which of the ing

simple acts of kindness

said the stretching of my hat

a solid smile

unwavering

    attention

what i wanted to say

was that i have never

in my whole life

worked as hard as you have

this week

and

      every week

for both of the hers

and none of the yous

           ah youth

the only thing there is 
to drink

is relative beer

it’s cold enough in here

to start to feel   the fear

that time doesn’t care

        about you

she made the trip to new york

and listened to her grandmother’s music

walked her grandmother’s footsteps

and smiled a smile that is often a lie

but even she has lost the ability

to decide

after fourteen years

well

nine really

be there soon

                           it’s not that i am afraid    she said

                           you have to understand to be afraid

              and certainly

you have to be a part to understand

     but  then

you have to understand to be a part

       you see the dilemma

i’m gonna park it right here

and ask you a bunch of questions

not the ones i normally ask

and not the ones i’m paid to ask

but the other ones

                       you see

i haven’t seen you in a week

i knew you’d come in tonight

      i knew it

i was just telling her

                 that you would

she’s back there

hiding

        smiling

waiting

            deciding

which of the

                     ing

is appropriate

for you and me

         you see

they had to work to make it sing

                and this

  this is just a ring

it doesn’t mean anything

                                      anymore