beady black eyes
on a crow
open wide     forever

open heart surgery
you forget
to sew me back together

lifeguard instinct
I have to remember
I can't save everyone

typical
through hell and back
she leaves me anyway

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

bottom quarter champion

battery dead
a good excuse
to end it

fuel light on
white knuckles
until the next exit

mowing the grass above my dog's grave

lowering him into the ground
my heels
follow suit

TOP half champion

CHAMPION
 

BOTTOM half champion

dark tombstones
broken epitaphs
unreadable

she loves me not?
no problem.
      we are only dust.

the fish
flopping on the dock
nearly lifeless

unwanted and forgotten
from birth till death
dog shelter

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

bottom quarter champion

passengers on a train
change without
changing anything

I nurse my beer
sitting in my booth
alone as always

elixirs of all kinds
the cold fall night
fades into the black

the sun may orbit again
but it stopped rising
years ago

lighting up the night
Christmas lights
not a single bulb unlit

painting a night sky
I forget to add
the star

light reflects
from the globe
disco queen

the dance floor
falling apart
we don't care

top quarter champion

TOP half Chamption

bottom quarter champion

the water boy
finally gets his chance
crowd goes wild

big shoes
filling little ones—
my big brother

Cheshire grin
the cat darts
out into the night

windblown hair
in her eyes
in her mouth

TOP half champion

CHAMPION
 

BOTTOM half champion

my favorite blanket
longer than the couch
we all fit under it

midnight
we are
just getting started

bright eyes
youth unphased
she laughs with abandonment

on dad's shoulders
marching in black
the band's procession

top quarter champion

BOTTOM half champion

bottom quarter champion

old socks
I laugh as I slide
across the wood floor

skating on ice
across the hospital parking lot
a new dad

no welcome party
no leaving party
clearing off the desk

bags and clothes
sprawled out
moving back in