It's been a while

8 hours with no window to wish through
smoking secret cigarettes
sinking reasons not to kiss you

in the river that bore us
and gave us our names
silly silly devices

keeps me complacent
playing their games
and tightening vices

_________________

The moon and stars aren’t interested
The tide still rolls in
The birds build their nests
And warm their eggs
The faces on the subway
Don’t flinch at your condition
The trains arrive on time

Across town the waiting room is packed
A nurse rushes in

Across town a door is kicked in
A woman screams

Across town a bullet ruins a cashmere sweater
And the business man sporting it
A baby is born


The pavement
The soil
The lilacs
The spider in your kitchen
And the moths
making love to the porch lamp
hide their faces from your tears

__________________________

the stilts we wear aren’t made
of forest remains
or smelted metals

the common strangers
won’t know what to think
of our parade

they’ll throw dollar bills at our feet
or fists at out faces
but we’ll scoff
on our soap boxes
and high horses

and open a page of Berman


_Jackson Grind