Smoking Hot

Are your lungs

as you light their way

down a carcinogen lit path

to the revolving door of the

city morgue

And I feel bad

I really do

About constantly reminding you

in quiet comments and angry rants

But sometimes I feel if I had

put out a torch or

jammed the door

I might have you a little

longer

I might see you

a little more

I might know you

a little better

far beyond my own sadness

failed attempts

ashy wishes

beyond reality

heaped in piles

at your feet.

Mango Lemonade

You look good

soft and sweet

dripping nature's honey

down my lips

like a Snapple infomercial

on pollination

but how you sting

made me think that maybe

you weren't finely ground

industrial glass

shimmering to the touch

but sharp as hell

and can I blame you?

You are what you are

smiling in my fingertips

but tart on my

tongue.

Broken Record

Menthol state of mind

hidden behind a cardboard

fortress of papertude

day-dreaming about

day-dreaming

missing the sound of

clicking keys

squeaky tires

feminine laughter

three plus years later

and play it again, Sam

I never tire of remembering

the remembering of

you.

Can't Quit You

I tried

I really did

Walked away for all of four hours

blurry and blustery
kicking cats and daydreaming WWF style
staring out a bloodshot bulb
angry that someone might want to know
if we have Mitchner
if I could recommend a good cookbook

Fuck You Mitchner!!
Fuck You Cookbook!!

And Fuck You, Coffee, you beautiful bitch
because as much as I try
your the Heath to my Gyllenhaal

and I just can't quit you.

Replacement

glassy-eyed mocha's

needles in the crook

stacks of idiot's orange & white

and these fingers are numb

tapping saxophone lips

laughing in circles

spinning repetitive wheelies

on dusty conversations

in the daytime dark.

Counter Girl

Ganesha has nothing on me
and I pet your choice of
Christian Fic and YA Novels

Not quite special enough for
the weekly Wednesday
meetings

But oh do I like a challenge

Standing alone in my element
books and people
random encounters
possibilities out the
proverbial yin-yang

And then it's done
no one noticed
and I'm driving back
to where the quiet ones
come from

It's only a year in the life
and I fade, like I always do
in the background of
your
his
her
day-to-every single of my lifetime

until they ask for me
two months later
wondering where she went
so smiley
so helpful
so good at being
what they wanted
what they needed
what they didn't know they had

until it was gone.