Before I die, yes I know, I'm only 15,
But before I die
I want to live as no one has lived ever before
Smell the most gorgeous aroma
Feel the softest object, pet the gentlest lamb
Play and wrestle with a cub, be it lion, tiger, or bear
Go for a long long walk in the woods with one friend
And sit together talking and capturing instants on paper
I want to learn four languages, or five, or six
Spend one entire weeked in bed, catching up on books
Read the most glorious poem and hear the sweetest song
Fully enjoy my career and learn enough about bones
Be able to know when someone is lying and
To die, really really happy.

I am afraid of aloneness
Being without someone or something
To talk to, to see and interact with

I am afraid of baring my heart and soul
And afraid of not doing so, both
Because I might not be understood

I am afraid of knives and glass, blades
And sharp with the thought that I may
Cut myself by accident, and enjoy it

I am afraid of friendship and love
And the lack thereof, as it causes
Pain and heartache and grief

I am afraid of the dark and the monster
Under the bed, simply because those childish
Stories may be true

I am afraid of loss and abandonment,
My lack of confidence and freedoms
That may restrict my possibilities

I am afraid to be afraid,
Because it will hold me back.

You walk through the hallways
Mind set on destination
Smart enough to have grade-skipped
Curly dark hair pulled back
Tall stack of binders
Glasses? Yeah
Girlfriend? Ich weiss nicht
I know so little about you
And you don't say much at all
What are you like?
Who are you?

There were two of them
Half bleached by the sun and crusted
With hard packed dirt
Found on a friend's farm
Slightly broken, and curious things
Possibly vertebrae, definitely a joint
They didn't quite fit together,
But the looked like they belonged together
Even thought they were yards apart
They were differently sized almost-twins
I wanted to take them home,
Clean them up, bleach them completely
Arrange and draw them
Study and identify and catalog
They fascinated me, and all I knew was
I couldn't take them home
I don't even know where they are now

When I was little, I had a blanket
Not a regular blanky either
The smoothest, most wonderful one
Hand sewn by my great grandmother Charlotte
Now all we have of hers other than a
Dresser, rocking chair, and picture or three
I didn't realise it then, but it had a heart design
Of faded green, and brown and red-orange
And off-white
I don't remember much, but I do remember
I could be completely enveloped within
Still can, and this is no huge blanket
Perhaps five by three feet, and ugly as heck
But so wonderfully made and beautiful
Soft and love infused
I thought we didn't even have it anymore,
But then I rediscovered it,
Now I can't live without it

My cherry tree stands quite tall, bearing fruits and flowers
Good for climbing  and snacking, breathing and thinking
Walk out upon a limb, and lean against a branch
To calm and relax and hang out with friends
Laughing and joking, playing and singing
Hot sticky summers, made all the stickier by cherries
Sunshine dappled grass beneath the tree
The perfect Treffpunkt for all us monkeys and goofballs.

One state, two state
Red state, blue state
This state, that state
Short and fat state
States here and over there
Colorful states everywhere!
But as election time draws near,
Each man closes mind and ear
To voices and opinions raised by opponents
As each team raises the arms and pennants
The choices are not clear
The future is bleary
And while many men fight for their side,
Regardless of what is wrong or right
The nation is torn
Like fabric by thorn.