lying in the street
a thin shell
and broken on the inside

some ****** with a gun
rifles for the kids
at the storefront

let them learn
before they can’t forget

i say
this will run
as deep and dark as you allow
whether or not you can tell

         get on your feet
          it’s a thin wall
         and won’t weather the shells

i tell you
we americans have agreed
you are either prisoners or refugees
and we must know which

although,
if you are prisoners
you are criminals

if you are refugees
you are blameless

there is no room in our heads
for honest prisoners

and no such thing as
a guilty refugee

tell me brothers
what crimes have you committed
to be in such a prison
how black are your hearts

tell me sisters
what monstrosity displaced you
what savages took your home
let me help you

a man from here once said
let those without sin
send the first rocket

tell me, friends
who is to blame
because we in america
need to know
who to root for

If there are no shepherds with sheep,
who then will keep the little lambs
from harm?
No wise men
no unguents
no balm,
No wars to arm up for
no gods to bow down for
no stars in the sky
no universe.
Why!
the end may be nigh but
it hasn't even begun
yet.

I was at the interview
and it was the final moments,
I knew

and the Owner Manager
sat back in his seat
and he thought awhile and deep
and he looked me straight in the eye
and he said: "We need someone responsible.
Do you think you are that person?"

"Sure," I replied with confidence
*"In all the previous places where I worked
whenever something went wrong
people always pointed to me
as being the one responsible"

This I made from discarded words
A rewashing of once fertile derivatives
They made her bustle when recited
Her face, red with passion and lips unrestrained

And now, this newness I have not felt since her
I fear this one will discover my deceit
My lack of originality
Verses meant for another

But once old is new again
And these words have found fresh life
But when I find my soul again
Then will it bring forth new fruit

I want to be with you,
maybe not forever,
but at least a little bit longer than never.

When the leaves won’t fall
and the grass won’t grow,
Where are you?
The seasons won’t change,
the snow won’t come,
Are you thinking of me too?

The stars stay out,
the sun won’t shine-
You’re not there.
The birds don’t chirp,
the breeze won’t blow-
Do you care?

And if you’re not here,
what to do?
Life is cold without you.
Time seems to freeze
in waiting for you;
The sobbing streams miss you too.

The stars fall,
the moon fades,
Black goes the night.
It’s too much to move,
too much to try,
Too much to fight.

But then there’s a ray,
a hopeful light
to scare away the black.
You’re here now,
if just for a while.
Against it all, you’ve come back.

Fall skips to spring,
the birds rejoice
Though I know it cannot last.
For soon you’ll be gone
and fall will return
To push this to the past.

The leaves won’t fall,
the grass won’t grow,
Holding still the chance,
That you’ll come again
to give them life,
and perhaps give me a glance.