the best often die by their own hand
just to get away,
and those left behind
can never quite understand
why anybody
would ever want to
get away
from
them

Baby-hood is sunflowers, water-painted,
because Daddys love yellow.
Big Eyes never stop staring,
when they see you miss your father.

Baby-hood is candy in a pocket.
Big teeth have a soft voice,
when they kiss your cheek gently,
and beg you to stop crying.

Baby-hood is a rocking chair,
and you feel the to, and fro.
Big hands fit in the smallest places,
when the wolf slobbers over your baby-hood.

i once had a bb gun
it was really cool because it could shoot way far
like,
to the moon probably.

i showed it to my friend thomas.
he thought it was cool too
and then we decided to go look for things to shoot.
we shot at some cans
and some pinecones
and then we drew a bullseye on a piece of wood.

that was fun for a little bit.

then i had to go home.
on my way back i saw some pigeons sitting on a telephone wire
i don't know what i thought.
maybe i was thinking "what's one less pigeon?"
i don't know.

i fired one shot and wings were alive with fright
they clapped like thunder in my ears as the bird  tried to fly away
it started to fall from the wire
i think maybe
that this was the longest moment in my life.
the wings which had served that small creature so well were useless
now
i could have sworn it looked at me

i don't know why pigeon.
i'm so sorry.

Against too many writers of science fiction

Why did you lure us on like this,
Light-year on light-year, through the abyss,
Building (as though we cared for size!)
Empires that cover galaxies
If at the journey's end we find
The same old stuff we left behind,
Well-worn Tellurian stories of
Crooks, spies, conspirators, or love,
Whose setting might as well have been
The Bronx, Montmartre, or Bedinal Green?

Why should I leave this green-floored cell,
Roofed with blue air, in which we dwell,
Unless, outside its guarded gates,
Long, long desired, the Unearthly waits
Strangeness that moves us more than fear,
Beauty that stabs with tingling spear,
Or Wonder, laying on one's heart
That finger-tip at which we start
As if some thought too swift and shy
For reason's grasp had just gone by?

I'm a soldier in the nightlight revolution
I'm fighting the nightmares that haunt your dreams
The monsters in your closet
And the Boogeyman under your bed
One outlet at a time
I'm a silent alarm that vibrates your covers
When older brothers come in after bed time
To cover your face in shaving cream
Dip your hands in popcorn bowls of warm water
Or just slap you in the face
Sometimes they're not that subtle
I know when there is a tooth under your bed
Or reindeer on your roof
I've got a motion detector to keep step fathers at bay
While your mother's asleep
I'm his grave digger and his crypt keeper
Taking his skeletons out of the closet
And laying them in the middle of the floor
That man won't call on you anymore
I'm a hug when all you need is a handshake
And a hold-you-all-night when all you need is a kiss on the cheek
I don't do half-***
When things go bump in the night I bump back
Never fear to close both eyes when you sleep
Dream of fairy tales, Prince Charming
Dream of Maid Marions
Waiting for your touch
Don't fear the reaper he fears me
I am a soldier in the nightlight revolution
Armed with so much more than illumination
I crawl through the cracks in the closet door
Make their shadows cast pictures of rainbows on your wall
The Boogey Man runs from Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris runs from me
Please rest easy
Let the night take you for all it has to offer
Through star lit skies and rain filled clouds on magic carpets rides
Ocean floors and clown fish in little yellow submarines
Rain forests with koalas and parrots and panda bears
Son never fear for what the night brings near
The nightlight revolution is here
Throw your dream catcher away I will hand craft each one
Take the lavender out of the window sill
Don't leave the door cracked
You've got me
I'm here
We're all here
Soldiers of the nightlight revolution
And we will not sleep til you're awake

I want to get darker he said
so ice clinking in his glass
he started digging

my blood feels thin
and my bones are tired he said
so he laid down to sleep

throat burning he awoke
another drink he thought
should do me good

foggy air and
crisp frosted grass
beckon the winter