White fleshed the wild roots
cold in caves of soil the bulbs, the tubers
burst through aged brown clay, wet through mud slick rains
sun drunk buds of tulip leaves, petals painted pink
bird chirp and groan of ponds, a soft bedded mossy home
of woven fern and forest fronds, home to night's invisible frogs
white moon dogwood blooms, calls heard lovelorn
through an open window.

People come
People go
We get so close to people
we don't ever really know

We're all avatars
in this
the real world

Private self
Public self
Virtual self

We're all avatars
in this world

As real as the real world
As if it didn't have a delete
re-set re-post twelve more lives
power-off button

Real worlds converge

Real hurts
Real drama
Unfriend   Block

When the virtual world
replaces the real world
which is the "real" world?
Real money for virtual tools
People fall in real love with people
they don't even know
People come and go

The real world
The world that really matters
The real world is real to me.

Take your pick in the real world,
which is really real

Private self
Dream self
Public self
Virtual self

Real pain in the real world

Are we all really avatars
in the real world?

One day the AI robots
are coming with skin
3d printed
speaking your language,
real relationships
going the way of cigarettes
outside
better done in the garden.

The  AI's will be singing every night
"Happy trails to you "
When they know they are the
new real.

A virtual
real relationship
in the real world

Imagine that

Are we all avatars
in this world,
the real
real
world?

And which is that?

One day when we have dream machines,
is anyone gonna want to wake up?

We're all avatars in this world
the real world.

My heart aches when I don't hear your name,
But my chest aches when I do.

My heart aches when I don't see you,
But my bones ache when I do.

I told myself it is okay. Heart wins over everything.