We're all just swimming and trying real hard not to drown.
Letting our arms sink harder.
Steady breathing.
Never looking down.
Never looking up.
Never looking anywhere, with our eyes closed.
We're all just swimming and trying real hard not to drown.
What's funny is,
When we forget to open our eyes,
We all end up in the belly of the beast.
When we swim with our eyes closed
Letting our arms sink
Steady breathing
Never looking down
Never looking up
Never looking anywhere
We forget we all came in the same way-
Through the skin of its teeth.

I, composed of dust and rusted sustenance
& You, with the golden-crusted promises
& we, the busted love we make of this

Time and luck are growing weary


& with the creeks all running dry



I've come to fear the near death




Of the we





The you





The I.

Legend has it, he was born a dancing flame.
But he doesn't burn because he's angry.
He burns because he's hungry.
A starving artist, ignited by the truth.
Legend has it, he was born in a pool of passion.
The Gods shook with envy because they created a better man on accident.
Earth trembled when he decided to grace it with his footsteps.
He was created to never be tamed.
An invention of rebellion.  
Legend has it, the Grand Canyon was a direct result of his heartbeat.
When he announced his name, the tide shrugged and ate the shores.
His smile made the flowers laugh.
He speaks, and the wind sings through the trees.
A showpiece of devotion.
Legend has it, he's disguised in a *** of ordinary.
He's just a cup of coffee or a faded pair of jeans.
A million other men are labeled with his name.
They say the wind still sometimes whispers through the trees.
He is a heart more profound than a mortal heart could ever dream to be.

"You're a disaster", he said.
I know, I know, I know.
Because I never know where I'm going.
Because roads are still new territory
Even though I've lived here for years.
Because I sneeze in evens and cough in odds.
Because my socks never match
And you still react like you're not used to it.
Because I catch pitter-patter on my tongue in spring.
Because singing in the shower counts as talent
Although my snaps are missing rhythm.
Because I wrap my guilt thick like a December sweater.
Because I regret nothing and everything
A moldy breaded soup sandwich.
"You're a disaster", he said.
"But I'll always want to clean up your messes"

I saw him on a train.
He was wearing an old wool coat in the middle of summer.
Unorthodox.
His thumb clicked his lighter awake.
Inhale.
Then a big speech bubble of smoke.
He looked up to find me watching.
I said I think I've heard of him before.
Maybe in a movie or a book.
I said I feel like I've been waiting to meet him.
How I felt the itch of an adventure in the back of my heart.
I asked his name.
With a dangerous grin, he replied, "My name is Love,
And Darlin', you're in for one hell of a ride"

I write a lot in my days of lonely
Because somewhere between poetry
And nonsense
Is a metaphor only you would understand
Although you're too far gone to read it.

A message for you young truckers,
You long lovers,
You schmucks, *****, and go-getters...
This is as good as it gets.
The truth is, school *****.
And so does your 9 to 5 part-time job,
But this is the time to find prime opportunities to get carried away and run
To say all the wrong things at all the right seconds
And to never, EVER get caught drinking your parents' ***.
Be bummy, be a druggy, be a top score, or be the eye sore of the student body
But you will never be nobody...
You will NEVER be nobody.
Let somebody tell you they don't remember your name,
Then give that chump a reason to never forget
Because in this game of high school social status, there's no such thing as a winner
And you deserve whatever respect you let people neglect you of.
**** 10 year reunions, that cute girl in math class still won't think of you
Unless you act now, before you're ten years too late.
If you want something, you better learn to work for it,
Because these are the easy years, the queazy years, the "let's ditch and smoke a bleezy" years.
And before you know it, you'll be tap dancing on a keyboard when you should be working
Warning the youngins that their glory years are just about done.