what we recovered from the wreck

the tannic tilt of a half-truth

a map for feeling it all

and a chest for keeping it in

certainty set in whalebones

doubt and hopscotch and eyelids

a tiger who changed their stripes

a meatball in a leather harness

the pillow blankets (russian)

a fretted brow

a dream girl

a shame mirror

thick stacks of sand dollars, juices running clear

dried fruits shaken from the lightning tree

a tree shaken by the vicar's lightening

a vertebra of something that had lost its spine

a spiny catfish with a mouthful of opals

that in time revealed entire blue dwarf galaxies

of a future space opera conducted only in

minor chords

living, laughing,

loving with great affect

and 

expectations.

wearing God out.

Sacrificed in platitudes,

voguing in basic truths

A cross with swirls

and an oddlee uniq font,

a cross made of reclaimed wood and

railroad nails,

a camo one;

a pink one with glitter;

one that reads “Faith” and fits in your pocket;

one that your cousin Braylee gave you;

an air freshener;

a vinyl wall decal;

a Dollar Tree cross;

the most idolatrous clean lines on beige walls,

offensive incense of Kirkland’s glazed donut candles

and swiffer wetjet scrupulosity

Sleeping Alone

Your rusty smell on my fingertips

I taste the wine on my tongue

Tonight I sleep with your cells filling my lungs. 

As I lay in night dreams

before falling asleep

I think of your body and feel mine heave.

You are in the bed

of dampened sheets

Breathing us in and thinking of me. 

Separating from you

Is never easy

But then I remember we haven't really. 

in the dream I’m out on the town 

with my mother and her siblings 
including my Uncle Pat, dead now 15 years
it’s time for me to cut loose
but the group's gone ahead, like dutiful pub crawlers
I’m so tempted to peel off
without trying to find them
the Irish goodbye
but you goad me to track them down
I find them entering another bar 
they gleefully greet me
but their faces fall when I say
I’ve got to head out

and start a round of one-armed hugs
skipping Uncle Pat 

not sure if he’s really there
My mom says flatly
But when will we ever have this much fun again?
I smile weakly
and find my way out the door

The Size of Things to Come

Guinness Extra Stout, Milanos, 

my tofu block,

"Mr. Snack" nuts I'd need to count, 

week in, week out.

If I were to increase the margins of my life,

which of my systems become

boars on the floor,

who grasses on who so they can continue

the grim task of moving on up,

gilding my life

in absolute efficiency?

 

Maria with the wild eyes

Maria with the wild eyes
waving at the city’s trees
here one minute, gone the next

Maria with the purple breast 
showing me it’s hard like fruit 
here one minute, gone the next 

Maria with the paint-chipped nails 
scratching skin on unmade bed
here one minute, gone the next

Maria with the candy laugh 
finding joy in bird-shaped clocks
here one minute, gone the next 

Maria with one patient son
losing track of when he called 
here one minute, gone the next 

Maria with the island past 
crossing with white baby lord 
here one minute, gone the next 

Maria with the wild eyes 
slipping, falling, bursting, sleeping 
here one minute, gone the next.

Kissing Dream

when u love someone
other people also love

you're part of a club
united in hope

they'll stay 

a minute longer