Redo Machine
Today I built a redo machine.
I can redo any thing in life,
but I am not sure where I should start.
There are a lot of things in my life
that I would miss if I redid them
accidentally out of existence.
Maybe I can just go back in time
and build a party machine instead.
You can’t go wrong with a good party
and having a machine only helps.
So it’s decided, party machine.
Expect invitations in the mail.
Looking
looking through old photographs
when I was a kid
looking at the camera
or maybe just mom
looking now at a photo
my daughter same pose
looking at the camera
smiling at me
looking at my past
thinking about her future
looking through our time
Funny Money
Funny colored money
to pay my bills.
I feel like buying some property
and setting up some houses and hotels
maybe a train line or a utility.
It is all funny money.
Still not used to the conversion rate
so it all seems like guesswork.
Soul
You don’t have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body. ~ C.S. Lewis
feel my body
soft, warm, gentle, but please don’t
try to touch my soul.
Father’s Day
Heard the young one on the phone.
She’s jabbering up a storm.
I’m her long distance father.
Doing the best that I can.
Road Home
the snow was blowing
covering our tracks
quicker than we walked.
worn out already,
Lita, looked to me;
what should we do now?
miles to go back
but how much farther
I hadn’t a clue.
we could just stand here
surely freeze to death
or move on forward
and hope for the best.
Worst and Rest
only one tiny bulb left burning
overhead in the cheap chandelier
just enough light for my confession
forgiveness can only come from gods
but he and I are having troubles
so I thought I would write to you, Ann.
you were there when I lost my brother
kindness in the comfort of your arms
reassured that the pain wouldn’t last,
everyday, I remembered the shot,
my brother, first in shock, then screaming,
and the face of the man who shot him
you tried to tell me that nothing good
could come of thinking about it
that in time, the memories would pass
time past, but nothing got better
larry’s face twisted with tears and blood
staring, looking at me for answers
I couldn’t make the blood go away,
couldn’t keep pretending to forget
going on with my daily routine
tonight, I saw again a killer
no longer the sick look of hatred
that he had when he killed my brother
tonight, his face was fear and panic
he must have recognized in my face
a look reflecting his face before
I have done the worst,
and now must rest.
Learning to Talk
Dumb,
without words,
unable to speak the truth.
Scream,
to be heard
over the white noise of shame.
Ask,
why, why me?
Chased away from my safe place.
Bawl,
all alone
through memories that won’t fade.
Tell
your story,
so others won’t relive it.
Run
get out of the house
down the street
run
as fast as you can
out of your
shoes
bare and burning feet
cut, bleeding
soles
believe me, this is
better than
life
inside, where nothing
gets better
and
there will never be
another
chance
Last Page
I never read the last page
I create my own ending,
