VASELINE

you have, empty promises from a small gray cat.

let's pretend we're all okay

in the corner with warmth, icy sun, dark liquids,

such as coffee

makes pretending easy!

LITTLE BROTHER

Your shirt many days worn
my experimental haircut

we left too late for dawn
but

still silence in the dark car
except Johnny Cash lullabies
to the bald rock faces
and the neon dashboard




in the distance little grey barn ghosts
you keep your foot on the gas

blanket desert to the left
i keep my head against the window
the entire time
these dreams are a bit long in the tooth

i am aware

as sun dog lay dying
on the side of the highway

VIBGYOR

Our hell is violet hued
and like electric fence,
face pressed against.

Our bodies get bruised,
indigo leaks onto bone
we can't touch, we must heal alone.

As a child i dreamt in blue,
deep locked secrets under oceans
once earnest dreams rust, into silly notions.

My discomfort is reflected under your eyes,
those sickly shades of green blend
and your hollow face grows harder to defend.

Each yellow lace morning
we race to get through, but only commence
a burdened curtain of silence.

You are made for summertime
orange thick nights,
of sitting close together under dim lights.

As i walk away I'm concerned about us,
I used to think hell was buried deep and bright red,
but i look inside at my wounds and realize i'm living it instead.

DEBT/LOSE FACE

What can you say to the bleating pie eyes of every woman you've ever loved?

street lamp reflections
blown glass hearts
throw stones
crack in throats

you stand up in the middle of the street.
milky light bleeds from your window on the top floor.
get inside!

Maybe you didn't love her anyway.

but today's clear black night is
not the one
to have shards of glass
stuck in your palm.

UNRIPE

it was a lost conversation.

sunk deep, buried treasure.

choking on the sweaty air

it was too dark to see in their wet eyes

and too loud to hear anything other than

the hollering in your own mind.

you know when you aren't sure if you said anything out loud?

you know how you'll never take a picture that hasn't already been taken?

it was like that.

that hollowed out lemon pucker

feeling

of it all just being smoke and mirrors.