I've grown so tired
of hating you,
but I’ve hated you so long,
it's all I know.
After the foul odor of death fades,
fresh air will replace
that which we cannot change.
Staring out the window,
my chest tightens from dread.
The pollution we’ve spewed
may have scorched the soil
where new trees must grow.

–Ron Gavalik

Back in the small town,
we hung around the gas station
in the afternoons and at night.
We drank cartons of iced tea
and laughed about nothing.
We watched others live
the lives we wanted,
but weren't quite ready
to begin.

—Ron Gavalik

My mom asked me what I wanted to be
'I want to be one of the stars' I answered
'You want to be above everyone else?' she asked
'I want to be gone and I want to turn into dust' I told her
Silence followed

At 6:00, I drank
to remember,
to swim in the nectar
of consequences secreted
over a lifetime.
At midnight, I drank
to forget.

—Ron Gavalik

Daily I am visited
Knocking on my door, wanting to come in
Sometimes I let them in; sometimes they just walk right in
As I heard the knocking I was getting ready to meet them
While I opened the door an unexpected face is there
Reminding me why I am here.

A fickle finch's heart
always flitting from limb to limb,
its gaze always fleeting.
But colors worn so proud,
gold in the green and blue in the briar,
so like a fool I try to fly.

keep your eyes closed love.

           e     t      
       m           i
    o                 m
s                        e  
                            s     all you have to
                                                                ­
                                                                ­ l                  to is what the sound
                                                           ­      i            n
                                                  ­                s           e
                                                               ­          t

                                                              ­                               v
                                                               ­                         a        e
                             ­                                          of the  w               s
                                                               ­                                       
                         ­                                                                 ­            tells  you
                                                                ­                                        to do.

Some people eat dreams

for
breakfast

and
lunch

and
dinner

and it's not even because
they can't afford food