Failure? Never

I explode for you
Cascade of fireworks
Down comes the bathroom door
No crying alone, I say
We squeeze glumly around the cold toilet

On porcelain his knees my back
My arm flung over the seat
He cries alone just enough
Until I interrupt in giggles and laughter
Remember how you saved me
By your presence
And relieved there’s an allowance-
those served in love can return in service

Shutting Doors

The problem of extracting your life from another’s
Is they don’t care the reason
Suicidal
Chronic illness
Depression with a plan
Schizophrenia
They see closing doors as an upfront to them
How dare you do this to me
Not the rubber casing you’ve responsibly put around them
How dare you not trust them- believe they could take it?

How could I when this alone has upset you.

This alone may happen ten times in three years

Radio silence
Or a behind the counter tantrum
Shuttered away from prying eyes
And if it slips out oh now
The unacceptance is personal

You’re a pain-giver now
A pain-giver always must shut his doors
And warn away stray thoughts of tenderness
A pain-giver must always carry his grief in case the shut out have need of its bottled bitters
Have need to shout
Everyone knows once they get in, they just want back out
Cracked upon a hair, full open, closed fast
You’re in here by yourself

Insomnia

I have no desire to write poetry what’s up with that I always want to write poetry it’s like an asp sunk into my neck a pulse a quickening a thread of death I can’t stop pulling into me with every breath I’ve lost the storyteller’s march I mock I dally I linger with stomach pains in oh’s and art’s- the matter is heart I’m poisoned or venomed or ah heck I don’t want to write poetry.

In All The Ways

The night is brown
Abuzz with caffeine
And I miss you in ways I cannot miss you
Atop Pike’s Peak breathless
In the parted Red Sea breathless
Jitterbugging and in dance steps I never knew
Oh on boring balmy days when old age has sunk into our jaws shaking and bouncing
I pause in praise of all the ways
I’ve missed you