other animals

light blue dark blue sky peppered stars
the dog lingers sniffs a neighbor’s
pumpkin and music from somewhere
far or near I once loved the feel
of night on my body wanders
under what little light comes through
though I still haven’t found it

TV from
before the
crisis and
maybe knocked

down by the
storm a small
round fluff bird
cries past the

window and
the fat dog
awake now
with eyes wide

do I admit shamefully sheepishly that I love the stream of music video podcast my phone tablet computer can provide the immersion in old loves missed opportunities new lush lands to be lost in but why not what’s better for those of us who lose the thread so quickly what was that Pavement tune that Philip glass bit I love but maybe I’m getting too Prozac I mean prosaic I think maybe now anyway all the hints can drive you mad you think they’re heading somewhere but one turn around the lake and we’re back at the front door unkissed

up and down hills like rustic bread we keep the elixir safe

(First published in Bones.)

weather the weather

though my eyes blur in this light there is a
certain after-cataclysm path that
feels as though you were walking upstairs
but maybe I’m not explaining it right
it’s like now that sex is out of fashion
how do you explain movies from the 80s
but let me stop you right there before I
need to write a ticket though you are my friend

sometimes there’s nothing human you can do

the white sky mo(u)rning a single bird across
the courtyard bricks for a new pyramid

so where can you go how can you

think after they refuse to be
born it

won’t help
steer this weary ox from

the prized flowers won’t re
construct the squirrel’s bones

but then I will cover my many nipples with my many thumbs and the dance will go on

of course this you is a piece of black paper

(First published in Bones.)