Long becalmed now I set this small anchor in the soft sea ahead and row for my life towards it
Tag: free-verse
Tongue Tied
You have some idea how much I like you which is why you have been avoiding me Here we are, fourteen parachute pants and hair bands disastrous kisses excused by the belief we will one day get better at this Practice will perfect us Not so fast: At fifty we are still tongue-tied and skating circles around each other
Arc
Your thumb traces the arc behind my ear and for a moment I believe you when you say I am the most beautiful thing you have ever seen
Variable Reinforcement
You are a mammal I remind him a vertibrate and like all this class of beings an unexpected message smile illuminated screen sends your system into ancient frenzy So if you can bear that rush and push and the hard-wired clinging of your whole being click on But if you, like me cannot balance that taught line put it down, put it down
Last Batch
The union of butter and sugar: divine Last night, sleepless I married them gently over a low flame This is the last batch My next sleeplessness will be consumed by your tongue tracing the slow curve of my spine
Jiashan Station
The last time you kissed me was as the train pulled into Jiashan Station You pointed to your mouth pulled down your mask and beckoned me to your lips And then I stepped out of the car as you rushed on I, careful not to look back so you could not see how much more I wanted
Paper
On paper we make every sense But paper has neither pulse nor breath It will not fog a mirror or lift a life Please put a match to me Let's burn our little world down
May I?
When I am spun up and around all elbows and missteps stammering sighing heavily into myself Absolute heaven is your arm outstretched and drawing my cheek to your chest May I? you whisper And I yield Yes.
Take Heart
I speak today at the insistence of angels who shout: Take heart! Take heart! Take heart, weary traveler soul-bruised lonely and afraid Take heart! Take heart! All around you and within the light grows the tides flow the bud is forced into riotous bloom Take heart
Fire
When the house burns down take nothing with you but the hand of your child and your own beating heart
This Verse 