Childhood

What was it? I’ll tell you what it was It was a dragon A fire-of-hell-breathing dragon A black beast of death-muscle-and-teeth dragon   And I was no hero I was a child Afraid of the night So I fled from that beast   I buried myself in the earth And deep under the sea I built my own prison And bore the darkened marks On my flesh Where the concrete walls Taught me with their...

Baptism 1: 1975 Born of Machine At the gates of the Magic Kingdom In a room with a view Disneyland across the street But after nine months in line The ride malfunctioned Lungs not working No time to linger in my mother’s arms To be held close I would have died then and there Without the second womb Made of metal And oxygen   Baptism 2: 1980 Born of Freshwater When I was held At...

As you know We held your memorial last weekend While your laughter still hung in the air Like chandeliers From the heavy wooden beams Of the empty sanctuary You’ve left us   Where we reminded ourselves For a time, times, and half a time again That you would have heard by now “Well done, good and faithful servant…” Words of acceptance Approval Even affection That we all so long to hear   Yes, there were...

Heather Road Long Beach, California The actual street sign Hung on the wall In her room down the hall   She was just a child Leading a rebellion With discarded toys Striking out At them At us At herself And though she made a fool of the enemy Throughout the Ten Year War She lost the final battle yesterday And now she’s gone   She left home too soon There was heaviness in the entry...

1981 She sat in her chair Laughing (With concern) I’d put 27 grapes in my mouth at once And got one stuck up my nose Again   1982 She sat in her chair Sleeping (Blissfully unaware) While I dug a hole All the way to China Again   1983 She sat in her chair Pondering (With me) When I sat beside her and asked Why the sand was full of plastic Again   1984 She...

It’s the end of the west It’s the setting sun It’s a train-wreck that’s only just begun   It’s a crowded bar It’s the law of the land It’s illicit activities obscured by hot sand   It’s a war at sea It’s the first shots fired It’s victory in sight, though not the one desired   It’s a shift in the wind It’s an outgoing tide It’s the last man standing as the captain died...

The ship has sailed And with it your life Your family Your lover Your faith Stolen away So you live like a pirate now Steering your terrestrial warship Your vessel made of sand Writing these lines on the tide With your angry little hand Stealing only what you need Like a seagull In need of everything And needing it today Stealing whatever you can Stealing one last glance At the bigger picture Before your world...