Grubby little hands
and sugar encrusted mouths
leaving chocolate hugs and kisses
on a white Hanes t-shirt
in a late summer sun

the man in the stained shirt laughs
telling stories until you laugh too, so hard
you roll in the grass with your brother
streaking your denim knees green

and you beg him to play with you
just one more game, please!
because he is the best at everything
as close as you can get to invincible

and when he picks you up at the end of the day
tickles you, herds you inside
you can smell the lawn mower grease
and the shellac from his shop
and the peppermint, always the peppermint,
from the gum that snaps! in his mouth

then before you know it
you’re sitting shotgun in his rusted pickup
the radio singing classic rock
like always

windows rolled down
hat perched back on his head
whistling through his teeth
like always

but you’re on a new road
and your boxes are packed in the back

and when he hugs you
you feel like the little girl
that you’re not anymore

and you’re not quite ready to say goodbye

She and He
sittin' in a tree
k-i-s-s-i-n-g

Her and He
under'n' altar
m-a-r-r-i-e-d

He and She
here n' there
t-a-l-k-i-n-g

Her and She
over He
f-i-g-h-t-i-n-g

Her and He
holdin' She
c-r-y-i-n-g

She and He
sittin' in a tree
k-i-s-s-i-n-g

We are well-defined
in the obvious
     the elemental;
food, ***, laughter, song.

I accept your guitar
and understand your hands.
You understand my chaos
and accept my need
to outwardly order things.
Sleight-of-hand; my manifest patina
to deflect scrutiny
of a disorderly mind
and a mutinous heart.

(I don't know any more than you
why I love you always, sometimes)

You have called me anchor,
kissed my rope-burned palms
in return
I have witnessed your knight,
crossed your chivalrous cloak
thrown down on ***** water.

Yet, for all the elements,
for all the ropes and ladders
there still exists this aether;
the candle's blue flicker
where you drift, and I
drown.

Keep that flawless smile

And watch the world become as beautiful as you are

Existence proves to be that much sweeter

That much brighter

And that much clearer

As I gaze into your eyes

The intrinsic beauty of life is revealed

Life is wonder


I am lost in the simplicity of paradise.

beauty is seeing
a ladybug on the ground
picking it up to save it
from reckless falling feet
and realizing
it has already died.

beauty is crying
with all your might,
so hard you can't
even make a sound.
but it works out because
your friends are in the next room.

beauty is staring
at the person you love
who stares at
the person they love
who stares at you.
all looking, none seeing.

beauty is scratching
the skin off your hands
and clenching your palms
so tightly it hurts
in the only way your body
can express your mind.

beauty is laughing
so loudly people notice
and stopping and wishing
nothing had ever been so
funny because it wasn't
worth the embarrassment.