15 August 2011

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



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