I am

It’s too late to tell you everything

In fact

                 

it is too late

 really

              to  tell you

anything

It is

of course

my fault

I am sorry

                  I am

six parts per million

the pillow comfort of

unlimited tomorrows

un

limited

the police siren wails

the ambulance chases

they’re at it again

the time is

two sixteen

it’s pm

that means

post meridiem

that means

he shouldn’t be drinking

that means

they’re at it again

the road narrows

by the junipers

by the school crossing

where town gives way

to country

when the asphalt black

turns asphalt grey

and it’s the sad, sorry end

to the three lane

two

that are really more like

one

and a half

enough room for how it used to be

but not enough for how it is

and who knows if it’s enough

for how it will become

there

it is there

where they are at it again

where the blue lights flash

and the red lights flash

and we all know what will

end up

we all know that she’ll leave

but the question is ‘how’ as much

at it is ‘when’

but

      never

ever

‘if’

************************* 

there’s singing

and more sirens

a call

to an alliance

once struck

in the back seat

         allowed

neat

coming heavy are the

happy feet

the time passed

and passed again

before we were told

by three men

in shirts

and hats

enough alike

to be ‘of the past’

enough insight

to make it last

and the flashing lights went the other way

returning

still flashing

they still had plenty to say

like

yesterday

and the day before that

and the day before

that

************************* 

he was tall

and slim

red hair and a beard

clinging to his wiry face

his hands

were unsure when he shook

there was no pressure

he had a nervous look

he didn’t quite know what to make

or how to make it

there was nothing

but an apology

for social ineptitude

for the lack of the truth

which was how

he was raised

 and happened only on weekdays

because that’s when

things tighten

that’s when

the male psyche

the life

gets squeezed

out of me

************************* 

she kept saying

you are more than what they think you are

you are more than what they said

and i’m gonna keep thanking you

until i run outta breath

it’s the way

it’s the only way

i don’t so much ‘know’

as i do ‘wonder’ these days

about you

about everything

why the sun rises

and if that much is a lie

where the sun goes

and why it’s always at night

 ************************* 

what

wait

what

springtime’ll kill you

         if i don’t kill you first

************************* 

it was a wedding ring moon

i sang that one before

 in spartanburg

he had a trumpet

hand-made by eldon benge

from way out in los angeles

where his brother lived

it sounded sweet

the low notes

better than any goddamned saxophone

that much i know

is it time to go home?

************************* 

slavery

we have already lost

have you talked to any of these young ones?

they love their jesus

they believe in the cross

they carry it with ‘em

and think that everyone should

you know

in addition to

buying stuff

yes

that is something

to become

something not to be questioned

like doing things for kids

like

 supporting the troops while they’re overseas

and thanking ‘em when they get home

once

at least

now

i know that this is not a day to talk about such things

about the inevitability of having a war machine

and what that means

what it means is             that you’re gonna wanna use it

    eventually

and these days

it seems

that sooner rather than later suits some folks      

but                      not                      me

i hear people say all kiiiiiiiinds of things

they say it’s a fact of life

the say it alllllways has been

and      that it always will be

well

i say (in my very best clay davis)

sheeeeeeeeeeee it

listen

lots of things have alllllways been

right up and until

we (yes, we) decide

that we don’t need them

i mean

we decide it is something

we     no     longer         need

now

you could argue

and some did

the very same thing

that bit about history     about tradition

about ‘it’s allllllways been’

about

slavery

slavery

yes              you see

it had alllllways been

right up to and until

we came to realize

(some sooner than others)  (some wayyyyy sooner than others)

         that it’s not something we need

and

even then

some held onto the idea out of

ignorance

avarice

or

greed 

(that’s the big one)

but

ownnnnning somebody has

(for the most part)

almost faded into history

why can’t we climb that same hill

now

with war

or poverty

please?