he pulls her close
the night falls
the last dance

his hand
reaches out
shall we?

we stand
in a line
ballet recital

faded bruises
on her feet
dancing through the pain

soft pointe shoes
this is their
final dance

twirling dress
lifting to
the sky

jeté
pointed feet
lands softly

back in his arms
too late
for the ugly duckling

budding peony
barely open, just right
for the baby's grave

sorry I did this to you
I hope to see you again
meet me in heaven

her eyes widen
she pulls back her shoulders
looking in the mirror

it was too
soon to go
rain hits the ground

concrete slab
my father's name
in the ground

a fin peaks
out of the water
a low cello

morning coffee
a scream is heard
from the basement

the groundskeeper
turns his cheek
to the light behind him

midday drive
to visit my friends
the cemetery

8th grade dance
high school prom
the flowers he never gave

bell in the coffin
rings faintly
no one listening

old theater
the seat lowers
but sits empty

children laughing and playing
downstairs past midnight
but I live alone

under
the floorboards
a heart's final beat

i ask her
to stop screaming at me
when i visit her grave

bright sunny day
clouded with puffs of white
this final exam

cloudy day
light bounces
off a yellow flower

wisps of blue
over the fog
a sparrow's good morning

feather white clouds
my thoughts
drift back to you

the letter she wrote
three times
a love stamp

echoes of stars
on the lake
a future comes true

in our first home
we danced
on the bare floors

retention pond
ducks sunbathe
in the midday sun

new tree house
brothers on a mission
to raid Dad's ice chest

apocalypse
of cauliflower heads
her jean hips

hot, bright day
we cruise the country
next to each other

warm February
we play jump rope
at Millikin's arrival court

2017 protest—
police dog and fire horse
we still march for equal rights

every morning spent
making my bed
who am I trying to impress?

chilly stroll home
he doesn't say much
soft kisses

the scent of coffee
pulled her down the stairs
to him

book bag is packed
and clothes are picked out
her water just broke

cold beers and broken windows
my girlfriend's
funeral in a week

flippy cup tournament
can't be lady-like
if you want to win

check the mirror
to make sure
the tears aren't noticeable

winds in her hair
the car roof down
her 3rd stolen car

immersed underwater
blurry light
shines through

going on forever
but never meeting . . .
parallel lines

the mail arrives
opened letter
slammed door

church bells ring
grandma no longer
in her seat

lingering on my lips
the feeling of
your name

ironing out the creases
once more
for good measure

sharing the blanket
she gave you
for Christmas

removing the glasses
she settles for the evening
reading her novel

hanging
in my closet
your high school sweatshirt

my phone dings
i hope
he says yes

sitting on the roof
overlooking
the ants

under the sheets
on mom and dad's bed
the secret fort

broken old dock
the only place . . .
I find peace

quiet morning
i make your bed
after you leave

lonely wooden cabin
the silence
of the dark

crushing waves
smack into
the sand castle

orange fish, blue fish, new fish
she does not look the same in person
catfish

driving the old truck
her great grandfather bought
brand new

sweat dripping from her face
out of breath but,
the dress fits

cute, cheap, high heels
the best, date, ever,
coming home, she falls up the steps

this team is good
85 mph slider
no chance

lying in the grass
watching clouds
daisies in her hair

coffee date
staring at the
mole above your lip

country music
girls with blankets
on the quad

sip of whiskey
he thinks
as it burns

winter
the first time i kissed
your scars

cut in half
she hands me a piece
cosmic brownies

park bench
you look so
cold

sweaty handshakes
the end of
a good game

I fake a smile
on the campus tour
stupid questions do exist

Blue Spoon
we share a table
with strangers

record spinning
your hands
through my hair

my lips glide
on the top
of my lip gloss

congressional jurisdiction
over all middle class moms
P    T    A

our eyes connect
the rollercoaster
hits its peak

steam spiraling
from her cup
lipstick stains

empty fridge
midnight cravings
yo quiero Taco Bell

3AM
planning my life
in colored pens

I remember warm nights
wrapped in each other's arms
Paddington

moonlit road
they cruise
with the booze

I enter the bathroom
the other men stare
at my round chest

my favorite pajamas
Mother's quilt around my waist
the Grinch on TV

midnight conversation
he listens to her
half asleep

 
wind knocks the bird nest      into the street

for years she held this secret in
her locked car
she calls mom

my roommates
their dirty dishes
several days later

honor student and volunteer
police did not care
she's another hashtag

tall mountains
feet aching
her hair glows

twisted branches
falling leaves
there he stands

walking down the hallway
whistling
“Three Little Birds”

I miss the days
when we both were not
so grown up

running laps
around the pond
goose poop

 
updownupshotblackout

impatiently I wait
for your name
to pop up

abandoned bumper cars
barbed wire
the newest haunting

seven new planets
around a giant star
second chances

soda shop
red stools
banana split

at the table
he orders today's special
for one

newlyweds
first dinner in the new house
smoke detector won't stop

every morning the man I love
sends a good morning message
my dad.

time is ticking
what is he drawing . . .
bunkbed!

warm February
bike chain is
rusty

banana split
she leaves the strawberry
untouched

first date
he orders us
a banana split

sleepover night
friend's parents fighting
better banana split

brain freeze
between two bananas
childhood