Wednesday, February 3

put up a feeder
black seeds in the cherry tree
chomped by tiny birds

I’ll Carry With Me

Ever-lovin’ paw print
Ribbon rings around yr waist
Tiny plastic alien
Yellow cat, brown bear
Quilt heart, gold frame
Straw suitcase, and always

That picture of myself.

-----

What Prayer Beads

Long hair and
All my secrets
The wisdom of kids
Those same tendencies
Towards home.

-----

January

These are work poems
They collide
Night after night
That’s all it is
To be born again.

Keeps

Pickled herring
and soft broken halves.

Are they soft fish?
Are the notes bent?
Will the bones hurt going down?

EIGHT

we discharge our dreams in helium balloons

Lyrics to "Torch Song"

It's not like I'm carrying a torch for anyone
but I've got this pile of kindling sticks and once in a while I'll light some.
How easy it would be to just get on a plane.
Oh! Whe-e-e-e-ere to go? Discomfiture as usual.

It's still with me!
It's still with me!
It's still with me!
When will it not be?

Last night I spoke to you face to face across the country
and everything I said made me want to give myself surgery.
You said, "You'd better think about the paths that you are choosing.
Oh, Samuel, it's not a race, but if it were, you'd be losing."

"Torch Song" can be heard here: www.myspace.com/weirdchess

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This is my 31st poem, and if the month is up and this is the end, I just want to say that it's been such a pleasure and a treat to stumble into the new year with everyone and everyone's poems. It kind of made my month and helped me find my way through it. Thanks and love to everybody, and thanks especially Tullah! But if we're allowed to keep writing...
<3> Sprout Legumebean