And she sates you with lips and tongue
So you feel the warmth of her cheeks
And terror at what you've just done.

I asked you not to leave
But then you sighed
When I asked about your day
And I knew
Your bags were packed
And ready to go.

Those friends of ours
Told me I’d go after you
If I really loved you.
But when I sighed,
I knew
I’d sleep instead.