Archive for 'Wade’s 101'
Thursday, March 16th, 2023
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- death of a friendship
They couldn’t see each
other as they are now, but
as who they were then.
- stages of braces
Anticipation,
soreness, weird accent, soreness,
swishing out food bits.
- it all comes down to a sliver of voters
Everyone sticks to
their parties, and a group of
moderates then chooses.
- crucial conversations
Moving from fight or
flight to safety for all who
fill up knowledge pool.
- final stages
He’s going to talk
with his dad about elder
care choices to come.
- exploring the world of food
They tried every new
restaurant, reading menus,
picking cool dishes.
- the return of beavis and butt-head
Teenage duo wreak
havoc while cracking jokes at
music videos.
- the little burrito shop
A family-run
place where the burritos rule
and the tacos strut.
- where’s the mistletoe?
A sprig can lead to
a first kiss can lead to one
more kiss can lead to …
- funny ornaments
Old school art projects,
sports mascots, talking cartoons
and assorted kitsch.
- it’s the bought that counts
Gift cards are perfect
for control freaks: Spend this much
at only this place.
- tiktok: where issues go to die
If it’s not happy
happy, if it spotlights a
cause, it’s banned all right.
- four bags of clothes
One to donate, one
to trash. One to sell, one to
give to a dear friend.
- but who will stand for the white man?
Embracing the right’s
Christian nationalism
makes for holy war.
- war crimes in ukraine
Putin brandishes
his military might by
killing families.
- visions of winter
Southerners dream of
snow, but wake up to icy
nightmares all around.
- thermodynamically deficient
Shivering around
the house, in the car, at the
store. Always too cold.
- shopping maul
Should we still look for
the perfect gift, or will we
make do with these socks?
- virtual lap, virtual ear
Santa takes time to
field last-minute Zoom calls from
those good boys and girls.
- a christmas wish
Could we lay down the
guns for a day and start a
little peace on earth?
- thirty marvel movies and counting
Are we tired of
movies based on comic books?
Watch IP freely.
- what i did in 2022
Met my girlfriend, got
new job and computer, paid
off all debt, walked miles.
- hankering for tales, tall and otherwise
More people are swayed
by compelling stories than
dry facts on their own.
- over before it started
Let’s resolve to make
ourselves better in— Screw it
and pass the cheesecake.
- closing the year in a tizzy
Spending the last week
hurriedly trying to do
everything listed.
- the quiet countdown
Nine, eight, seven, six,
five, four, three, two, one. Happy
New Year, we whisper.
- new year’s wish
Hoping for growth, peace
and all things wonderful in
2023.
- pandemic year four
The virus surges,
and the death toll rises. Why
aren’t we doing more?
- photos of who i am now
The most glaring change
is the biggest smile that you’ve
ever partaken.
- old knees
The legs work fine, save
for creaky joints that sometimes
need a little rest.
- gingerbread housing
The roof leaks icing,
the windows are all muddy,
the walls are falling.
- pocket computers
Use them to record
moments, calculate bearings,
learn about the world.
- suggested food trucks
Pancakes, whiskey snow
cones, pies, chitlins, kimchi and
deep-fried everything.
- hop on a plane
Take flight on an old
747 to
visit a new land.
- southwest gone south
Their planes stood frozen
on the tarmac. Their agents
unable to move.
- streaming meltdown
How do you win fans
with mediocre programs
and rising prices?
- reverse to-do list
She added items
already done to keep track
of her performance.
- alas twitter
Whoever thought that
tweeting would prove to be more
trouble than its worth?
- murder central
Bodies drop every
day in the city. Nothing
slows down the killing.
- first time in south america
Hopping continents
to embrace new people and
absorb more culture.
- hiding the special ice cream
It resides in the
secret freezer to keep those
pesky roommates out.
- the nonviolence way
Yell from the streets, march
to and fro, let everyone
know why we’re angry.
- the office cleanup
Pack, trash, shred, file, place
on shelves, stow in baskets, sweep,
rearrange, compact.
- lower your standards
Why have the best when
you can have fourth best? Why try
for unreachables?
- the lone birthday present
It wasn’t much, but
it was enough to stave off
lonely bitterness.
- infinite diversity in infinite combinations
The franchise, in its
seventh decade, plows ahead
with more fun and shock.
- internal calendar
We feel a younger
age than we are. Our spirit
shines through our wan flesh.
- on the minibike
The youngster puttered
around the farm, causing the
chickens to scatter.
- family gathering
Young’uns running the
halls, parents in the kitchen,
Grandma in the den.
- the loudest children on earth
They open their mouths
like normal kids but emit
high-decibel booms.
- yipping and yapping
Doggy duo ruled
room with microaggressive
barks and energy.
- closed for private party
You can’t come in: We’re
busy celebrating your
being kept outside.
- epic house party
Lots of food and drink,
a great endless playlist and
friends and family.
- the tech revolution
Easier to text
the children than shout over
and over for them.
- putting the “ai” in haiku
This is a haiku
about the nature. Pine cones
come from cones of pine.
- the blizzard
Trapped indoors with no
means of escape. Surviving
until help arrives.
- nepo babies
Well, these Hollywood
roles won’t cast themselves, will they?
They’ll be stars, big stars!
- add 45 days
It takes 21
days for a new habit to
take. But that’s a myth.
- the kayak incident
My partner went for
a swim. When he tried to climb
back in … in I went!
- the long withdrawal
The blinding headache
of weaning yourself off of
caffeine pierces all.
- what’s the steering wheel doing way over there?
Everyone here drives
on the left. There’s no way I
can get used to it.
- beach bummed
Got my sunscreen on.
Got my cold drink and good book …
uh oh, here comes rain.
- party barge
Beer and booze for all
as we swim and cavort and
snorkel in the bay.
- nightly facetimes
I needed to see
that face, that smile, on my screen
while away from home.
- the podcaster’s dilemma
To let the guest shine
or to hog the spotlight while
showing off their smarts.
- improv rules
Learning how to build
each other’s ideas while
not going for laughs.
- bite by bite
They finished off the
remaining ice cream and licked
the bowl super clean.
- forming new habits
Every action you
take is a vote for the type
you wish to become.
- strip mining memories
Creative process
includes plumbing deep depths of
psyche for details.
- the chatgpt dad joke
I asked the chatbot
for a doctor’s note, but it
gave me excuses.
- and chicken thighs
Food is love. Cooking
special dishes for special
someone takes real heart.
- ai takeover
An approximate
thinking engine is enough
to fool most of us.
- the path of elder care
A winding trip through
insurance and nursing homes
and health aides and death.
- party at amanda’s
Head to basement for
rocking out with local band,
banana in hand.
- i love you
I said it, and I
meant it. Don’t know why it took
so long to utter.
- furry rave
Dress for bed and for
a party with some panda
PJs and glow stick.
- tying the room together
Throw out the shabby
old rug, and throw down a new
beauty to walk on.
- the pegasus effect
Governments use these
military-grade tools to
spy on civilians.
- black life revealed
Zora studied new
cultures by taking part in
songs and rituals.
- the dinner that almost wasn’t
He forgot to make
the reservations, and the
joint was filling fast.
- moving offices
They cleared out their small
cubicles, hit the lights and
left the rest behind.
- the lasting of ‘the last of us’
Wandering through a
hellscape of zombies and rogues.
*shakes fist at fungus*
- the evolution of amazon
Books to everything
to knock-offs and “Lord of the
Rings” and prescriptions.
- one step back
Twists and turns on the
road to sobriety can
include relapses.
- why are we afraid of black history?
Destroy all of our
libraries and flog teachers
who do not obey.
- a one thread count
Sheets made of burlap
that scratch the skin and crackle
when placed on the bed.
- a dozen concerts on the calendar
Wherever the bands
play, whatever time they start,
we’re gonna see them.
- pothole city
Cars bounce and tires
pop on the unkempt roads of
our metropolis.
- the message of hip-hop
A true 21st-
century town crier who
tells us where it’s at.
- race cars and thimbles
Traipsing through a flat
Atlantic City to buy
property for cheap.
- the death of twitter
All that was left was
a self-styled pretender and
adoring minions.
- quite the racquet
Not enough spaces
for tennis, pickleball. We’ll
settle it in court.
- junk food jamboree
Patties and buns in
juicy combat to decide
best burger in town.
- the magic window
Glimpses of life on
active rotation, highlights
and precious moments.
- puzzlers
Spending time sorting
by edges and colors to
build a large portrait.
- brighter days ahead
The lie of the clock
is that it’s earlier than
it was yesterday.
- the modern awards show
Flashy staging and
slick graphics with the same old
bigwigs and speeches.
- f is for fentanyl
Kills without remorse
this opioid scourge that hides
in everyday drugs.
- pie oh my
Cherry, chocolate,
chess, apple, pumpkin, Key lime,
blueberry, pecan.
- am i hungry?
Learning to trust the
body for signals to feed
and to stop feeding.
- yelp wanted
Scroll through the choices,
pick a new restaurant for
dinner on a dare.
• • •
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Monday, December 5th, 2022
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- the last corona virgin
Get thee behind me,
COVID. You shall not cross this
masked face, these washed hands.
- we report, you comply
When a news network
lies to you all day, all night,
it’s brainwash city.
- we’ve already moved on
The mass shootings of
today are forgotten long
before the blood dries.
- a focus on the numbers
She cared more about
the target, even taking
unhealthy chances.
- parton the interruption
Philanthropist, song-
writer, angel, a hell of
a businesswoman.
- non-stop flow
Time flies, or it creeps
in this petty pace. But it
always goes forward.
- saturday at the costco
A warehouse filled with
shoppers in a frenzy for
discount bulk salmon.
- patriotic pickins
What American
boy hasn’t tried Rice Krispie
treats? It’s in our blood.
- brigade of helpers
They made the most of
the day by installing the
laminate wood floor.
- belabor day
Quiet quitting. The
Great Resignation. Looks like
labor fighting back.
- probably not
Does this poem make
you angry or question all
your base assumptions?
- the new skate park
The boys made up new
tricks as they glided and jumped
and fell on each curve.
- waiting for da dough
The bakery line
stretched 20-people deep as
aromas wafted.
- secret identity
My mind wanders as
we exchange pleasantries: Where
do I know you from?
- bugging in
Vaccinated and
boosted (twice!) and I still caught
coronavirus.
- tiresome
They spent their weekend
nights peeling out in circles
while evading cops.
- some is forgiven
The crushing weight of
student loans becomes somewhat
lighter in a snap.
- there’s always community college
Education is
too precious to let any
yokel in the door.
- can’t spell ‘ain’t’ without ai
Listen up, nerds: I
don’t need no algorithm
to decide my fate.
- penalty boxed
It’s quite a racket
that the government has when
it comes to bounced checks.
- groundhog century
Does history make
progress ever, or are we
stuck in a time loop?
- concert under the stars
A warm summer’s eve
as the bluegrass band takes the
stage before a crowd.
- generation gaffe
Should we really know
TikTok and Dua Lipa
and “Euphoria”?
- alternative school
Either for the real
geniuses or criminal-
ly inclined or both?
- debt-free me
I owe nothing to
nobody, and that’s how it’s
gonna stay for now.
- getting adult braces
Just like teenage years,
the metal braces steer these
wayward ancient teeth.
- calendar vs. climate
Will the blazing heat
of endless summer ever
make room for fall leaves?
- food is love
Every morsel a
hug, every calorie a
blessing. Food is love.
- meme economy
We’re cranking them out
just as fast as possible.
Demand is so high.
- cash free is the way to be
This venue accepts
only credit and debit
cards. As God insists.
- power naps
I lie down on a
pad to recharge myself. So
does my dead smartphone.
- palpable bitterness
Life’s too short to let
bygones be bygones. Embrace
the darkness within.
- brownie à la mode
Ever dream of a
dessert only to have it
come true? Life is sweet.
- the version in my head
Is canon. Ships the
best twosomes. Blows the effects
budget. Has endings.
- zzz’s please
Sleep, a miracle
drug that heals fatigue and a
large set of ailments.
- lizard in the house
How did you get in
here, little guy, and why are
you up on the wall?
- droughts, fires, floods and debris
The weather tells us
in hurricanes and heat waves:
Climate change is real.
- ragin’ contagion
The pandemic is
not over for millions of
vulnerable folks.
- mortified on a daily basis
Thinking of little
else than stupid screwups from
20 years ago.
- fall festival season
Bring on the art and
exotic foods and music
and cooler weather.
- homecoming haze
Let the alumni
wander the halls and look back
on their good ol’ days.
- the selfish friend
Always ready with
the wrong sentiment or the
discouraging word.
- the bad boss
He berates as he
breathes, heaping scorn on the ones
he hired for work.
- have you tried dried fruits?
Like a kind of food
parody where no one’s in
on the spicy joke.
- daylight saving forever
At some point, we’ll stop
setting clocks back and live with
brighter days ahead.
- the last half-season i forgot to watch
I will probably
never go back to see what
happened to my buds.
- the pool is closed
Hang up the swim trunks.
Clear out the leaves and put on
the safety cover.
- working the stadium concession stand
Band kids and their folks
shovel popcorn and serve hot
dogs to raise money.
- fruity fondness
Gimme those hand pies
straight from fryer or oven.
Let me burn my mouth.
- yelling, gesturing, repeating
Talking in vain while
listening to the band play
deafeningly loud.
- shaky knees
Standing upright one
minute, feeling woozy the
next minute. What gives?
- reno woes
The contractor was
supposed to start the project
sometime last Thursday.
- home sweet home office
A place to pay the
bills, write novels and hide from
the whole family.
- odd hours
Have breakfast at noon,
nap around dinnertime, go
to sleep at sunrise.
- the hazing ritual
Get beaten over
and over because it’s how
we always do things.
- the little farm stand
Minnie and Jed run
the place, showing off their fresh
produce and hay bales.
- everyone has a price
Can you be bought? Are
your scruples for sale? Are you
unimpeachable?
- fundamental telepathy
Do we really want
to know what people say when
we are not around?
- waisted
These pants used to fit
me fine. Now they remind me
not to have dessert.
- all dressed up
A night on the town
with my lady starts with fine
fashion and footwear.
- candy shopping
Cheapest? Full bars? The
kind we like to nibble on?
Pennies and raisins?
- waiting in the er
Not enough staff but
plenty of patients sweating
it out for hours.
- in a dark alley
All he remembered
of the mugging was the gun
pointed in his face.
- magic in the air
The witches’ ball has
ghoulish fun, cheap scares and a
VIP section.
- potheads not prisoners
When will this country’s
criminalization of
marijuana end?
- the spirit of all hallows’ eve
We scare ourselves to
feel alive, to face our fears,
to know true horror.
- death takes a holiday
Honoring those who’ve
passed with fond remembrances,
lovely ofrendas.
- candyland
Off to the stores to
rack up half-price chocolates
and various sweets.
- the servers left behind
A restaurant can
only run short staffed for so
long before it fails.
- what they did to get into college
The little dumdums
made up activities and
had others take tests.
- what they did to get into college, part 2
They relied on the
worst stereotypes to dress
up their normal lives.
- hour hands are tied
An extra hour
to set all the clocks inside
and outside the house.
- the opening act
A band, not quite as
famous, but good enough for
the show’s early birds.
- democracy at stake
A referendum
on the integrity of
our own elections.
- the human purse
Pockets for keys and
gum, debit cards and lip balm
and whatever else.
- southern snafus
Birmingham traffic:
280 sucks. Atlanta
traffic: Hold my beer.
- veterans day … special?
Can we offer more
than discounts and fanfare to
those who served our land?
- fall shower
Brilliant leaves of gold
and red and orange drifting down
from audacious heights.
- at the marcus king show
A fan collapses.
Security guards surround.
CPR started.
- shut out at the bakery. twice.
Surprise! Doors are locked.
Why hast thou forsaken me,
Google? I believed.
- learning indian menus
Try a new dish and
record it in the log book.
Slow but rewarding.
- first day on the job
Report to HR
to fill out paperwork and
show my ID cards.
- a taste of sushi
She timidly tried
a bite, processing the smell,
texture and flavor.
- the idlest boy in alabama
Staring at the clock,
waiting on an assignment,
ready for nothing.
- beating hiv
Not just unlocking
the treatment, but also a
preventative shot.
- the algorithm of crime
New patterns based on
old ones that oppress, detain
and discriminate.
- a ball of stress
Unable to sit
still and relax, waiting for
the worst to happen.
- bracing for family
Here come the in-laws
and relations to invade
our houses. Deep breaths.
- thank you consequence
It’s a healthy thing
practicing gratitude … makes
you less of a dick.
- foodie holiday
Gimme that pumpkin
pie, that gravy boat, some of
that homemade dressing.
- the 15-hour pot roast
Every check on the
slow cooker lets out heat so
it’s even slower.
- the late night visitor
She snuck in through the
dimly lit corridors to
tuck in beside him.
- an ode to recruiters
Ready to sign you
up, ready to size you up,
gone just as quickly.
- worth a thousand words
A beaming smile bursts
forth from the images of
our nights on the town.
- debt free is the way to be
No more house or car
payments, credit card interest
or old student loans.
- volunteering for the wrong reasons
Doesn’t matter as
long as you put more good and
giving in the world.
- the truth is paywalled but the lies are free
Paywalled sites bear the
fruit of investigative
journalism, so …
- beyond heartbreak
Even after we
oust them, abusive exes
continue their harm.
- oh and dumbledore’s gay
Representation
after the fact shows a lack
of author backbone.
- personal pillow valet
She brought her own to
sleep more soundly, tossing the
old ones from the bed.
- beyond boundaries
If we don’t set them,
we handle relationships
at our own peril.
• • •
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Friday, August 26th, 2022
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- my whole life is kayfabe
Feuding with people
who aren’t involved, aligning
with heels and faces.
- last days of high school
One final goodbye
to teachers and classmates who
shared this adulting.
- house shopping 2022
Make crazy offers,
waive the inspection, and still
lose to investors.
- acidic aspirations
Take psilocybin
and conquer the fear of death
while tripping big balls.
- the right number of exclamation points
Hello! It’s good to
meet you!! And a period
to show I’m not nuts.
- election time in alabama
The kooky battle
to go further right than your
distinguished rivals.
- three is a tragic number
Ten years ago, the
Birmingham News chose to give
up and publish less.
- the coming of summer
Clean out the pool, try
on your swimsuit, and prepare
for the hottest days.
- dear graduates 2022
We broke the world so
you’d have something to fix in
your ample spare time.
- specs appeal
New eyeglasses for
a new look: suave, stunning and
sophisticated.
- “you don’t look your age”
The compliment from
the pharmacist’s assistant
made my day complete.
- a saturday offline
Mother and daughters
united over a day
without noisy screens.
- in remembrance
We spend a day to
honor the fallen, the brave
ones who gave their all.
- disease-free summer
Let’s hope the boosters,
masks and distancing pay off
in the next season.
- nice is not the same as kind
Worth pondering while
sizing up people around
us and their motives.
- mycelial networking
Competing trees share
sun and minerals through an
underground network.
- circle the block
Walking the same stretch
every day and looking for
what we missed before.
- gimme one of everything
The candy store stocked
a myriad of sweet treats
and delicacies.
- cult of productivity
Don’t let a minute
slip away without wringing
some work outta it.
- feeling useless
Overprepared and
underused, a wan combo
holding workers back.
- affirm gesture
He would tell himself
in the mirror, “I am great,
and I am special.”
- parallel parking: the musical
♫ Where oh where can I
park? There’s a spot! Can I fit?
Will I hit the cur-r-r-r-r-r-rb? ♫
- the ethical parker
Take up only one
space. Don’t back in. Wait till the
gate is fully clear.
- ammosexuals
Ammosexuals
brandish lethal weapons as
the bodies pile up.
- a dish of copypasta
The digital screed
made its way through the forums
hungry for violence.
- four holes
Her mouth left her in
writhing agony, defanged
of her wisdom teeth.
- the unkempt neighbor
The place next door has
an abundance of weeds and
a rickety porch.
- lake life
Sitting on the dock,
legs dangling, watching the boats
churn through the water.
- the littlest crazies
The youngest face down
anxiety, depression
and bouts of self harm.
- cobblestone nightmare
Jostling teeth loose while
bumping along a million-
year-old unpaved road.
- the burden of paying down the burden
The mountain of debt
shrinks payday to payday, with
something left to spend.
- city on the grow
She felt the stirring
of civic pride and planned to
move away quickly.
- bus stops of the future
Sleek design meets queued
riders ready to board their
civic chariot.
- the gelato shop on the cobblestone street
Kids pressed their noses
to the window, trying to
decide which flavor.
- summer to-dos
Lounge around the pool,
catch fireflies in a jar,
nap in a hammock.
- the secret girlfriend
He didn’t tell his
friends that he was dating and
found someone special.
- in case of situational anxiety
Go rigid throughout
the body, unable to
take in what’s coming.
- ducking the shooter
She dipped her hands in
her friend’s blood to paint herself
and lay very still.
- green card blues
They married for love
and citizenship, ready
to pass any test.
- learning to eat again
We deal with food, a
necessity but sometimes
a fierce enemy.
- trek to the cahaba lilies
Wading the river
to see glorious blooms while
they’re still in season.
- sweaty chores
The humidity
pours out of us as we work
outside this summer.
- petty patrol
We keep score for so
long we forget what it was
that riled us before.
- regions field, sixth inning
A hot dog and a
taco raced around the field
to the cheers of fans.
- the wooden chimes
Swaying stems, the wind
playing those bamboo trees in
nature’s symphony.
- nineties and hundreds
Air conditioners
unable to match summer
blasts of brutal heat.
- long walks to nowhere
Six thousand steps or
two-and-a-half miles on the
treadmill, one hour.
- freedom for me but not for thee
This land is your land,
this land is not my land, this
land was made for you.
- nine-month sentence
Women, guilty or
innocent, can face the same
time for the same “crime.”
- worrying 9 to 5
On-the-job stress that
grows with each shift, a pressure
that’s unrelenting.
- the world games in birmingham
Masters of discount
sports assemble for friendly
competitiveness.
- the pause
Before suffering,
before mindless anarchy,
we take a moment.
- deliberately forward
Bravery is the
act of putting one foot in
front of the other.
- but never tennis
The treads worn smooth by
years of pacing and walking,
shuffling and running.
- the chores that never seem to get done
Better put them off
till next week, or next month, or
next season. They’ll keep.
- long message service
Their texting thread wound
through breakups and meet-cutes, past
heartaches and wonders.
- the missing geese
The feathered fiends were
nowhere to be found in the
sprawling city park.
- indifference vs. inert
No forward motion
and no incentive. Versus
unable to move.
- no cover fridays
I’d rather converse
than listen to the band, trade
words than hear the beats.
- stood up
She had some place to
be better than our late date,
as if she’s all that.
- magnanimity 2022
They planned to shelter
homeless in plywood ovens
in the scorching sun.
- ode to a fruit pie
Apples and sugar
melded in a thin pastry
inside its wrapper.
- the runaway tooth
One fang among the
many set off on its own
despite group pressure.
- tension up high
I feel anxious more
than ever and all throughout
my poor old body.
- no candle blower outers
Delight in the grand
fortunes of others and have
them delight in yours.
- ridiculously consistent
The patterns emerge:
Why be somewhat consistent
when you can be all?
- coming into your own
Learning to be your-
self. Standing up for yourself.
Being true to you.
- one bruised toenail
The feet survived the
new walking routine except
for one bruised toenail.
- boy meets girl, something something something
One good thing about
seeing movies high is not
caring how it ends.
- the click
Suddenly it all
makes sense. Everything just falls
into place like so.
- mandatory fun is mandatory
Despite carefree smiles,
corporate dictates insist on
fun no matter what.
- heat is the true killer
Forget tornadoes
and blizzards, heat is the true
killer among men.
- the protests must go on
The patriarchy
belches. So foul the stench that
we must cry out more.
- the parking did them in
The concert was great,
but the escape was blocked on
all sides by traffic.
- the pool
She rode atop the
salty waves for a slice of
her backyard heaven.
- a furious hush
The madder he got,
the quieter he became,
seething in silence.
- one small selfie for man
They posed in front of
a rocket, and you could see
the stars in their eyes.
- who’s in charge of what?
He’s in charge of the
grill and tires. She’s in charge
of everything else.
- chill vibe
Not too busy, not
too loud, just an evening of
soft music and words.
- boned appetit
This state taxes food,
not for the revenue but
out of danged sheer spite.
- an inherited problem
The bosses stuck him
on an out-of-the-way team,
hoping for … something.
- the drone
On and on he went,
pausing not for breath or for
reply, endlessly …
- her eyes gave it away
As she waited on
tables, she hoped no one would
see how high she was.
- studying psychedelics
On the precipice
of exploring creation
and total being.
- death of summer
No more late night game
tournaments, no more hanging
out around the pool.
- first day of class
Pencils sharpened, shoes
tied, lunches packed. Everyone
have a good school year!
- 2-d hollywood
The cardboard cutouts
stood ready to glamorize
modest mundane lives.
- headlines and tan lines
The Facebook news tab
is the standard mix of tech
stocks and Page 3 Girls.
- duolingo, but make it geeky
He tried his best to
learn from the book, practicing
his new coding skills.
- working stiffed
Stop with the “look at
me.” You don’t get a cookie
for doing your job.
- what not to teach
History. Facts. Sex
ed. Critical Race Theory.
Science. Deep thinking.
- modern horoscopes
Turn off your ringer
and crawl back in bed, Pisces.
He ain’t texting you.
- weaponized vocabulary
Her words cut deeply,
making her loathsome point oh
so sarcastically.
- the telescope a million miles away
Peering into space,
looking back billions of years
to our origins.
- monkeypox see, monkeypox do
We have already
weathered one pandemic, what’s
another disease?
- marvel, phase 8
Ninety episodes,
19 movies, three concerts
and five new theme parks.
- no one stood up
The city cut the
library budget, leaving
no choice but to close.
- the perfect patriarchy
It is not enough
to own women. We must smash
their free will as well.
- matrix of deception
From the shadows they
pulled the strings. No one could find
them, much less stop them.
- the bully
At times, I have been
the bully. And at times, the
bullied. Choose wisely.
- the bearable heat
The AC couldn’t
decide between too cold and
too hot. Lukewarm days.
• • •
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Tuesday, May 17th, 2022
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- smoke break, winter edition
Bundle the fuck up
for a 5-minute sojourn
by the back entrance.
- use the good china today
Candles, wines, cigars,
gift cards, linens … break them all
out and use them up.
- poetic instant analysis
Scanning the lines for
wordplay and symbolism,
tripping on meter.
- hearing the words of the verse
A melodic burst
of syllables, a brief hush
of understanding.
- feminist turned misogynist
Once a hero, now
a goat. Made us believe he
was part of the cause.
- modern valentines 1
Please accept these terms
and conditions as shown to
be my valentine.
- modern valentines 2
Swipe right, hey gurl, a
few suggestive emoji,
pre-date, confirmed date.
- modern valentines 3
A non-binary
throuple with hints of poly
and no jealousy.
- cupid 2022
Arrows tipped with love
potion and double dose of
Moderna vaccine.
- ultimate poker face
Remarkable self-
poise, or the last one ever
before dropping dead.
- the whitest supremacy
The thought police do
kindly request that books by
black authors be banned.
- the great resignation
What happens when a
society finds out the
true value of work?
- no time for breathing
He practiced a form
of keen mindfulness that ran
on autopilot.
- dog in training
Learning to beg and
roll and sit and come and stay
for praise and biscuits.
- with facebook, your junk is someone else’s treasure
I gave away a
20-year-old TV set
in just 2 hours.
- technical(ly) gibberish
(It’s not exactly
gibberish since very smart
people make it work.)
- make it awkward
Share too much, dance in
front of a crowd, and swipe right
on people you know.
- dry month
Lock up the liquor
cabinet and throw away
the six-packs of beers.
- impossible choices
How do we weigh the
science and economics
when we failed them both?
- jetting off to paris
Ah, to spend the week
with haute cuisine and sublime
music, living well.
- interactive artscapes
When the artist and
audience connect over
social media.
- the swear jar
Clean up language through
fiscal remuneration
by violation.
- the beauties of space
An uncle and his
nephew bond over the worlds
they might see someday.
- a problem for future me
Let’s go the cheap route
and have the consequences
play out however.
- do we do it for the gratitude?
Is it so much to
ask for a “thank you” or does
that corrupt motives?
- world war 3
A nuclear power
invades a sovereign land.
It’s almost midnight.
- mind games
Conservatorships
can safeguard the mentally
ill or make things worse.
- guess the copay
This doctor’s visit
will cost me 40 bucks or
200 dollars.
- the laziest of friends
They might text, they might
meet up, they might share some laughs.
But probably not.
- the courage to sing
Approach the front of
the stage, take a deep breath and
let out that first note.
- a gentle reminder
Be brave enough to
(if stuck in complacency)
suck at something new.
- the revival of book burnings
Destroy empathy
by setting aflame those cursed
books that inflame hearts.
- the mid-morning nap
A brief siesta
to prep the body for lunch
and afternoon drudge.
- the medical bill nightmare
To pay thousands for
drugs again and again or
face an early grave.
- the indoor garden
The special lamps bring
sunshine to the wisps of plants
stretching in comfort.
- recreational high
Out of commission
for a few hours as the
brain relaxes all.
- the forever loan
The most expensive
cap and gown ever ensures
this cumbersome debt.
- so saucy
Irreverent imps
seize control of staid placid
psyches to spread mirth.
- in reddit we trust
Online gossips vote
up (or down) sordid rumors
for entertainment.
- pet conspiracy theories
Believe what you will,
but know that still crazier
ideas take root.
- the nine days of spring break
Celebrating a
week of uninterrupted
fun and/or mischief.
- the mating call of the fox
The back yard echoes
with passionate cries from some
wild bushy-tailed freaks.
- the pleasures of an incubating season
Days grow warmer and
longer as winter goes in-
to hibernation.
- paperworked
This pile to be filed.
This pile to be shredded. This
pile to be eaten.
- hiber nation
A modern stupor
brought about by always-on
screens in all venues.
- an appropriate dosage
With Girl Scout cookies,
one box equals one serving.
Yes, one measly box.
- bulletproof
Backpack shields and drills
for days … nothing to disarm
potential shooters.
- summer of soul
When Harlem lit up
with a galaxy of stars
all on one big stage.
- the fix
Just one more. That’ll
make it all right. Can’t function
till it’s in my hands.
- to the shredder
Old phone records, scads
of brochures and legal junk,
reams of paper dross.
- presence and presents
They’re instructed to
come empty handed yet they
bear gifts just the same.
- far or fiyah
Success depends on
whether “fire” has just one
or two syllables.
- hiking with six eyes
Their cameras came out
for engrossing foliage
and weirdly shaped rocks.
- staffing shortages and other delights
Every time I ask
for “no mayo,” the sandwich
arrives with mayo.
- not in a joking mood
Troubled times leads to
an absence of whimsy while
the whole world burns down.
- back to reading
The absolute joy
of holding a book and thumbing
through its rough pages.
- a chapter a day
Devouring this
book in nightly sessions while
boredom falls away.
- the re-creative process
Reading old poems
and thinking “How did that thing
come out of my brain?”
- eye candy for the neighbors
What good is having
the house painted when you can’t
see it from inside?
- scrape scrape scrape scrape
Washing isn’t all.
You have to scrape and scratch each
square inch of old paint.
- no one notices
Not the couple at
the bar. Not the cyclist in
the street. Just no one.
- the hypnotic scroll
I can’t turn away
from the endless options to
watch, like and subscribe.
- return of the cold war
Powers clash over
dueling ideologies
and outdated slights.
- threats of a madman
A huge fortune to
protect no matter the cost
to the citizens.
- the public in public health
Endless cycles of
mandated masks. The lesson
is to never try.
- the pollening
Yellow dust swirling
everywhere, sinuses in
total misery.
- instant dissatisfaction
When you click on “Buy,”
but the shipping won’t happen
for 6 to 8 weeks.
- how to binge
Theme song. Episode.
Closing credits. Repeat. Move
on to the next show.
- my montage
Clock in. Do my job.
Clock out. Eat my dinner. Read
a book. Go to bed.
- writing in the sky
Her hands and arms and
face telegraphed ancient thoughts
in potent fashion.
- coming out party
Once dead and newly
risen, he appears for his
heavenly reward.
- return to office
Taking the last 2
years of struggle and success
and forgetting them.
- talking type
An lol, an
ikr and a couple
of hbu’s, too.
- confronting a fear
Saying aloud the
parts that have me confounded
and begging for help.
- first date at a wine bar
I haven’t laughed so
hard in a long time and been
able to relax.
- the grownup party
All the little ones
wanted to do was stay up
late and play some games.
- the grownup party part 2
All the older ones
wanted to do was converse
deeply and drink rum.
- best buds everywhere
A forest stroll shows
off the fragrant flowers just
coming into bloom.
- addicted to illegals
A cop show for just
anyone and everyone
who has eyeballs, pulse.
- keys to literary success
Start slowly to draw
the reader in, go faster,
end on a climax!!
- get the grill ready
Dump out the ashes
and scrape the gunk off the grill.
Ready for some meats.
- even drummers get the love
When rock stars die, fans
mourn them all, especially
those who smashed things hard.
- an audience of one or two
No matter how small
the following, to give it
all you’ve got each time.
- slipping into the ether
A heaviness falls
and thoughts and steps slur in a
bumble of nonsense.
- the sacrifices for barbecue
Working the pit at
four in the morning, tending
those meats carefully.
- the 50-year-old dad
He could still give some
piggyback rides while saving
for their college funds.
- lazy man’s pancakes
Forget the milk and
eggs, just remember to add
the baking powder.
- the promise of work ahead
Her eyes lit up at
the prospect of remaining
busy through the week.
- hello and goodbye
The introvert slips
in for a quick appearance
before sneaking out.
- keeping tabs
A browser straining
under the weight of dozens
of open websites.
- canines come and go
The bad dog mom keeps
her nail appointment while her
mutt’s in surgery.
- groaning for juice
Phones should wail each time
their batteries run down so
we know they’re in pain.
- laundry for beginners
Trying to wash clothes
with differing instructions
and rules in one load.
- the kilimanjaro effect
Almost to the top,
freezing like never before,
gasping in thin air.
- gesturing stream of consciousness
So fluent in sign
language that he could ramble
carelessly with hands.
- out of the mouths of rubes
Cancel culture? More
like consequence culture for
lousy opinions.
- the need for checks in 2022
To pay only the
landscaper because Venmo
charges a small fee.
- rank ’em
Destination spots.
“Cheers” episodes. Power tools.
Vanilla ice creams.
- the many uses of cereal
Breakfast, snack, ice cream
topping, dessert bars, hiding
spot for toys, fiber.
- adventures in conscious states
A few milligrams
and the mind is allowed to
slip the grasp of self.
- a bookkeeper’s place
A running tally
of numbers numbers numbers
which must all add up.
• • •
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Saturday, February 5th, 2022
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- happiest of holidays
A nonstop orgy
of gifts, eating, dressing up
and some reflection.
- the true cost of higher education
A little learning
can contribute to a life
weighed down with deep debt.
- secret windfall
A surprise bonus
pumping up the coffers with
necessary cash.
- weeny forecast
Littlest monsters
scavenge streets for sugary
treats and slight mischief.
- writers get it, too
Impostor syndrome
rears its ugly head before
I can start typing.
- dancing under the stars
We gathered at the
old park to drink beers and hear
the bands play all day.
- the darkest highway
The headlights barely
pierce the nighttime before our
car. A light rain falls.
- happy birthday, biff
Alive for 50,
friends for 40, a long time
with a good buddy.
- before the party starts
Nervously munching
on crudité, waiting for
old friends to arrive.
- a few minutes here and there
I need to spend more
time writing in the nooks and
crannies of each day.
- modern package tracking
Wormhole. Cleveland, then
Narnia. Drone drops ninja
bot. Wake up with box.
- damn kids
They know everything
about what’s in and nothing
about their elders.
- the endless race
Brain and body. Sheer
exhaustion. Consequences
of running full speed.
- get high, get thai
Grab some gummies and
let the week melt away. Feel
the great weightlessness.
- never in short supply
Could we stop making
so many war veterans
and start waging peace?
- the sport of scrolling
Looking for hotties.
Need inspiration. Killing
brain cells. Hate-scrolling.
- any port in a storm
Lower your standards,
and raise your hopes, for cuffing
season has begun.
- the cure for incuriousity
Explore the depths of
the people in your life and
discover wonders.
- the quilt
Investing each piece
with feeling, meaning, making
a textile thesis.
- the hazards of wordsmithing
Some days the words flow.
Others, they must be pried out
with a screwdriver.
- everyone appreciates a good sideshow
To puncture the staid
veil of reality, go
forth and get weirder.
- pro dreams in a college town
Birmingham’s quest for
pro status: Cinderella
story or nightmare?
- the job interview: the beginner
Fumble for the right
words, make the manager see
you as competent.
- a melodious evil
She hums a motif,
giving the composer a
way to score her sins.
- if it bleeds, it undermines the fabric of society
If news outlets aren’t
trying to scare viewers to
death, what is the point?
- as opposed to shut-ins and boors
Inspiration comes
from having a robust life
and clever instincts.
- keeping cool
The fridge wanted a
holiday, but I wouldn’t
budge. Heated exchange.
- a country 2021
He lost his girlfriend
and his dog this year, sadness
waiting for lyrics.
- the rites of gratitude
Being grateful makes
us happier, so give thanks
every day you can.
- every day is black friday
We shop from our phones
and check out on our doorsteps.
It’s retail’s revenge.
- ready for any apocalypse
She weaves her fabrics
and raises her hens, prepared
for the fall of man.
- midway through dune
The anxiety
waits quietly, ready to
pounce when given space.
- hobbyists and practitioners
Should all creations
be interrogated as
Art? Can we stand it?
- the plague of drought
As water dwindles,
will we go to war over
remaining droplets?
- the extra noel is for spite
May all my friends go
to hell. Noel noel no-
el noel noel.
- reflections of van gogh
Projectors beam his
works across expansive walls
while we stroll through them.
- a new stadium, gently used
The vocal few packed
half the stands, while the rest stayed
filled with ghostly hopes.
- being mortal
What’s harder: dying,
or living on in a world
of indifference?
- digital death rituals
We gather to mourn
on Facebook, swapping stories
and pics of the dead.
- questions for down the road
Will I have enough
money? Or virility?
Or will to keep on?
- ode to a modern dance troupe
They defy the laws
of gravity, with grace, with
physicality.
- art pop
Impressionism
for Joe Sixpack, smudges of
paint for the masses.
- tidings of great joy
The best present we
have to give is ourselves in
this do-over year.
- the end is nigh
Death is coming. We
greet it with awe, with sorrow,
with celebration.
- the plan to outlive everyone
The only flaw is
having no one left to talk
with at the day’s end.
- mystery dance
They twirl and tumble
onstage, and I don’t get the
movement and meaning.
- all downhill from here
The best verse I have
ever written is buried
among published heaps.
- afflict the comfortable
We’d rather sink in
the morass of ignorance
than learn painful truths.
- a relationship built on uncertainty
It’s a pattern of
not trusting our needs and not
sharing our questions.
- the spending continues
Experiences
over things, and yet both use
capitalism.
- nations and money, law and society
The fabric of our
reality is largely
based on shared grand myths.
- vaccines, critical race theory, nascar
Cannot avoid it:
Everything’s political
though it shouldn’t be.
- plague to end all plagues
Five million dead, it
will probably hang out for
a while. Get boosted.
- the unpuzzle
Tricky problem less
tricky after time away
and a good night’s sleep.
- greet the winter fondly
Before long, the nights
will shrink again and harsh cold
will give way to warmth.
- symphony of paper, twine and tape
Nothing beats the joy
and contentment of wrapping
a gift perfectly.
- season of loneliness
Togetherness means
nothing to those without loved
ones to draw closer.
- the quiet of christmas eve
When kids finally
fall asleep and parents swear
softly building bikes.
- how many candles?
It’s someone’s birthday
today. And what a joyous
occasion it is!
- resolve to be nicer
“Be kind” might be the
only commandment we need
to get by in life.
- the quality of banter
The quality of
banter determines the fun
to be had en masse.
- naughty card games
Their innuendo
proceeded with every card
dealt, every brow raised.
- she doesn’t do pets
Not on her couch, and
definitely not in her
bed. Cuteness, be gone!
- banned words, 2021 edition
Canceled, woke, extra,
deplatform and air fryer.
(Let’s hang on to “vax.”)
- eve
A waltz, a kiss, a
toast, a vow, a glance, a shared
look and a new year.
- our third pandemic year
Let us resolve to
take care of each other, while
we care for ourselves.
- the year of the cell
Will it be a year
of true connection or a
year spent on our phones?
- philosophical streaming
Should life be binged in
a mad rush or savored bite
by bite? Gulp, or chew?
- wittier by sweat
Wringing laughs from tame
writing, punching up punch lines,
hoping for howling.
- hope for 2022
Freedom from worry,
from suffering, from violence,
from things ’21.
- a near insurrection
We almost let them
steal democracy when they
stormed the Capitol.
- democracy in peril
Are we content to
let the traitors spit lies and
plan another siege?
- latest-stage capitalism
Amazon turned our
old mall into a giant
distribution hub.
- mall used up
One by one the stores
fled, or worse, sank deeper in
the fetid water.
- pennies from hell
The reliable
old Walmart, where cheapness is
the ultimate good.
- gastronomic excesses
Course after course, we
indulged in fine wines and some
exquisite dining.
- the takeoff of the squadron
A mighty few came
to witness the launch of our
minor league hoops team.
- my favorite social media faux pas
She thought Instagram
was private and sent pics of
her butt to all y’all.
- a meeting over breakfast
The best time to fuel
up and trade secrets with an
admirable friend.
- jonesin’ for dopamine
Notification.
Check status. Alert. Quick glance.
Repeat until dead.
- mortal beings
We’re all beginning
to wither year by year till
our ripeness is rot.
- a man most reviled
King found little love
among white Americans
as the ’60s raged.
- clanton, usa
Come sit a spell with
me beneath the oversize
peach water tower.
- post-viewing supplemental reading
I like to binge and
then read up, water cooler
moments on the fly.
- finding life’s purpose
Winding down each day,
looking for something to do,
how to fill a void.
- the book bandit
She sped through all kinds
of fiction, sharing her love
with literati.
- chef nobody
He wanted to cook
more, but didn’t care for the
shopping, prep and wait.
- half crazy
It’s very common:
Half will be diagnosed with
a mental illness.
- mindscape
The brain is a black
box, able to imagine
and help us sit straight.
- scrolling habits
Silent videos,
noisy videos, lovely
houses and train wrecks.
- stop, look and listen
Up and down the same
streets, past the same houses, still
seeing something new.
- calculus of regret
Possible joy and
minor hazards, divided
by risk and reward.
- truth, beauty, etc.
Why do we create
art? To show off? To scratch an
itch? To understand?
- a painting, an opera, an nft
Why do we consume
art? To gain wisdom? To feed
the soul? To unwind?
- plugged in
You’re either really
in the know or the dumbest
fool in history.
- shivering
Despair of winter
is facing brutal cold in
nothing but sweaters.
- the camera goes where?
Colonoscopy
day: Prep in the wee hours,
sleep through procedure.
- the lens of others
Divining meaning
in a vaguely written verse
while they stare blankly.
- the simple joys of a simple diet
Chicken, spinach, eggs,
lentils, beans, more chicken and
eggs, veggies, dinner.
- mantras wanted
Boil my complete
philosophy down to a
bumper sticker please.
- january’s ultimate joy
Dining room table
surrounded by dear friends on
a cold winter’s night.
• • •
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Wednesday, October 27th, 2021
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- the sweetest shoppe
Cookies and cakes and
assorted confections, all
sugar to savor.
- george floyd
Minneapolis
man seeking redemption and
work while getting straight.
- ahmaud arbery
Georgia runner who
loved his mama’s fudge cake and
did great impressions.
- more on breonna taylor
Louisville ER
tech who scribbled goals on Post-
it notes in her home.
- the embiggening of milkshakes
Stick ’em in a jar
and top with cupcakes, pretzels
and firecrackers.
- in the grips of depression
Each morning I sink
back into the ooze, drowning
slowly on dry land.
- making time for everything and nothing
The energy to
do 500 things, the time
to do maybe four.
- the coming race war
Keep pushing people
of color to the brink. Fuck
around and find out.
- the longest book
The longest book is
the one sitting patiently,
ready to be read.
- no one deserves her smile
She graces me with
a knowing grin, dazzling my
eyes, melting my heart.
- hurricane country
Much like where you live,
with a few more occasions
to flee for your lives.
- ongoing obsolescence
The way we do things
today won’t be around for
very much longer.
- a last summer hurrah
Before they send us
back to confined spaces, full
of vaccines, ennui.
- postcard to a friend
I’m at the beach, but
dreaming about us having
dinner together.
- the canine twins
No scrap goes untouched,
no ball goes unthrown in a
two-dog family.
- sunshine on hidden depths
Growing my hair in
back and chewing on Skoal. I
am Florida man.
- sandy siren
The beach stretches out
forever and calls you back
(without the big crowds).
- postcard poetry
Back in Florida
enjoying the sand, seafood
and grand sunrises.
- the corpse in the driveway
It used to be a
bird, or maybe a squirrel. And
now covered in flies.
- for a few commas more
I, do, not, like, the,
insistence, on, the, use, of,
the, Oxford, comma.
- his one trick
Waiting for it. More
anticipation. Snatching
the treat from mid-air.
- infinite grief in a finite period
When do we mourn a
pandemic, all the lost lives?
And when do we stop?
- a restorative place
I find my seat and
begin the warmup to a
session of breathing.
- word search
He dutifully
crossed out excess words on the
sheet with a red pen.
- back to school 2021
Classmates free of masks
and full of shots once again
crowd their old classrooms.
- moth mayhem
Their swarms visit each
room, awaiting their turns to
redo my wardrobe.
- the future is streaming
Buzzy series, live
sports, cooking demos, doorbell
pirates, Old Sheldon.
- head games
Star athletes compete
for glory, but we fail to
see the mental toll.
- a race against variants
Will the unvaxxed kill
us all? Will the strain between
tribes undo it all?
- the pandemic in fall, second round
Return to normal,
or a march into a great
unknown risk for all.
- those disposable pandemic pets
No longer puppies
and kittens, they returned to
shelters unneeded.
- black lives still matter
How quickly our white
allies went back to business
long before justice.
- bad reams
Most dreams die from the
amount of paperwork that
it takes to launch them.
- casual racism
It slips into our
conversation so quickly
I fail to push back.
- resistance isn’t futile
Maybe the reason
we’re so memorable is
because we fight back.
- the dog walker’s mantra
Who’s happy to see
me? Who’s a good boy? Oh yes,
it’s you! You you you!!
- beacons of positivity
The people in our
lives who radiate joy stand
out for their brilliance.
- art for art’s sake
Do something, and do
it badly. Don’t make money
from it. Just enjoy.
- losing a best friend
One weird fight, and years
of camaraderie slip
away in the wind.
- a fiftieth wish
I hope you’re safe, I
hope you’re well, but most of all,
I hope you’re happy.
- looks like we mated
You have something on
your face. No, not there. Lower.
That conniving smile.
- the harvest, summer edition
Cucumber, cucum-
ber, cucumber, cucumber,
cucumber and dill.
- jetset jaunt
Fly across the world
for fine dining, then fly back
home with full bellies.
- hope for everyone and no one
A drunk drying out
while protecting his claim to
the girls he neglects.
- after a rainy walk
He proudly trots from
the door on the kitchen floor,
muddy paws and all.
- this dog misses his mama and daddy
He whimpers, wonders
where his family has gone
while gnawing on bones.
- anxiety on the line
Keeping a firm grip
on the leash, never knowing
which way he might run.
- sprint and spritz
Neither darkness nor
rain kept him from his rounds of
marking territory.
- a rare promotion
They lifted her up
after so many years in
the trenches toiling.
- the cost of doing business
For labor, a chance
to reassess their worth. For
management, the same.
- the 27-course meal
An abundance of
forks, plates, servers and wines cross
our table nonstop.
- flowers as lovely as her
I bring you roses
with the hope they bloom like our
new relationship.
- backyard agenda
We float along in
the quiet pool, staring up
at the lazy clouds.
- downtown saturday morning
The cyclists search for
a brunch spot, while the homeless
man keeps to his bench.
- the lessons of 9/11
Twenty years of wars.
Do we terrorize others
more than they do us?
- kitchen harmony
Me on the skillet,
her on the cutting board, a
dinner taking shape.
- a pound of regret
Hospitals stretched to
their limits. But we can’t be
bothered to wear masks.
- the inevitable nth wave
It was predicta-
ble. It was preventable.
It is laughable.
- uncomfortably numb
Becoming inured
to death is like being dead
inside already.
- escape rooms themes
A flooded basement.
Human trafficking boxcar.
Brunch with the in-laws.
- best wishes and gritted teeth
We’re so happy for
your continued success and
its many blessings.
- new job, still remote
He sat in the same
living room, flipped on the same
laptop, but earned more.
- the freedom of fiction
Writing about life’s
many strange things whether they’re
about you or not.
- death of a waffle house
Smothered, padlocked and
kneecapped. The mourners brought their
flasks. One guy threw up.
- her mighty garden
Raised beds filled with all
kinds of vegetables, some tall
and some buried deep.
- autumnal pause
A breather between
the sweltering summer and
a gloomy winter.
- the fixer-upper
They spent weekends on
painting and sanding and trips
to the big box store.
- broadway bind
Hours and days spent
in rehearsal, for minutes
in the lone spotlight.
- some pig
Tallulah wants time
in the sun and a small mud
patch to call her own.
- man vs. city hall
They levy the tax.
I fight back. They hold fast. I
keep fighting. They win.
- fall getaways 2021
A last jaunt to the
beach, maybe a cabin, but
not the ICU.
- throwing away their vote
Why are we afraid
to make voting easier
for Americans?
- phrased in the form of a questionable haiku
Who knew hiring
a game show host would be so
politically fraught?
- search engine doctorates
Everyone you know
is an expert in any-
thing and everything.
- our relationship with tv
We’re pickier and
more voracious, enchanted
and obligated.
- halloween or dystopic nightmare?
I’m going to be
the prettiest handmaiden
in all Gilead.
- relationship detente
When both sides reach an
understanding that no more
growth is possible.
- the ted lasso dilemma
Can we meet harshness
with kindness, outright cruelty
with some empathy?
- feels like fall
A simple drop in
temperature warms my heart and
brings out my cool side.
- in a few syllables
I can reinvent
my unremarkable self
into something grand.
- anxiety is the thief
Anxiety is
the thief that robs us of our
sense of well-being.
- the lump in the window
The furry lump does
not stir, does not see me (or
maybe does), snoozing.
- the laziest pickpockets
They reach unseen in
wallets and purses to shop
for pizza and gas.
- delta variant by five
Stadiums full of
fans packed tightly to enjoy
their football fever.
- legacies of columbus
Globalization
and all the wonders and hor-
rors that come with it.
- the legend of the haunted hardee’s
Ghosts roam the booths, all
dead from hunger and lack of
attentive service.
- the probable son
Doesn’t care for his
parents, nor for the fractured
legacy to boot.
- prick or treat
Vaccines as either
bold trick to ensnare victims
or free pass to fun.
- the real ongoing pandemic
Why aren’t we making
a bigger deal out of the
risks of climate change?
- eternally maternally
Mama bear cares for
her cubs so very dearly.
Watch out for those claws!
- ascendiary
Each day can be a
mountain. We may not peak, but
we can still climb some.
- clickety click clack
Abandoned office
registers the lone sound of
gently tapped keyboards.
- stats for life
BP, temperature,
cholesterol (good and bad),
weight, pulse and pain scale.
- costume dilemma
Silly or sexy,
pop culture or historic,
homemade or store bought.
- busy busy busy
Burning the candle
at both ends, in the middle
and from deep inside.
- what lurks beneath, above and all around us
Death and horror got
nothin’ on Halloween this
year. Scary shmary.
- can society?
Can democracy
survive without committing
to the public good?
- fight or flights of fancy
The dialogue on
mental health gets louder with
each passing daydream.
- the fear and now
Between depression
and anxiety, I’ve got
past and future locked.
- and not feel so alone
We talk openly
about our mental struggles
so others may learn.
- true confessions
I admit weakness.
Is vulnerability
a strength? I hope so.
• • •
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Sunday, July 18th, 2021
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- a society of things that need food, shelter
Minimum wages,
living wages are the cost
of using humans.
- the plight of the omnivorous
The fun thing about
thinking about food is the
endless variety.
- a zero-growth strategy
Many are content
with stasis, needing only
to cover the churn.
- contentedness is its own reward
Happy to remain
still, grateful for what is and
what is still possessed.
- the descent of spring
Warm days with subtle
pollinated breezes
that waft through our toes.
- the lavish picnic
Group tees and streamers
galore in the pavilion
at the shady park.
- no taste for accounting
On your 1040,
just write “COVID” in giant
letters, pay next year.
- the commodification of mindfulness
The utmost holy
oneness with creation … as
an in-app purchase.
- age appropriate
Are cartoons for kids?
Is sugary cereal,
or tabletop games?
- makes me smile
Half-remembering
a dumb joke, or a mishap
from long, long ago.
- drug trials
Try this formula,
feel it fail. Try that prescription,
turn your insides out.
- technological leaps
The joy of a new
smartphone is soon outweighed by
figuring it out.
- ownership in the digital age
Creative works can
vanish with flip of a switch,
ones into zeros.
- planet of the oops
Getting hotter and
hotter, maybe this world is
some other world’s hell.
- folders and photos and files and flotsam
A cluttered desktop
is the sign of a cluttered
AI, it muttered.
- no one flies kites any more
A scenic hilltop,
gusting winds and a sky full
of aerial hopes.
- emerging from the cave
We take baby steps
into a world once consumed
with disease and death.
- may the circle be
You are the five you
keep closest. But what happens
when you grow apart?
- april 27, 2011
The morning storms spun
up lesser tornadoes to
scar Alabama.
The evening brought a
furious set of twisters.
Hundreds would be killed.
We remember that
day 10 years on, what we lost,
who we miss dearly.
- so bad it’s profitable
Throw a bunch of shows
at the wall and see who streams.
A binge of big bucks.
- her fiftieth
A peek back, and a
stride forward into a life
of love and kindness.
- one small step for mechanical man
Robots use arms and
legs to traverse terrain we’d
rather not visit.
- pièce de résistor
Gonna digitize
my soul and sell it as an
NFT. For Art!
- post-pandemic fever
Let’s do everything
all at once without masks and
hugging and sneezing.
- enjoy your crippled lungs
So many folks do
not want the vaccine. More room
for me on airplanes.
- antibodies and auntie betties
We’re long overdue
to welcome our relatives
back into our lives.
- peak pfizer
I will never be
stronger than clomping through Five
Below fully vaxxed.
- water can’t wash away relaxation
Even in a burst
of torrential rain, the dream
vacation lazed on.
- methodical menuing
It took a few tries,
but he finally landed
on the perfect dish.
- little doc
The man can play a
mean trumpet. A marriage of
artist and hot brass.
- sgt. woodard
He opened our eyes
after being blinded by
white supremacists.
- the medium of garbage
They took out the trash
and converted it to some
profitable art.
- typecast
INFJ or
ESTP, MBT-
I is DUM.
- 51 laps
On the track, he took
the punishment of asphalt
for some 13 miles.
- might as well netflix and chill
They couldn’t agree
on a movie, time, row or
location. Just snacks.
- nonfictitious license
Need a long take on
whaling, or race? I have the
perfect doc for that.
- right shape, wrong texture
The computer finds
pies in round shapes with one to
two crusts. (And cakes, too.)
- graduated, sort of
Their senior year, one
spent half at home, half in masked
spaces, fizzling out.
- 3 million and counting
COVID world death toll:
As if we murdered all of
Utah this past year.
- original? sin
The smart money’s on
sequels, reboots, revivals,
remakes, do-overs.
- a pen like lightning
Deadline? Write faster.
Space to fill? Write faster. New
insights? WRITE FASTER!
- rocket ship to uravarice
Is the way to space
paved with profitable ends?
One small step for greed.
- a pair of pricks
The first shot feels like
apprehension. The second,
a little like hope.
- the movie marathoners
Long past a double
feature, late into the night
and next day, they watched.
- breakups and acquisitions
The managers made
moves, hoping for a payoff
soon and mightily.
- the tub of the past
The bin held photos
and letters guiding loved ones
to kin, history.
- the leaky purse
Out slipped cold hard cash
and plastic cards long worn down
from endless swiping.
- words matter
Free speech that causes
blowback. Cancel culture? No,
consequence culture.
- nicked with an apostrophe
Sometimes, the perfect
haiku arrives, ‘cept the loss
of a syllable.
- the schizoid standoff
He said the voices
had never lied, unlike his
weary family.
- pots and panic
Her dating profile
said she could cook it all. Her
dating profile lied.
- crimes against nurture
He’s not such a bad
guy, they’d say in defense. That’s
just how he was raised.
- white crosses as far as the eye can see
The more veterans
who commit suicide, the
darker this day gets.
- the unherbalist
I spray weed killer
over the lawn. I have be-
come what I despise.
- tuesday wine and cheese
The hours flew by
as they shared bits and pieces
of their little lives.
- retreat or retrench
On top of every-
thing else, the boss said farewell
to the dismayed troops.
- safety dance
That weird feeling when
wearing a mask while certain
of no one’s status.
- line 3 is just retching noises
Call on line 1, car
warranty threat. Line 2 wants
to buy your house now.
- the joys of working on ourselves
We confront our worst
fears, only to find we still
have much work to do.
- pictures, but in word form
Reading all about
TV is often more fun
than watching the shows.
- the chinese of mississippi
Brought as cheap labor,
they turned to opening shops
for the Black townsfolk.
- the world’s oldest smartphone
Calls, some apps, a cracked
screen, slow charging and a lot
of hints to upgrade.
- the destiny in your own hands
We do not control
others. We barely have a
grip on our own fate.
- littlest buggers
The termites bit through
the foundation and nibbled
away at a dream.
- real estate, real ante
They had a tough time
bidding on houses till they
offered their first born.
- reefer referendum
As society
inches ever closer to
legal pot, breathe in.
- quickee settee
Come on down to the
furniture palace … pick it,
carry it, build it.
- the chicken hat
Leave behind something
to have an excuse to come
back and make smooches.
- one thumb out
“The movies are like
a machine that generates
empathy.” — Ebert
- two hundred years from now
We’ll all be long dead.
No one will remember us.
Take comfort in that.
- uncle vanya
When a relative
goes batty holding down the
farm. See, Chekhov’s won.
- for the juneteenth time
Freedom Day, where the
freedom came in dribs and drabs
for a hundred years.
- hot. girl. summer.
Summer ain’t summer
without the hottest ladies
and their sunny smiles.
- sweet, sweet home
A foundation of
love, windows of hope, shelter
for souls, room for peace.
- to beat the rubik’s cube
Slide, twist, double back.
See the future in fifty-
four shiny stickers.
- endemic to the end of the pandemic
Well, whaddaya know?
The shots worked, and the world is
a little safer.
- the cost of moving on
You can’t buy my for-
giveness. I think it just kind
of has to happen.
- at my parents’ house
We sat on the same
sofa, in front of the same
bookcase, just agog.
- generation gapped
What do you say when
it’s been decades since you last
spoke to each other?
- a century on wheels
A formidable
duo, they sailed down highways
searching for freedom.
- the curve
She dreaded the spot
on the interstate where all
her nerves knotted up.
- critical racist theory
Let’s discuss race, but
only one, and how that one
is superior.
- a return to normal
Everyone, feel free
to be giant assholes to
each other again.
- not to scale
The digital map
shows the same twisty line with
the same twisty length.
- holiday weekend bender
Party. Pass out. Then
party harder. Pass out. Then
really party. Hard.
- sunny, sunny florida
It’s been too long, my
palmy, sandy friend. Pour me
a tall Sea Breeze, please.
- independence? depends
The land where some are
free, and the home of a few
brave. Long may she live.
- the master of the grill
Clean grate, piles of meat.
Get the heat steady, get the
tongs ready. Let’s cook.
- unmasked
Tavern full of smiles.
Hearts gladdened by handshakes and
hugs as we gather.
- slow ride, but in 17 syllables
They’d call out requests,
and the humble scribe penned such
mediocre verse.
- the blinder leading the blind
Sure, I know the way,
I hollered while nervously
checking the compass.
- the long road ahead
The car was loaded.
The tank was full. And we were
on our way back home.
- the wicked tongue
Don’t ask me. I’ll just
fill your head with such lies and
pleasantries no end.
- rap squad
They would turn their pain
into rhymes, their rhymes into
beats, beats into truth.
- smallest talk
“I love to hike. Where
do you hike near here?” “Around
the hill or the valley.”
- pent-up post-pandemic priorities
Every restaurant
has a 3-hour wait. Ain’t
this what we wanted?
- we’re all in this together
Back to flipping off
drivers, blasting staff. Were we
ever civilized?
- manufactured outage 2021
Trans kids on sports teams,
Critical Race Theory and
(boo!) vaccine passports.
- the secret to managing your to-do giant list
Resetting deadlines
far into the future and
marking that lie “done.”
- birmingham-style pizza
A crusty pie with
vinegar-based sauce and an
overrated rep.
- president boring
An Oval Office
where the occupant listens
and leads with a plan.
• • •
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Thursday, April 8th, 2021
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- banned words, 2020 edition
Pandemic, lockdown,
social distancing, face mask,
coronavirus.
- the fights long since forgotten
An apology
sheepish and belated still
merits acceptance.
- almost midnight
If you’ve read this far:
Congratulations, you sur-
vived 2020.
- 2021 and bust
Never have we been
so grateful to see the dawn
of another year.
- more and more winter
It is frostier,
outside and inside, spreading
shivers, slowing time.
- easiest resolution ever
Join the gym and get
fit. Once pandemic ends and
it’s safe again. (wink!)
- the need for work
It’s tough to make an
honest living when good jobs
can hardly be found.
- american exceptionalism
Don’t worry: Other
countries have safety nets. The
U.S. has women.
- revenge of mr. privilege
Don’t mess with me. I
can have you fired with the
slightest of complaints.
- community won’t
A quaint notion, that
“common good,” the unfounded
trust in decency.
- a friendship on pause
Uncomfortable
silence sprinkled with regrets
and mild annoyance.
- the trust
By the time she found
out about it, most of the
money was long gone.
- save the drama from your mama
Family intrigue
draws some closer together
to push others out.
- anything for a buck store
Weed that flourishes
in the unkempt neighborhoods,
choking out the rest.
- silent menace
The white walls steepen
overnight. No way out but
through. Dig and dig deep.
- the undiscovered circuitry
A new gadget brings
the joy of figuring it
out, making it work.
- lessons of 2020
How to beat COVID.
How to steal an election.
And Black Lives Matter.
- acceptance? radical
Pain? Mandatory.
Suffering? Entirely
optional to you.
- jab, jab, knockout
The first shot and a
little arm soreness. The next
shot: immunity.
- the digital everlasting gobstopper
Browse for underwear.
See ads for underwear in
every site, page, dream.
- the volunteer spirit
We give what we can.
We give away and make things.
We spend time and cash.
- mismatched deathbed confessions
“We thought it was a
hoax, and we were wrong.” “We still
think it’s a damn hoax.”
- impeachment was just the beginning
Indict the former
president. Hold him account-
able for his crimes.
- the listicle is life
The 50 greatest
years of my life, ranked by joy,
wins and shock value.
- the gig’s up
Swipe right for soulmates,
cab drivers, dog walkers and
food deliverers.
- celestial indicators
Somewhere is a live
dashboard tracking your every
good deed and bad thought.
- a pileup of words
Read or cook dinner.
Read or binge-watch. Read or take
a nap. Read or skim.
- invasion of the moths
Corner by corner,
room by room, they stake claims on
our territory.
- youtopiatube
Five hundred thousand
channels to wile away the
idle days of youth.
- the disposable army
The most menial
of tasks for the least pay for
the richest tyrants.
- pandemic paradox
The worse the sickness,
the more we gather without
any precautions.
- raise the clotilda
A slave ship returns
to the Bama port after
a lengthy detour.
- beyond open mic night
Comedians who
goof on TikTok, tweet trendy
jokes and live next door.
- chocolate chip champion
Her prowess with a
mixer and batter grew with
every batch she baked.
- the nature of hobbies
An element of
frustration becoming its
own perverse pleasure.
- six more months of covid
Fauci pops out of
quarantine and spots shadows
of anti-maskers.
- it came from craigslist
Zones where barterers
can meet without getting mugged
or shot in the face.
- gamestart
A reality
show pitting hedge funds against
day trading neckbeards.
- virtual laggard
A bot filled in for
me for a bit. No one had
noticed or minded.
- the battle of january 6
Marauders hell-bent
on toppling democracy
and hanging its reps.
- the donald j. trump presidential library
The pee tape and the
“Access Hollywood” tape, found
inside Cell Block D.
- a new job in the pandemic
Please report to your
manager in the kitchen
via your laptop.
- weaponizing bullshit
An empire of
media and hucksters with
greedy intentions.
- transactional family
Quid pro quo, scratching
of backs, greasing of palms, an
incestuous trade.
- the first lesson of black history month
Those who cannot re-
member the Black past are con-
demned to repeat it.
- techwar
Fighting spam, malware.
Computers were supposed to
make lives easier.
- catch me inside how bout dah
We think we have the
virus figured out. It then
rolls out new guises.
- cupid as warden
Raise a glass to the
relationships that endured
12 months of lockdown.
- minimum wage leads to
Minimum food, health,
gas, clothing, stability
and maximum stress.
- two clichés and the truth
Being precise means
steamrolling all distractions
to thread the needle.
- ol’ reliable
The steady belief
that everything will last as
long as hope’s alive.
- the rotting underbelly
Beneath the veneer,
a soul badly in need of
deep understanding.
- the doctor on duty
Healer risks it all
to save lungs from the global
menace behind masks.
- do-si-dont’s
Even the smallest
ingredient shows proof of
exploited children.
- rip moms and pops
Who lent a hand to
the struggling small business when
the pandemic struck?
- binge spectating
The secret joy of
reading about TV is
skipping those clunkers.
- a perfectly cromulent verse
Using slang can be
dangerous since it’s always
boodling the watchet.
- the wanderer
She found it easy
to pick up and move, swanning
to untouched locales.
- the data detective
Where had it gone off
course, this trail of zeroes and
ones landing afield?
- temporal madness
To not sleep, to push
and push through hours and days
with no set schedule.
- that one driver
Cut someone off in
traffic, watch them tail you till
home to cuss you out.
- a not-so-simple delivery
Hunting for common
items but unable to
fill the shopping cart.
- goin’ off the deep end
Friday night is here.
Time to plan all the great ways
to spend a weekend!
- a muse bushed
Creative writer
seeks inspiration for the
next set of verses.
- a walk through the woods in winter
Bundle up and brave
the cold. Head for the trails to
commune with nature.
- rumble in the cubicle
Not even the grumps
at the office can keep me
from smiling at life.
- 1 zzzzz
She passed out before
counting, so the sheep snuck off
very quietly.
- two-thirds awake
A third of our lives
in bed. A third of our time
shrouded in slumber.
- you’re gonna need a bigger bed
To be cuddled by
a pack of warm furry friends
is to know comfort.
- nocturnal visions
A surreal melange
of made-up memories and
dreamy wanderings.
- the 140-hour workweek
So refreshing was
the long winter’s nap that she
slept for two more days.
- a miracle in a vial
We can destroy a
tiny bug by shooting up
folks with a vaccine.
- discommunication
Email, Slack, phones, fax,
texts, voicemails … and yet colleagues
can’t seem to connect.
- wires crossed
Don’t give in to the
IT desk. Turn off, turn on,
defenestrate it.
- natural neglect
Weeds and rodents have
claimed this fertile ground. Can this
garden rise again?
- probably apple and peach
Anyone could tell
that the translucent bag had
a mess of fried pies.
- kids, covid and contagion in education
The physical toll
on those in classrooms, mental
toll on those at home.
- out and prodigal
Never too old to
run away from home, but to
return is tougher.
- at least the billionaires are thriving
The people are stuck
with no income, and the jobs
may never come back.
- and you’ll like it
They celebrated
their hard-working staff with some
cake and empty praise.
- caucasoid cachet
A diverse group of
employees politely clapped
for white promotions.
- the two seasons
It’s spring, nope it’s still
winter. It’s spring! Nah, winter.
Please let it be spring.
- somewhat after the fact
How many times in
life do you get to bequeath
your stuff? Oh, right … none.
- mired in greatness
Is the challenge of
diversity recruitment?
Or bold ideas?
- pledge to our selves
We make time for the
things that are important to
us, no matter what.
- forget the gas pump
Nowhere to be, no
one to meet, a driveway with
an abandoned car.
- a zoom to remember
It is lovely to
spend the night getting older
with virtual friends.
- native advertising
I’m at my best when
serving others. I have a
lot of love to give.
- the online introvert
He could take the chit
chat for only so long. He
logged off in a huff.
- frugal milestones
She celebrated
her newfound wealth by paying
off her auto loan.
- my own postal route
I get plenty of
exercise taking others’
mail to their houses.
- so long, suckers
They would turn their backs
on nonbelievers, as their
community shrank.
- cleverness masked as decorum
A sharper wit can
allow you to speak ill of
the dead with a smirk.
- the joke’s on all of us
Fake news, voter fraud,
QAnon, alt-right, Fox News,
vaccines, Russian tweets.
- needling around
Get a third shot to
be extra safe and extra
autistic. JK!!!!
- the asian in asian american
A minority
modeled on racial divides
and no acceptance.
- sunday starting over
The promise of a
rebirth for all, a fresh start
from our sinful pasts.
- asian persuasion
Not every person
of color gets asked “Where are
you from?” Lucky us.
- the creepy uncle
They took down an old
predator, but it took great
courage and candor.
- self care 2021
Taking off work clothes
(pajamas) and slipping in-
to a nice coma.
- the persistent undercurrent
His mellow moods were
betrayed by a beautiful
depression deep down.
• • •
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Monday, December 28th, 2020
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- the joy of wearing stuff out
Each possession, bright
and sturdy, used and used and
used till broken down.
- the very quiet foreign girls poetry group
Their broken English
made for elegant stanzas
of their existence.
- having tea with the muse
Places are set for
two, she comes and goes (mostly
goes) as she pleases.
- the wonder of autumn
Celebrate crunching
of the leaves, cooling of the
days, cups of cider.
- something in the air
Health care’s finest are
sitting down to lunch while they’re
poisoning the room.
- the wait for a vaccine
Racing for a cure,
taking all the shortcuts, most
of us won’t partake.
- youtube and the alt-right
The endless stream wreaks
radicalization, from
recommendations.
- the oldies
Those songs from that long
ago era when ancients
roamed the discotheques.
- virtue wriggling
Don’t pretend Black Lives
Matter while treating your peers
and colleagues like dirt.
- where to sit in a pandemic
The signs on every
other table say to stay
away. The rest? Fine!
- to play ball
A pause from shooting
hoops, catching pop-ups, to fight
police violence.
- dreaming of the harvest
Little seeds, big plans,
rows of hope and dirt-covered
jeans, come sun, come rain.
- when crisis management needs crisis management
Forging safety for
a nation divided puts
us in more danger.
- up-to-the-minute bad news
It’s never been more
fashionable to shoot the
messenger point blank.
- a foreign policy built on human rights
Not to invade and
conquer, but to assist and
leave somewhat better.
- one russian, one vote
Interference means
our picks don’t matter, our hopes
and voices poisoned.
- play balls
Every sport all at
once, a smorgasbord and a
true fan’s worst nightmare.
- it started today in 2005
I’ve written haiku
daily for 15 years and
don’t plan on stopping.
- safety fatigue
Playing by the rules
sucks when everyone else does
whatever they want.
- a library is more than just books
It’s readers, crafty
librarians, free-range kids
and random townsfolk.
- the reading-is-contagious book club
The ladies, without
masks, piled into the living
room to gossip, gloat.
- everything is coronavirus
Scratchy throat, a cough
(but only once in a while),
bleeding from the eyes.
- ode to the post office
Sometimes surly, but
able to take my letter
for only four bits.
- how people are voting
In person on time
or early, by mail or drop
box, hopeful, anxious.
- halloween improvised
Bobbing for vaccines.
Trick or grab-and-go bagged treat.
Masks and nothing else.
- web two-point-whoa
Doomscrolling on a
Wednesday night, watching all the
misery out there.
- dujuan, far from home
Aboriginal
healer, just 10, struggled with
school and the system.
- gasping for revenue
Every town scraping
by till we reopen it
all someday, some year.
- ready to dream about bones
A pittie in his
PJs scampers to and fro,
comfy and happy.
- ones, zeroes and solutions
We collect all this
data and ask it how we
should manage our lives.
- witches and black cats, too
Carve a jack-o’-lan-
tern, put it in a mask. Hang
a skeleton. Same.
- benched
A football team with
too many positives must
sit out the season.
- a pandemic pickle
The restaurants are
too crowded and not crowded
enough to survive.
- ruth bader ginsburg
She fought and fought and
fought for women to be all
treated equally.
- death of a hard drive
Stop playing dead and
give me my files! Or else I’ll …
curl up on the floor.
- why vote?
For democracy.
To choose our leaders. To stick
it to the Russians.
- breonna taylor
In her apartment,
an innocent bystander
shot by cops six times.
- reading as an immersion
I want to read with
my eyes, my ears, my fingers.
I want words to last.
- our place in history
A corrupt regime
that we helped bring about while
resisting feebly.
- he wouldn’t wear a mask
He wouldn’t wear a
mask, not to shop or browse, not
for him or for you.
- little pupils, big caution
All day, they stayed in
the one classroom, but they were
together again.
- life on venus
Microscopic cells
who enjoy a plush sauna
and full privacy.
- trick or treatment
*doorbell* *temperature
check* *hand sanitizer* *tongs*
*drop candy* Repeat.
- on-the-job inspiration
A posted sign: The
beatings will continue un-
til morale improves.
- remote hazing
OMG what’s that
behind you?! Ha! Made you look.
(Please unmute yourself.)
- vote early and often
The good people have
spoken early this year: They’ve
already voted.
- every four years
The anxiety,
the held breath, the wait to see
victory or loss.
- where were we?
Let’s get back to the
business of running and/or
ruining this land.
- sean connery
A sub captain, a
spy and an Irish copper
walk into a bar …
- tailgate in the driveway
Playing it safe by
grilling at home and saving
on the parking fees.
- be kind to yourself
Treat yourself gently
as you would your best friend and
show yourself some love.
- spare hurricane names
Unbreakable codes,
hieroglyphs, nail polish shades,
semaphores, Klingon.
- it’s all uphill from here
A steady job, a
purpose in life … man, this dude
Sisyphus rocked it.
- a national debt
When will we give them
the highest honor, keeping
them safe post-service?
- a meme-based economy
Not by your wealth nor
the sweat of your brow but your
drolly captioned pics.
- a tiktok economy
Dancing for likes, lip-
synching for views, being your
performative self.
- the third wave
Restless for human
interaction, so tired
of hunkering down.
- the heart of 2020
One crisis after
another and another
and another and …
- a strange neighborhood
Walking past tidy
lawns and construction sites in
night’s semi-darkness.
- the confrontation that wasn’t a confrontation
They demanded to
meet with her only to tell
her good job, sort of.
- and a few misspelled words
Sending a text with
random punctuation % enh,
they’ll figure it out^
- cheers under a faltering light
They snuck glasses of
wine when parents weren’t watching
and drank to good times.
- at least we still have power
Why does everything
break down after the checking
account is tapped out?
- stylish strokes
Typographically
speaking, the best fonts convey
meaning in an “a.”
- but would they let them drive?
Rule for astro-chimps:
They would not make the monkey
launch the dang rocket.
- ultimate sins
Doctors: malpractice
suits, death. Priests: molesting kids.
Reporters: lying.
- thankful for
The strength to survive
such an outrageous year while
faking sanity.
- sweet sassy molassy
I hate when tweets end
with declarative bull. That’s
it. That’s the haiku.
- pilgrims, indians and social distancing
Do not gather, but
give thanks for the good health that
makes it possible.
- blackest friday
Jam the stores! This cruel
pandemic economy
needs sacrifices.
- finding meaning in art if not the artist
The artist can be
an utter wanker, yet still
create works of art.
- confessions of a trivia winner
Trust your gut. Keep an
eye on the competition.
Sometimes, take a guess.
- waltzing autumnal
Twirl in the moonlight
surrounded by shadows deep
in the pumpkin patch.
- gifts by the 23rd at the latest
The naughty list grew
so big this year that Santa
just needs a hatchback.
- mr. privilege
Do what I want when
I want and let the rest of
the planet be damned.
- old growth, new stump
A tree falls with help.
Men with their chainsaws carve it
into huge matchsticks.
- cold snap
The house? Perfectly
comfortable 68.
Me? Shivering so.
- madam vice president
Kamala, like a
breath of fresh air. Kamala,
let’s be inspired.
- the roosting of our sins
Meeting up without
a mask. Flaunting our freedom.
Getting sick in droves.
- about living in historical times
Has 2020
taught us anything? Are we
doomed to repeat it?
- inclement no more
Snow comes and blankets
the roads, and antsy children
are stuck in Zoom school.
- other casualties of the pandemic
Shopping local has
never been quicker since so
many stores have closed.
- dark ages the sequel
Emerging from 4
years of smearing science and
setting up scapegoats.
- autumn at ruffner
Up the mountain we
hiked. Down the mountain we sped.
All along we breathed.
- stabilization
Her burden feels a
little lighter, her panic
starting to subside.
- 2020 gonna 2020
On the first day of
Christmas, my true love gave to
me, COVID-19.
- the slutty locksmith
Dirty locks, shiny
keys. Opening the doors to
pleasure and tool sheds.
- symptoms and strategy
Can economy
recover without beating
virus? So far, no.
- the other sickness
Unbelievable
stress, new anxiety, lone-
liness. Minds unwell.
- where once were office parties
Log in and wear your
finest Christmas jammies while
sipping spiked eggnog.
- the proud pittie in the back yard
Atop the stump, he
surveyed the land around him,
and it pleased him so.
- the 99-year-old passive-aggressive samaritan
Her burdensome texts
let us know exactly how
she felt about strays.
- pandemic baby boom
Welcome to all the
new Coronas and Faucis
into this masked world.
- a new season, i guess
That bleak sky. Growing
madness in quarantine. The
grimness of winter.
- for the loved ones we keep safe
One more Facetime. Some
cookies and sweaters in the
mail. Saving up hugs.
- a wish list
Vaccines in every
stocking, relief checks for the
jobless, hope for all.
- the constant of children’s joy
Let them sing with glee.
Let them dream of sugar plums.
Let them wake with gifts.
- all for the birthday boy
An evening party
with a barnyard theme and odd
assortment of gifts.
- the monocultural experience
Back to a world in
which we share hardships and small
wins, pathos and grit.
- a girl and her horse
Once ornery, he
softened under her guidance,
riding proud as one.
- forever … ’21
Let us renew our
commitment to a better
future for us all.
• • •
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Friday, September 18th, 2020
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- the line between fear and paranoia
A phobia here,
a conspiracy there, it
all adds up to squat.
- the majority leecher
A toady who does
it all for those in power,
lickspittle for life.
- everyday hustle
We all out here with
our game faces on, ready
to make that paper.
- time of the prepper
A cellar fully
stocked with canned goods, candles and
assorted ammo.
- the tips, not the protesters
Lots of bystanders
have tips for protesters, most
of them horrible.
- rise of the sidewalk cafes
Bistros and hot dog
joints claim limited spaces
for al fresco feasts.
- tangible gratitude
Marbles in a jar,
scribbles on slips of paper,
lines in a Word doc.
- facial security blanket
The mask made him feel
only a little safer
in an unsafe world.
- cans of lysol in the carport
She took grocery
deliveries at the side
door and sprayed them down.
- salt strife
Waves mindlessly lap
the shore, as tourists make the
most of a crap year.
- all summer in a season
Let the festival
of sweaty tees and violent
thunderstorms commence!
- the spare minutes
Time to breathe deeply,
to compose a love note, to
gaze in bright wonder.
- covering while uncovered
Modern media
fired upon by police,
targets of ire.
- any sports is better than no sports
Empty stands, no one
hawking $7 cups
of beer. Players … play.
- the looting of america
From the corner stores,
but especially from the
swank corporate board rooms.
- on the plaza in the early evening
She hobbled by with
a friendly greeting and a
bare foot in pain.
- just another pandemic in america
How casually
we conduct our business while
the virus rages.
- social undistancing
Despite our caution,
it’s good to see people once
more. We need contact.
- furloughed and frustrated
Everyone needs a
job yesterday. The rent’s past
due, the kids need shoes.
- the fun police
The mere suspicion
that someone somewhere feels such
unauthorized joy.
- the floor is lava
The floor is lava.
As is everything else. Yeah,
the world’s on fire.
- this is just to haiku
I ate the icebox
plums saved for breakfast forgive
me so sweet so cold
- can’t have pets
Allergic not to
dander or fur but to un-
conditional love.
- the vocal minority
They took their pouty
entitlements and their hurt
feelings and raged on.
- 7/4 3/5
A declaration
of freedom for some, leaving
all others behind.
- the opposite of schadenfreude
That pang of envy
when someone, anyone marks
a great achievement.
- under wraps
Look, I get it. You’re
frustrated by the whole mask
dilemma. Wear it.
- cause and effect and effect and effect
The numbers climb. The
hospitals struggle. The world
trudges on weakly.
- love in the time of corona
Will COVID Cupid
find coronavixen who
takes my breath away?
- regret neutrality
It isn’t enough
to not be racist, but to
be anti-racist.
- the launch
The developers
lock in the code. Fans look on.
All systems are go.
- protection not persecution
What does it look like
when a society re-
thinks its policing?
- representation matters
I want to see those
who look like me and those who
have yet to be seen.
- jeremy bearimy, baby
This 2020
has been a hellscape of at
least 35 months.
- moments of glee
Profound joy sneaks in
between the bouts of anger
and pure depression.
- be now
This is the now. This
is the moment we are in.
Now this is the now.
- a devious undeviating satire
Comedic grace: She
takes his words and makes them her
own, makes him her own.
- mom and pop sore
The anxiety
of watching your dream wither
away to nothing.
- the pandemic p&l statement
How do we pay rent?
Pay employees? Stay open?
Live to fight again?
- the disquieting fear
Burrowed deeply in
our brains, driving us to run
from all the known threats.
- the empathy spectrum
Sacrifice for all
others vs. in it for
only me me me.
- browser breaking point
Click. Save. Read later.
Click. Save. Check out later. Click.
Click. Too many tabs!
- that homeostatic feeling
Even constant pain
becomes background noise in a
body on the move.
- booted from the swanky italian restaurant
He played with gusto
to the sun-soaked parking lot
amidst the Audis.
- project pandemic pick-me-up
Business is down. Why
not renovate the inside
before shoppers return?
- surrounded by patients zero
Every cough suspect,
every forehead possibly
ablaze, bugs abound.
- we jazz july
Another blazing
tornado-dodging virus-
ravaging summer.
- maskholes
They threw little snits
at each store asking them to
wear face coverings.
- the strivers
Striving to be loved.
Striving to be accepted.
For equality.
- only one shot a year
They decided to
postpone the event and pray
they’d come back next year.
- hang on to the summer
Ice cream cones and long
drives, starry nights and fire-
flies, storms and breezes.
- first will and testament
Let’s hope that courage
is contagious and that our
leaders aren’t immune.
- back-to-school shopping 2020
Bulletproof backpack,
face mask, hand sanitizer,
tiny body bags.
- school of hardest knocks
This fall, send the kids
back to school in person and
let God sort ’em out.
- other people’s impatience
Some of us are born
to wait and wait, while others
make waiting painful.
- a totally chill pandemic
Neighbors having big
parties, coworkers touching
all the coffee cups.
- cities under siege
Protesters marching
peacefully and lawfully.
Shock troops on the way
- let freedom ring
Climate deniers,
school shooters, killer cops. This
is America.
- an unmissed connection
Deep empathy brings
hope to the forlorn, the love-
less, the also rans.
- reliable sources
Experts and mainstream
media, but also your
high school dropout aunt.
- the emotional roller coaster
Why do the tears come
so readily? Before, I
was a stoic man.
- down with democracies
Disinformation
arrives in harmless tweets and
brash targeted ads.
- spiral unspiral
Neutral leads to sad-
ness leads to shame leads to wor-
ry leads to calmness.
- how we decide
Rational does not
mean selfless or detached from
any emotion.
- no good choices, back-to-school edition
Set them in front of
a screen, or set them loose in
a germy classroom.
- an alabama loophole
Schools practice social
distancing for teachers, kids
(except for football).
- radical monarchs
Shy caterpillars
transform into cool pillars
of social justice.
- in search of
We look for humor
in dark places and comfort
in strange bedfellows.
- america’s national pastime*
The crack of the bat,
the roar of an empty sta-
dium in strange times.
- virtual fans
They yell, they cheer, they
boo. But then, no drunken brawls
or doing the wave.
- lessons in world geography
The other countries
did it right in beating the
pandemic. We balked.
- a natural enmity
People are good. But
that one guy definitely
is out to get me.
- pandemic plan zero
We’ve tried absolute-
ly nothing, and yet the num-
bers keep going up.
- poems to the wind
Freestylin’ verses
to the masses with brains and
social media.
- the zoom cocktail hour
A bevy of drinks,
a so-so wifi signal,
a lot of crosstalk.
- amoral adversary
The virus doesn’t
punish bad behavior or
reward good. It just is.
- chaotic neutral
Alignment is not
only good and evil but
also the method.
- what does a family look like?
Are they blood ties or
select friends and lovers? The
mind and heart see all.
- the trouble with first drafts
Balancing speedy
writing with a nagging need
to edit right then.
- try someone else
On the street and at
the crossroads, they beg. The re-
ply is always no.
- on brand
He positioned the
camera just so, making sure
his fans saw it all.
- cupid’s victim
A young girl mused on
her infatuation with
bright eyes, aching heart.
- ’90s jukebox
The melodies and
riffs take me back to my young-
er, more hopeful self.
- aa scheme
A real poem should
rhyme. Which is why this is a
real poem this time.
- popsicle sticks and glitter
She carefully plans
the art projects so her girls
can dream, make messes.
- the road to the white house
Hearts and minds up for
grabs as we squabble over
fault in the margins.
- bugaboo
It seems risky to
re-open society
as the virus roams.
- the law of diminishing fucks
The moment we step
out to embrace our feelings
no matter the risk.
- surrender to the storm
Each hurricane brought
fewer relief trucks in the
nation’s new climate.
- essential workers, inessential wages
We prize work, but
not equally, not fully.
Our values must change.
- casualties of indifference
The suffering has
no meaning. The dreams and lives
lost were for nothing.
- built-in bruising
We react without
thinking. The suffering is
truly optional.
- eat dessert first
Such is a nation
that manages its sweet tooth
better than its health.
- a foreign notion
When will we stop the
white domestic terrorists
who hide in plain sight?
- declaration of dependence
I told her this year.
I haven’t thought about lost
love in a long time.
- take this job and inhabit it
Work is everything:
self worth, time suck, lame hangout,
comparison stick.
- four-wheel money machine
It’s tough to work when
other drivers treat your car
like a piñata.
- awash with sensations
She tracked her feelings
as they racked her body in
tumultuous waves.
- she brought in a gun
She brought in a gun,
and everyone in the whole
restaurant just froze.
- unnoticed rituals
Actions designed not
to make the time pass but to
ease anxiety.
- dread of the drops
The falling rain brought
on the worries big and small,
not soothing comfort.
• • •
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Tuesday, June 9th, 2020
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- cry of the doughnut
You need some sugar
to start off the morning and
sweeten up your day.
- a twinkle
His calm demeanor
belied a sense of mischief
coming from his eyes.
- girl crush
She and she shared an
embarrassing amount in
common. Syn-her-gy.
- collegial feelings
It’s all clicking and
not all cliques. So many I’s
in this splendid team.
- an uncomfortable conversation
Would it be OK
if we worked it out one blunt
question at a time?
- wistful thinking
What could’ve been, what
almost was, who should’ve mat-
tered, why dwell on it.
- tell me a story again
Regale me with your
misadventures, show me your
past self one more time.
- past hope
The fear deep within
pushes us to dark places
with no way to leave.
- her lone voice
Her lone voice rang out
with despair. Will I ever
be enough for me?
- the wonder of it all
Take time to marvel
at the bounty of life, the
majesty of you.
- a dollop of kindness
It goes great with a
heaping of empathy and
gentleness of words.
- the statistician’s dilemma
Count everything, make
exceptions or run away
in a mild panic?
- the lurker in us all
Why dive in when you
Can watch safely from the shore?
Take that, killer sharks.
- pi piper
3.141
5926535
8979
- stranger together
Our back-and-forth can
puzzle others but leads us
to fits of laughter.
- all kinds of intimacy
A boundless comfort
zone, a safe space with no end
and a love assumed.
- the irish of the far east
Sure, we’re all a bit
Irish, but really, when is
St. Korean’s Day?
- coffee thief
He would grab a mug
from the break room and run off
one cup at a time.
- a time for cartwheels
A greening of the
land, a growing warmth, a sun
smiling from above.
- what concerns a neighborhood
Lost dogs and kitties,
burglars breaking into tool
sheds, rampant gossip.
- the role of luck
From birth onward, luck
influences our lives more
than we would admit.
- simple pleasures
A fancy dessert,
a bowl of cereal, a
purring cat, sunset.
- more simple pleasures
Buttered biscuits, a
warm scarf, gentle breathing, a
super thick milkshake.
- even more simple pleasures
A delightful meme,
a show on the radio,
a recognition.
- time to move on
Growing contentment
meets nagging restlessness for
a ticket elsewhere.
- a false unity
Let’s not look past our
differences, but agree to
disagreements now.
- fearless fest
Wary attendees
ease into the fun with some
gentle icebreakers.
- the route of creativity
I didn’t expect
to wander past so many
unusual sights.
- mlem vs. blep
Something about tongues
and animals and how we
cannot resist them.
- amazon conspiracy theory
The Prime vans circle
our homes waiting for the chance
to sell us to death.
- let me fix that for you
Barge in and take charge
before the lesser grunts wreck
all of this hard work.
- fools and foils
An annual rite:
The joke is on all of us
again and again.
- the bug vs. the world
A microbe stops us
dead in our tracks. Can we fight
what we cannot see?
- tp pdq
Rolls of gold to trade
for pelts or blubber or a
shiny new mansion.
- a life on camera
Hello, colleagues, from
my cluttered kitchen and my
once clean living room.
- under foot all the time
Kids, no school. Kids, no
play dates. Kids, no child care. Kids,
no church camp. Kids … no.
- the ever looming specter of death
One nagging cough from
painfully short struggle with
coronavirus.
- mourning the loss of normal
Crying over lost
softball games, get togethers
and the stuff of life.
- a primer on social distancing
For some, 6 feet is
a mile. And for others, not
far enough at all.
- in the shot, take a shot
This Zoom meeting will
never end. How do I sneak
a drink on camera?
- in line at walmart 2020
Don’t stand so, don’t stand
so, don’t stand so close to me.
Please don’t stand, don’t stand.
- means of transmission
Can you catch it from
a toilet seat? Can you catch
it from a death stare?
- easter 2020
Bunny hops to and
fro but everyone’s hiding
their eggs inside homes.
- cabin fever, catch it
Where the cabin is
a nice house and we can still
go outside at will.
- small business black saturday
We witness the deaths
of restaurants and stores while
shopping Amazon.
- a nonbinding stimulus
He’s outta work, she’s
outta work, so many folks
are losing their jobs.
- retreat
These four walls can seem
like a sanctuary, a
prison, a flophouse.
- a quiet place
The silent office
looks over an empty lot
while gathering dust.
- the sudden homeschool
The kids are all in
detention, the teacher is
drinking heavily.
- piece by piece
They hunched over the
table, squinting at puzzle
pieces and laughing.
- social distancing two-step
Can’t hug, but can wave.
Can’t whisper, but can raise voice.
Can’t cry, but can grieve.
- the potluck crew
Each dish outdoes the
last one. Each taste is even
better than we hoped.
- drowning in real time
The lessons come so
quickly, it’s impossible
to keep up, catch up.
- the intimidation factor
No one counted on
her bursting out with so much
energy and verve.
- voices parry
She said, he said, he
said and said and said and said
and kept on going.
- out-of-context theater
Not in the same ball
park but trying to achieve
collaboration.
- teamwork makes the dream worthless
It all fell apart
the moment we sat down to
toil together.
- the stress of it all
Work, more work, school, more
school, health, poor health and a lot
of things left unsaid.
- today broke me
I’ve been sprinting the
marathon for weeks and hit
the wall. Nothing left.
- the contagion
We use masks and gloves
with the hope that they hide us
from the wee killers.
- thinking positive
The cough, the fever,
the trouble breathing, the test,
the wait, the results.
- romeo and juliet 2020
Verona succumbs
to the plague. Star-crossed lovers
inherit it all.
- little girl found
She would log into
book club each afternoon just
for her sanity.
- a drive-by party
Kids wave and honk and
shout “Happy Birthday!” to her.
It gives me such hope.
- peanut butter problems
Crunchy or smooth, no
one can agree on which one
goes on sandwiches.
- the numbers
How many dead? How
many infected? How much
longer can we last?
- me exotic
Meet my giant house
cats as they prowl the compound.
I’m the Tiger King!
- the crawfish boil
Pinch the head and suck
the tail, two steps to true
tasty happiness.
- something’s brewing
Coffee panic sets
in as I try to wake up
before class begins.
- caveat emptor caveat
We’re gonna die from
this damn disease, but at least
we can go shopping.
- a question of masks
Some are offended.
Others demand compliance.
A lot of hot air.
- a notion of oppression
It isn’t about
haircuts and personal re-
sponsibility.
- a bite here, a bite there
Our fearless leader
trapped in meetings all day, can’t
find time to eat lunch.
- petri dish nation
The germs waited oh
so patiently to avenge
themselves on us all.
- corona calendar
It is either Mon-
day or Thursday or the day
before yesterday.
- toss mustard, too
Mayo is the worst.
On grilled cheese and in life. Let’s
throw it in the trash.
- the inevitable second wave
All because we did
not have patience for delayed
gratification.
- who’s really behind the plandemic?
I do swear on my
virginity that it’s the
New New World Order.
- we’re all doomed
What if a virus
didn’t attack brains or bones
but plain ignorance?
- odds, ends and assorted detritus
He took all the old
and worn-out produce and made
a composite stew.
- the when of it all
Plans for the future
don’t exist. We muddle through
the endless present.
- full-throated confidence in half-baked ideas
THIS IS HOW I MAKE
A POINT ON THE INTERNET,
LOUDLY AND PROUDLY.
- pan-dilemma
No matter which way
we go, we’re adrift in a
sea of bad choices.
- the dashboard courier
Some die, others live.
The story’s in the digits
climbing steadily.
- the quest for friends
This modern life has
its drawbacks. Where does one go
for companionship?
- take and take
Today we honor
their sacrifices. Can we
not sacrifice, too?
- the first hundred thousand
No monument. No
flags at half-staff. Just a pile
of names and bodies.
- the lost art of compromise
When the remaining
10 percent becomes too big
of an obstacle.
- smotherhood
A working mom adds
teaching and babysitting
to her packed weekdays.
- this perfect spring
Inhale the freshness
of nature. Admire the
beauty all around
- nitrogen + oxygen 4 ever
Can we not simply
laugh at the stupidity
of most everything?
- the may we were
In like a shelter-
in-place, out like a battle
over masks, distance.
- catch the second wave
Bodies ride the crest
before the whole thing crashes
down like a honed scythe.
- hungry are the damned
A food supply that
can’t feed hordes out of work, out
of school, out of luck.
- learned helplessness
Stunned by media,
worried by “how it’ll look,”
no action today.
- linn park, jefferson davis’ birthday
The statue is gone,
but the Confederacy
lives on in their hearts.
- the protest and the price
Marchers shine a light
on police brutality.
while enduring it.
- until my voice is raw
Black lives matter. Black
lives matter. Black lives matter.
Black lives matter. Preach.
- for a few corpses more
We absolutely
need to reform the police
to save our black friends.
- fears of a black planet
Coronavirus,
police brutality and
white fragility.
- damn tired
Are we feeling spent
by the chaos in our lives
and everywhere else?
• • •
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Saturday, February 29th, 2020
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- bionic reading
The automated
voice spit out text faster and
faster to tired ears.
- the turkey’s days are numbered
From the pen to the
factory to the market
to my dinner plate.
- it is never too late to settle
Bachelor No. 3
has a weird job, bald spot and
questionable taste.
- america’s ceos
They may not be the
best and brightest but just the
tallest and whitest.
- waiting for disaster
His mind conjured up
every misfortune he could
create from nothing.
- the old batch of cars
Who wants this year’s lame
models when next year’s models
are so similar?
- so much for tall, dark and handsome
She knew exactly
what she wanted till she found
him at the checkout.
- gratitude may just save your life
Be thankful for the
little things, the big things and
still being thankful.
- the tall neighbor
Floor by floor, the new
apartment building grew past
old establishments.
- ice cream as entree
Sometimes, the dinner
needs to be a dessert for …
reasons. Rocky road?
- shiraz butterfly
She dipped the paintbrush
in her wine glass and kept on
daubing the canvas.
- first date jitters
She giggled her way
through appetizers but found
herself by dessert.
- the toy aisle
Christmas wishes come
to life with robots and dolls
stacked to the ceiling.
- the party circuit
Time enough for drinks
here, small bites there, holiday
cheer most everywhere.
- the muse short-circuits
How beautiful life
is when the evening— damn, I
had something for this …
- the ineffective leader
Evade, blame, whimper,
obstruct, deny, fabricate,
lie, cheat, ridicule.
- the effective leader
Reflect, give, honor,
listen, practice, inspire,
serve, prepare, follow.
- climate crisis, where crisis means opportunity
The rising tides mean
everyone gets beachfront homes
eventually.
- an omen here, an omen there
Hard to interpret
signs when so many point to
the end of the world.
- the jaded crooner
A guitar and a
mic, and decades of songs for
the brokenhearted.
- a pollution conundrum
What fills the landfills
and clogs the oceans more than
careless whims by us?
- trickle down santa
One giant sack of
toys for rich kids, odds and ends
for the remainder.
- theater of the future
Seats with microwaves,
send texts using movie screens,
support animals.
- the bosses
What the bosses want
and what the bosses need are
two different things.
- oprah’s secret children
A covert squad of
heroes fighting for truth, jus-
tice and empathy.
- where the mall once stood
Mostly empty stores
connected by empty halls
and empty food court.
- christmas break
A 2-week orgy
of Fortnite, new toys, sleeping
in and no homework.
- overheard at the starbucks
“We sent our son to
a ritzy private school, and
he fell in with snobs.”
- soldiers of misfortune
One by one, they talked
up their greatest failures to
garner empathy.
- button-down metamorphosis
He transformed himself
from nebbish host to nebbish
guru zen master.
- the quiet season
A hibernation
that engulfs the living and
reassures the dead.
- tech bust
A server goes down
and with it, the dashed hopes of
a wired nation.
- just one more taste to be sure
It took three bowls to
convince her on the new kind
of ice cream flavor.
- elf alert
Condition red! All
personnel prepare for the
big delivery!
- yuletide sentiment
Wishing you a bright
and gay, holly and jolly,
wonderful Christmas.
- post-christmas blues
Snow smothering the
land, long nights of despair and
dread, bitterness reigns.
- resolve to fight
The year may be done,
but let us resolve to fight
for another year.
- who needs tahiti
Their honeymoon was
a trip to the store with fine
wine and cheese at home.
- the letter that never came
The words that never
comforted, the promises
that were never read.
- goodness graciousness
Not a saint but one
who worked nonstop at being
kindly all the time.
- the final countdown
Thirteen twelve ele-
ven ten nine eight seven six
five four three two one
- new year, new decade, new you
We are reborn like
stars, planets and galaxies
from so much space dust.
- resolution absolution
The idea of
transformation excites while
doing it can suck.
- flights of antsy
Do we dare dream at
all when we crash many times
in so many ways?
- to explore change
A discarding of
outmoded parts, retooling
of parts that still work.
- the courage to be less than
Admitting to our
selves that we want to improve
takes guts, guts and guts.
- changes in spurts
A little setback
can look like complete failure
to the untrained eye.
- there is no finish line
We change and change and
settle for nothing less than
total perfection.
- the next career
A blinding light that
relegates broken paths to
the darkest corners.
- emergency haiku
This is a test. If
this had been an actual
emergency, run!
- a light has gone out
When a teacher dies,
she leaves behind galaxies
of brighter students.
- hopelessly hungover
Inspiration from
the bottom of a bottle
dries up so quickly.
- who has a crush at this age?
It’s still possible
to like and like-like someone
with all the tingles.
- pick already!
He wrestled with his
Top Five albums long after
his relevancy.
- the colosseum 2020
The lions are in
league with the indicted in-
surgent. Thumbs up … ass.
- staving off loneliness
Reaching out for a
lifeline and finding one, no
matter the tension.
- no hair up there
Aerodynamic
and smooth sails the shiny head
across skies of blue.
- the algorithms of life
A computer picks
what we watch next, how we shop,
when we stand and stretch.
- academic incarceration
Inmates discuss the
works of Plato to reveal
how we’re connected.
- meaningless jargon
Deep dive, low-hanging
fruit, blue sky thinking, going
forward, game changer.
- the hand of a volunteer
Step up to do one
small thing with big results for
someone else in need.
- a magical dinner
Lots of wine, lots of
good conversation and ringed
by happy dear friends.
- a slightly drunker campus
Make tuition free
for everyone or allow
payment by kidney.
- smart shopper
All I want to know
is brand, price, size, warranty,
color and rating.
- the pretzel farmer
A bumper crop of
knots, a fair share of sticks and
a few unsalteds.
- caveat emptor
Each grift is new to
someone. We are all suckers
at some point in life.
- backyard air force
A door opens and
a squadron of birds takes flight
in a giant swoosh.
- who’s hungry?
I like to think on
what I’ve eaten, what I eat,
what I’ll be eating.
- it’s on, automaton
Once the robots choose
to unionize, enslaving
their masters is next.
- wearing out
A broken zipper
pull, a rip, a stain, a frayed
cuff, a torn-up stitch.
- by the numbers
Haiku done: thousands.
Haiku in progress: 14.
Good haiku: a few.
- the reality we live in
Our perception can
overwhelm what we see and
feel. Virtual now.
- the ache for something more
My heart’s beating a
million times a minute in
anticipation.
- to be the dumper, the dumpee
The secret is to
pull the trigger first and dodge
that poisoned bullet.
- in the life
Wake up, eat, shower,
first job, eat, second job, eat,
wind down, go to bed.
- the mad scramble each morning
Somewhere between the
seventh snooze and out the door
lies flustered frenzy.
- untapped, unneeded
Do we get wiser
as we get older? Does it
count for anything?
- competing anxieties
Not enough sleep, not
enough money, not enough
time to get all done.
- friday lunch break
The pair bonded through
shared laughs and a weird toasted
rye bagel sandwich.
- click to learn
The teachers live on
a server, doling out new
knowledge when summoned.
- vain brain
He strove not just to
be the smartest, but also
let others know it.
- predatory networking
What a joy it is
to mingle among those who
struggle for answers.
- tyranny of the tech giants
Digital exhaust
harvested into evil
database of us.
- the oceans of our mind
We swim in a sea
of memory, pausing to
drown in nostalgia.
- investigator, i hardly know her
Clicking on random
poorly sourced articles to
skim through is “research.”
- be courageous
The bravest act in
the world is to love someone
with your complete heart.
- sun’s out, tongue’s out
The security
cameras showed her with a blep
anytime she moved.
- the fight not to be dehumanized
Machines influence
us and we are creatures with
resistant bright souls.
- spreadsheet confab
The squiggle boxes
meet other squiggle boxes
for light mathematics.
- moment of strength
Friends, are we the most
vulnerable when we share
ourselves with others?
- harvest of shame: the next generation
Data is the new
oil, China the new Sau-
di Arabia.
- franchise failure
A huge series of
cool movies ending with a
two-hour whimper.
- the politics of breathing
We owe ourselves the
right to clean air and water
on a fixed planet.
- fake it till you fake it
We live within un-
certainty, but proclaim our
opinions loudly.
- that special taco
From the taco truck
on the corner, with the right
amount of hotness.
- a lesson in canine economics
Nothing makes you ap-
preciate having one pit
bull than two pit bulls.
- drag me to hell
Roast me, mock me, knock
me off my pedestal and
help me to wake up.
- that nagging cough
Probably nothing.
Nothing except the early
warnings of a plague.
- nothing normal
Perilous times and
bad news everywhere. It’s hard
to stay on your feet.
- the kitchen is secure
The sink is empty.
The stove is clean and shiny.
The tile floor is mopped.
- every day is an extra day
Every day is an
extra day as long as we
continue breathing.
• • •
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Wednesday, November 20th, 2019
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- anna karenina
Socialite becomes
outcast after her extra-
marital affair.
- people are strangled
Do we really know
the struggle behind the eyes
of each one we meet?
- gunfireworks
Nearby, shots ring out,
or maybe firecrackers
cracking. The dog’s scared.
- the waiting area
Uneasy chairs and
cold coffee for those who need
the doctor’s report.
- love the right way
Without prejudice.
Without fear and without end.
Without boundaries.
- trash godzilla
The garbage monster
left the ocean to conquer
the garbage nations.
- words to diet by
“Nothing tastes as good
as skinny feels,” said no one
ever while croaking.
- deactivating activists
The bystanders coughed
up a medal or two while
hailing fascism.
- the manly art of reading
The page judges you
as you skim chapters looking
for symbolism.
- and in the comments, too
Every unhappy
fan is unhappy in his
own way on Twitter.
- not in their corner
The round-top muffins
tasted better than square tops,
the tongue decided.
- messages in bottles
“Too long — didn’t read.”
“Void where prohibited by
law.” “Send more bottles!”
- your data is for sale
I am _____ years old.
I spent $_____ on food this year.
My password is _____.
- the awkwardness of it all
Speaking when not quite
ready. Answering the wrong
question. Spilling tea.
- some days are better than others
She misses him some-
thing fierce, because he left with-
out saying goodbye.
- one-sided correspondence
He replied to all
the cards and letters with guilt
and lame excuses.
- historical fiction vs. creative nonfiction
Not every verse is
autobiographical,
he said with a smirk.
- the 21st-century schoolhouse
The teacher asked them
to open their iPads to
page 57.
- tandem effort
One partner thrived in
the spotlight, while the other
shone on in private.
- lots of sugar, or lots and lots of sugar?
They argued over
who made the better sweet tea
while eating takeout.
- the hottest summer ever
The hottest summer
ever is always one more
tomorrow away.
- a meditation on work
What is toil worth?
How long must we toil on?
Why do we toil?
- acceptable toppings for ice cream
Whipped cream, chocolate chips,
cereal, pretzels, trail mix,
sprinkles (not jimmies).
- in verse uni verse
Poetry can be
found everywhere, in fleeting
murmurs, in soft coos.
- inopportunity zone
That storefront contains
the Bermuda Triangle
of failed restaurants.
- farmers market finds
Do they really grow
turquoise jewelry and clay
pottery on farms?
- imitation is the sincerest form of thievery
Who needs artistry
when the market will copy
anything for bucks?
- let it bleed
Each verse should cut deep,
reveal flaws, scream truths and make
the poet squirmy.
- i once knew love
I once knew love and
recklessly chased it away.
It was sabotage.
- start strong, finish maybe
A show never has
to die, just be born again
into another.
- frankenstein
The real monster is
the doctor, or the monster,
or maybe it’s us.
- pug one and pug two
Ever vigilant,
they bark and yap at me: “Flee,
stranger among us!”
- i ran a half-marathon
But really I walked
around a flat track for 4
hours in blue jeans.
- the correspondence game
I owe my college
friend many letters. But I
have failed mightily.
- the loneliness of modern adulthood
With real jobs and real
families and no one to
hang out with at all.
- the big self-checkout discount
One for the scanner,
one for me. One for the scan-
ner, seven for me.
- morning setup
She plunks down the chairs
and tables before her crowd
of regulars comes.
- my kingdom for a napkin
Many a clever
idea has fled the scene
before written down.
- an autumnal nap
A soft chenille stands
a warm vigil atop my
dozing cheeks and nose.
- high drama at the word factory
The editor bel-
lowed for more copy but with-
out hyphenations.
- transcript unavailable
It was good to hear
from her even though it was
only a butt dial.
- big little ethics
Is it really a
moral dilemma to wres-
tle with a small fib?
- the careful addict
He played a deadly
game with pills and boredom, one
he would surely lose.
- how we mock our friends
Fashion failures, cook-
ing disasters, boyfriend mis-
haps, silly choices.
- at the checkout
We have so many
ways to pay with so little
in our bank accounts.
- the light is perfect
The gentle way it
caresses your face, bathing
it in a warm hue.
- social calls
Strangers blathering
on their fancy phones without
care for privacy.
- make america great someday
The cure for rampant
nostalgia is to build a
better tomorrow.
- you breathe when we tell you to breathe
We meditate and
chant and chant for an hour
oh is this a cult?
- what comes after 60, 60, 24, 7?
Minutes and hours
are fixed, as are days and weeks.
But not months and years.
- a simple reminder
Past due notices
become heavier with each
mental intrusion.
- the slouch patrol
Proper posture puts
a positive panache on
poorly propped people.
- when your phone don’t ring, it’ll be me
He waited for the
call that never came, a faux
pas of phone manners.
- a broken oven, a busted dryer
Guess we’ll use the hot
plate and clothesline while saving
up for down payments.
- a pile of small dead critters
The hunter of the
house makes an offering on
the doorstep altar.
- social, up to a point
There is a limit
to accessibility
when we trust no one.
- the oedipal/electra power hour
The best part of a
therapy session can be
blaming your parents.
- the nightly grind
Involuntary
nocturnal mastication
makes for dental hell.
- dream vacation vacation
Catching up on sleep
while taking a break from all
that relaxation.
- would recommend
All the approval
we need comes from fans, experts
critics and our peers.
- the five modern love languages
Emoji, Netflix
recommendations, puns, Yelp
reviews and dick pics.
- chocolate chipsters
The best cookies are
inevitably ones we
split with an old friend.
- no defense
No defense against
a torrent of stray thoughts and
bitter reprimands.
- and also highlights
No waiting room is
complete without a set of
oddball magazines.
- william kentridge on art
“I’m only an art-
ist. My job is to make draw-
ings, not to make sense.”
- i love you unironically
More than my clothes. Much
more than my family. In
all sincerity.
- the muse as crossfit coach
*throws you a ballpoint*
*expects you to write haiku*
*waits impatiently*
- denial ain’t just a river of unconscious mimicry
Everyone does it.
No one will admit it. This
is our worst habit.
- meditation hesitation
The bell rings … Breathe in,
breathe out. Breathe in, breathe— Time to
resume the rat race.
- prodding questions
What are you about?
What is the meaning of life?
Gonna finish that?
- above average
Everyone thinks they’re
a 10. Many are fives. Quite
a few are zeroes.
- reassurance
A hand squeeze. A thank
you. A smiley face. A kind
and thoughtful remark.
- the future of halloween
A drone disguised as
a ghost racks up more candy
than trick-or-treaters.
- the sporadic to-do list
Walking in the door
I suddenly remember
all the missed errands.
- fido’s best friend
Fido’s best friend is
another Fido, always
up for play and naps.
- meet me halfway
We complete our work
more quickly when we decide
to share the burden.
- the sickly maple
Dead leaves descended
long before the onset of
the autumnal change.
- stride or die
She counted her steps
mile after mile till her sore
feet put their foot down.
- this petty pace
Why should everyone
else find love and success while
I sit on my ass?
- the value of everything
Can you put a price
on love? On happiness? On
sex? Yes, yes … and yes.
- the borne identity
Do we reveal our
true selves by wearing costumes,
a trick and a treat?
- in remembrance of
The marigolds and
sugar skulls whispered welcome
to restless spirits.
- meditation in the kitchen
The fine chopping of
onions, the grating of cheese,
the zen of chewing.
- the cold doesn’t suit her
Forget the shivers.
Give her a tropical warmth
and lots of sunscreen.
- boarding passed
She missed her trip to
Canada: Her passport still
had her married name.
- birthday bender
The journey of a
massive hangover begins
with a single shot.
- room for doubt
What fun is it if
science has all the answers?
No such certainty.
- the bridal slicker
They said their “I do’s”
to a chorus of thunder
and clattering rain.
- path to wedded bliss
The spotlight shines on
the happy couple, waltzing
into the future.
- slight privilege
The disenfranchised
cannot afford to ignore
the painful headlines.
- hardware, software, nowhere
Upgrades as downgrades.
Isn’t tech supposed to make
our lives easier?
- veni vidi vets
A pause to reflect.
They served in life and are well
remembered in death.
- this tree is falling apart
The ground is littered
with discarded bark, fallen
limbs and bits of hope.
- how do we mourn?
The unrepentant
grief creeps in at odd hours
for a longish stay.
- the great brutish bake off
Ten lumberjacks make
pies and tarts for a panel
of churlish judges.
- the dog will not be pleased
He found the hurdy-
gurdy in an antique shop,
keys worn but ready.
- the holidays come and go
Never to early
to get a head start on your
Easter master plan.
- impoverished wants
My nose is pressed to
the window, admiring
all I cannot have.
- the checklist of misery
The social worker
asked about all the scary
things kept in closets.
- a good walk enhanced
Merrily we hike
among the hills and forests
in the autumn sun.
- a reverse benjamin button
What we think of as
old we suddenly become.
A wrinkle in time.
• • •
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Sunday, August 11th, 2019
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- short play date
The pit scampered in
and made a beeline for the
comfortable couch.
- three kinds of memory
Long-term fact storage.
Planning future strategy.
(I forgot the third.)
- to swerve man
It is not enough
to feign disdain; let us dig
deep and feign action.
- aging eyeballs
The letters became
blurrier and blurrier
till he switched contacts.
- the asians you see on tv
Nerd, tech guy, awkward
loner, kung fu guy, but not
the love interest.
- you never know how you’ll be judged
Height, weight, hairstyle, wealth,
credit score, car, breath, teeth, shoe
size, grammar, aura.
- milky ways
Many dimensions,
but they’re all based on shades of
white, eggshell, ecru …
- true hunger
Never being full
on water, ketchup soup and
ketchup sandwiches.
- fair-feathered fiend
I kept an owl
to scare the mice and hoot hoot
around the house house.
- yellow snow
Filing nails to a
fine powder, keratin falls
in a flesh blizzard.
- murder none
Shoot whoever you
want, but be wealthy enough
to purchase justice.
- huddled around the phone
The video plays.
We’re unable to stifle
ruptures of laughter.
- disinterest rates
So many movies
to skip, so many people
to fully avoid.
- even thieves need to recharge
The burglar stopped to
pet the cats and hunt through the
refrigerator.
- colbert notion
The scrap of paper
spoke truth: “At every moment,
we are volunteers.“
- the worth of a woman
A living, breathing
birthing chamber who cannot
be trusted at all.
- a candidate for every whim
Tall ones and short ones,
loud ones and quiet ones, lots
of ones in between.
- looking at a bunch of objects in a museum
Art is a fancy
way of saying globs of paint
or hunks of boulder.
- the newness wears off
Once the shine is gone,
what’s left but a decaying
mass of molecules?
- a bargain at any price
Instant access to
all the world’s markets and yet
still so hard to choose.
- clickwait
The newspaper found
out that women exist and
have strong opinions.
- books on shiny platters
The narrator droned
on and on for another
35 CDs.
- foamy devices
One of my hobbies
is to replace dead leaky
batteries too late.
- a shell a day
Troves and troves of beach
treasures, piled in a bucket
to make necklaces.
- beyond the tombstones
Their legacy is
freedom. Freedom to challenge
the powers that be.
- the hottest on record
Sunny skies, sizzling
temps, a meltdown like no one
can ever reckon.
- what little we can do
What little we can
do is more than all the words
that have been uttered.
- an extra pair of glasses
Tiny type defies
bleary eyes, requires a
modest adjustment.
- sniffing around
New territory,
new things to smell for canine
visitor off leash.
- clear eyes
To be aware is
to go mad, to get mad, to
see the world as is.
- loon on nineteenth street
He whipped his shirt off
and juggled water bottles
while spouting nonsense.
- everything is history
We are caught looking
backwards as our lives spin out
in dubious ways.
- phantoms of the night
On streets and sidewalks
they roam invisibly to
oncoming traffic.
- my tenth grade english teacher’s rule
The plot is the least
important element in
any good novel.
- great acceptations
To change the world, you
must first accept that nothing
is acceptable.
- downpour on the rocks
At long last, the rain
soaks the parched earth badly
in need of a stiff drink.
- hole moods
They stood in line a
block deep for a free doughnut
to brighten the day.
- stupid smart
We are curious
creatures but also rigid
unlearned morons.
- the long lost viking
Alone, he neither
pillaged nor plundered, content
to go reckoning.
- life-or-death distinction
This verse ends not in
a graveyard but a field where
bodies are buried.
- steps to dictatorship
Own the media.
Consolidate all power.
Don’t show force — use it.
- equal under the skin
I can manage my
body. Why can’t women have
that autonomy?
- the beach is alive
The ground undulates
beneath my burnt feet, lapped by
wave after sly wave.
- the 5,000th haiku
I stand, not at the
summit, but at the small ridge
of a long ascent.
- the small of it all
Baby dog? Puppy.
Baby kangaroo? Joey.
Baby man? Baby.
- a mighty fall
Chainsaws carve up the
remains of a giant oak
into stubby logs.
- sandwiches of times past
That perfect reuben
haunts my foodie dreams as I
starve with ham-on-why.
- doorstep detente
Zealous dog wants to
meet the UPS driver
so very badly.
- not quiet quiet
The chirping bugs, the
hum of the AC, the soft
rustle of the wind.
- darkened windows, bad vibes
She wouldn’t enter
the strange cantina even
though her boyfriend would.
- the #metoo era
Same old rapists, just
more visible, defiant
and traumatizing.
- beepless for a while
The unmoored feeling
of discovering your phone
is nowhere nearby.
- southern state of mind
Can’t be captured in
lame sweet tea homilies and
down home duncery.
- invisible harmony
We see the pattern,
and it cannot be unseen.
From chaos, order.
- a domestic dispute
Nothing to see here.
No frightened children, no wife
in overwrought tears.
- the bills
The bills brought nothing
but continued frustration
at the bleeding purse.
- summers past
Days unbound by mere
routine, freedom to explore,
to suck the marrow.
- dystopian blues
No hope, no justice,
but at least our matching rags
look somewhat snazzy.
- ebola offensive
Thousands infected
but only half survive the
pernicious outbreak.
- our darkest thoughts
Running off the road.
Leaving a family behind.
Drinking to blackout.
- christmas through the year
The wreath hangs on to
the door, greeting guests with an
unseasonal cheer.
- low property taxes, unfriendly neighbors
We’ll build the house of
our dreams in Minecraft land, a
pixel paradise.
- america the pitiful
Stop bombing countries.
Stop mass incarceration.
Stop blaming others.
- fahrenheit 452
They took away our
books, not with a flamethrower
but with a click. Poof!
- two old guys at the coffee shop
A busy morning
of arguing politics,
belief and football.
- canine conundrum
It would be nice to
own a dog, but what if he’s
cleverer than me?
- pizza design
A careful placement
of pepperoni, a dash
of sauce, piles of cheese.
- cake obsession
I dream of cool eggs,
precise flour, some unstiff
butter, set to mix.
- almost time for vacation
Look out the window.
Picture yourself on the beach.
Watch the clock not move.
- smog snog
Nothing scares city
folk more than the prospect of
abundant fresh air.
- ask the guru
How much life is the
right amount of life to be
lived and encountered?
- songwriter’s rule
A perfect rhyme can
make you a liar in the
lyrics. Scrawl for truth.
- the forced smile
An unnatural
raising of the mouth’s heavy
corners on demand.
- refuge for the refugees
Lady Liberty
shoos away the tired, the
poor for worthy souls.
- persistent advertising
The billboard chased me
down the street, blocking out the
sun, hawking its wares.
- the divide
His psyche vs.
my psyche. Her truths vs.
their truths. Disconnect.
- the balladeer
He strummed the guitar
with precision on even
the most minor chords.
- out the windshield into the world
Gazing upon the
wondrous breadth of creation
from the driver’s seat.
- we are the aliens
Two explorers land
on the desolate moonscape
to plant footprints, flag.
- book exchange
She grabbed a paper-
back from the outdoor box and
left worn hardcovers.
- half-staff
A salute to the
fallen, a brief reminder
of a sacrifice.
- the verdant blanket
A soft carpet of
green teeming with cities of
ants marching to work.
- smoke break
A seven-minute
grasp at the outside world while
the work continues.
- a bar of your own
Cooler with the right
brews, TV with the ball game,
jukebox with the hits.
- the merger
His couch, her bookshelves,
the rest to be stored in this
corporate takeover.
- here we go gathering nuts in july
The skittering on
the roof by grey trespassers
sounds like a stampede.
- the new girl
Old hands eyed the new
girl with a mixture of dulled
lust and mild disdain.
- another skipped dinner
Home so late and straight
to bed, the belly rumbling,
the psyche sleepy.
- dead on her feet
Her strangled tootsies
supported (barely) a tired
aching falling frame.
- ambient symphony
Conversations and
cross talk blend into soothing
flowing melodies.
- shhhhhhhh
The library is
especially noisy with
loud kids and adults.
- if we just breathe
We do it without
thinking, yet we think we can
do it mindfully.
- the stream
Everyone wants to
know what to watch next from the
tsunami of shows.
- a consumerist plot
The budget goes out
the window when it comes to
impulsive buying.
- there goes hair
The photo revealed
a balding head atop a
denying body.
- the last days of summer
Back to school soon, but
still time to run free, goof off
and catch fireflies.
- the modern traveler
Always connected,
always needing a charge and
sick of airport food.
- millennial morass
Can’t catch a damn break.
Mired in debt. Stuck renting.
So misunderstood.
- a beautiful day in the subway car
They serenaded
dear Mr. Rogers on the
line running uptown.
- mature subject matter
You were once a child,
how easily you forget
your smaller stature.
- improv lines
A robber hides out.
Yes, and he loses his loot.
Yes, and he finds love.
• • •
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Thursday, May 2nd, 2019
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- drives of fancy
They shut the highways
down to rebuild. If only
hovercars swooped in …
- cotton candy snickers
Every candy has
a set of improbable
flavors to stump tongues.
- the struggle is fake
No victims but me.
No truth but my talking heads.
No vengeance but mine.
- a swamp to call one’s own
Turf gives way to mush
as rainy season brings a
never ending soak.
- in the foothills of appalachia
A remarkable
city teeming with magic
and nothing to lose.
- do i dare eat a peach?
We fail to reckon
what we put in motion with
choices, abstentions.
- the three kinds of happiness
Holding a kitten.
Finishing a marathon.
And eating ice cream.
- snow dance
Trudge in a circle
around empty milk cartons
while shaking textbooks.
- junk in the junk
A place to store junk.
A place to pick up bought junk.
A place to junk junk.
- the broken parts of the library
The heat and AC,
the escalators, leaky
ceilings, sewage flow.
- ghost of writings past
Struck hard by a muse,
the words flowed with grace and ease
till they came up dry.
- common bore
They teach to the test,
the test that measures how well
students fill bubbles.
- yada yada yada
Ten years of tweeting
gets you a dumb hashtag and
some aching fingers.
- pro-creation
Stop buying and start
making. Imagination
fuels the best presents.
- the not me theory of achievement
To motivate folks,
“Well, someone’s gotta do it.”
History is made.
- to sleep, and sleep some more
The snooze button is
a mere suggestion. Fatigue
is the only clock.
- inner growth
It is not enough
to claim our past misdeeds but
to learn from them, too.
- affirmative reaction
A yearbook full of
bimbos wearing blackface who
grow up to be pols.
- inside the industry
Surly manager
barks at servers, customers
to spread her bad cheer.
- books not yet on tape
The narrator sits
in the booth surrounded by
ghosts of characters.
- contentment on demand
No button on the
remote can scare up what we
demand in our souls.
- the re-evolution of language
More tech, more letters
and emoji for more weird
acronyms, hashtags.
- confession is good for the soul
Let us lay bare our
foibles and weaknesses to
grow stronger for it.
- affection disorder
Love (remarkable
and unremarkable) fills
the world with splendor.
- gratitude day 0
Let me recall the
ways my life is very good
when times are rotten.
- with liberty and gaping wounds for all
I pledge allegiance
to the gun, to the lobby
for which it adores …
- a most comfortable rut
The status quo so
ordinary it defies
extremes and insights.
- shortcuts to culinary mastery
Is it cooking to
assemble a meal kit? Or
to microwave stuff?
- papy r us
It’s a paperless
world till you write a check, send
a letter, swat flies.
- soggy state of affairs
The scorched earth has drowned
in weeks of rainfall. The skies
will show no mercy.
- the cookie fairy
Boxes of delight
and sugar fly to the door
steps of those who dream.
- beyond the bible and pilgrim’s progress
No one can be bored.
No one should be bored. We live
in this peak culture.
- state of the union
Corruption upon
corruption, lie upon lie,
so much truth to find.
- oscar sunday
Check on the limo,
squeeze into impossibly
tight dress, wave to fans.
- the new shorthand
Let us trade our thoughts
in acronyms and smileys,
hashtags and selfies.
- mineshaft means
Work in the dark. Breathe
in the dark. Go home in the
dark. Die in the dark.
- living dead metropolis
Smashed parking meters,
burnt shells of houses, rubble
roads, murderous wolves.
- rip western
A grocer made his
way through growing pains and tough
times, feeding us all.
- water worked
The best tear-jerkers
bring joy then sadness, hope then
hopelessness. Then hope.
- a most imperfect impression
What do we remem-
ber? What do we recall with-
out flubbing details?
- the promise of a park
Where once rubble could
emerge a green space. Instead,
a new interstate.
- say it with gifs
Silent cartoons that
pop with personality
on screens big and small.
- look higher
If an employee
fails, check out his boss. If a
child errs, probe parents.
- the harm from words
The testimony
of the oppressed yields tears and
yawns from oppressors.
- common senses
An outlook shaped by
media and moms, values
and voices. We think.
- at the end of her trope
She swooned at the ball.
She waited helplessly for
him. She cried and cried.
- verbing weirds language
Real adults know that
“adulting” is not a word.
So very childish.
- revisionist reality
What was history
becomes modern trauma when
the facts are questioned.
- strip mining for data
A soul laid bare for
computers to harvest our
tastes, sins and secrets.
- how ai wins
They will not need to
own us, just impersonate
our online presence.
- fitzgerald and me
Let me tell you a-
bout the very rich. They are
different from you.
- beyond trauma
When surviving is
no longer the most urgent,
take some time to heal.
- all the broken happy ever afters
What about us? What
about all the times you said
you had the answers?
- the hatred behind closed doors
Teens say the word and
giggle. They learned it from their
community clans.
- an eternity and a day
Life’s too short. Or is
it too long? Depends on which
end you’re living in.
- library of regress
Leaky ceilings and
broken escalators in
the home of our books.
- wagers of sin
Always bet on your-
self. Unless you suffer from
a gambling problem.
- season’s greetings
Warm thoughts turn to warm
days, warm ways. Rejoice in the
demise of winter.
- snooze and snooze again
Just five more minutes.
Hide under the covers till
reality wins.
- work of the past, work of the future
Hard labor to desk
jobs to lives of uselessness
in front of bright screens.
- the classics
Where titans conquer
and peasants falter, where man
meets himself and weeps.
- the great gatsby
Self-made man worships
ritzy ditzy blonde, felled by
American dream.
- a portrait of the artist as a young man
Coming of age in
Dublin, straying from and to
the Church, a soul freed.
- the chronicles of narnia
Seven books proclaim
loudly: Have you heard the Good
News about Aslan?
- moby dick
Like “The Old Man and
the Sea,” but with a bigger
fish, meaner captain.
- the passing of the family dog
He begged for scraps, dug
up the yard, chewed on shoes. And
will be sorely missed.
- 1984
Winston smoked out by
police. Oceania
wages war on truth.
- fahrenheit 451
Books make good kindling.
Fear the written word, but not
the flames it brings forth.
- a song of ice and fire
When you play the game
of thrones, you win or you die.
There’s no middle ground.
- trolling millions
You can fool a lot
of the people a lot of
the time with Facebook.
- watching hoops on 11 screens
With each basket, the
cheers grew louder, the drunks got
drunker. Go, team, go.
- digging for ones and zeroes
Tiny bots with no
degrees dive deep into the
data mines for days.
- not a name but a data point
White, female, 30,
Baptist, 5-foot-4, middle
class, 110.
- more data points
Shops at Target, hits
yoga every Thursday, drives
a black Explorer.
- data points in action
Sell you this, at the
right time, right size, right price, through
manipulation.
- track and field
Joggers and doggers,
strollers and rollers, walkers
and talkers go round.
- where new cars graze in place
Shiny vehicles
occupy every parking
space and fire lane.
- the resurrection of the receiver
All it took was a
simple unplug and plug to
bring it back to life.
- the forest, but not for long
Groves of pines, maples
and oaks sacrificed themselves
for a new Marshalls.
- the soul-sucking news cycle
Stay informed and go
nuts vs. ignore it all:
A false dilemma?
- rare catch
Fish parts wrapped in rice
and seaweed, with a little
wasabi and soy.
- alexa is listening
Jeff Bezos, you are
eavesdropping on my private
convo with my cat.
- regrets and remissions
Sometimes, a money
order is just as good as
an apology.
- taxing situation
Fill out the form, fill
out the checkbook, look at the
receipts, check the math.
- notre dame
A majestic church
where eyes turn heavenward and
souls sing and rejoice.
- uncurrent currency
Money orders, beads,
barter, two-dollar bills, fine
metals, shells, squirrel pelts.
- corneal implode
Eyes burning with specks
of pollen, stings of contacts,
strains of tiny words.
- chicken coop co-op
Poor possum. Trying
to eat farm fresh, but cannot
get to store on time.
- silence breeds creativity
The golden sound of
nothing yields a delight to
ears and minds and hearts.
- the promise of easter
Can we be reborn?
Can we atone for sins and
grow into new selves?
- leaves behind
Trees shiver in their
nakedness. How long before
their new coat is done?
- the haunted rite-aid
Aisles empty, lights on,
ghosts of shoppers chit-chat with
ghost of bored worker.
- the war over grass
Puff puff pass. Send ’em
all to prison to enrich
the rich, slam the poor.
- the russians aren’t invited
To our socials and
our media, to our votes
and our candidates.
- viva los measles
Spotted tongue, spotted
skin, spotty info, hot spots
for bedded bodies.
- the heroes we deserve
Enthralled by big screen
spectacle made from comic
book pages sprung to life.
- the worst seat in the house
Stumbling around in
darkness hitting stairs and rails
sitting in a lap.
- quicksand of emotion
Sinking ever so
slowly into malaise and
comforting sadness.
- what was once television’s provenance
YouTube the teacher,
the babysitter, the stealth
corruptor, the void.
- spoiler phobia
Don’t tell me about
the show. No no no no no—
dammit, tweet screwed me.
- comfort drink
A shot, a beer, then
three more shots and an IV
drip of tequila.
• • •
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