a beautiful day

white snow
gleaming under white skis
white clouds whisper across blue
skies, white skis, white snow.

On the platform

I was heading out of town
so was he, both furtive in our own ways.
my tears, hidden behind too large sunglasses
his behind a blue muffler with white stripes.
I could see the sadness in his eyes,
both fleeing unhappiness as one does
as city, as if it were just a matter of
location.

Ten Minutes to Something

ten minutes until something

changes in your life, two minutes, one minute

an hour, two days, did you notice

that your hair has turned grey, that the

dimples you always wanted masquerade

as smile lines across your cheeks,

did you notice the green in the garden,

how the city is now taller than it was,

ten minutes to something that might

change your life.



Two Men Smoking in the Dark

One:
The cigarette glowed against the chain link fence
quivering as he raised it to his lips,
a spark fell to the ground
a cloud of smoke hung in the air

The Other:
acrid smell of cigarette smoke
floated behind him
the glow hidden in his hands
still cupping the match against
the wind.

New Pants

a pile of pants

a needle a thread

a machine

pins in place

an empty drawer

places to go

laundry

a need for pants

the pieces fell

in place,

stitches replacing pins

new pants.

hangin' out

he just sits and watches the world go by
without asanas, meditation or a whisper
of competition; no chanting, no books, no prayers,
no nothing, just waiting patiently chin down, eyes
up, maybe hoping for a treat, maybe watching
with some caution, not too much, just a little,
he watched her go in, hoping the revolving door
would produce someone he loved.

The benefit of distance

the hotel was too expensive for what it offered
the small tastefully decorated room
when she wanted a King and a mirrored ceiling.
he relished a venison steak
not a fou fou salad at the yuppy restaurant she picked
the clouds obscured the full moon
the trains squealed on the tracks all night
no spooning tonight
cold butt to cold butt
they sulked
his snoring woke her up
her leg twitched as it did when
she was stressed and unhappy;
he woke up early and limped downstairs
to the kitchen to see her still in her frayed nightgown,
her thinning grey hair framing her translucent eyes
that he always loved even as they faded
and they reminsced about that romantic weekend in Glenwood,
how in love they were
and still are.