tight five

You can take a poke
at the term hopeless romantic
  but it's an honest label

   you can tell a joke
and take it for granted
     that folks won't find it hateful

the world is full of dust and smoke
         and barbed wire trees we planted
 so smooth things makes us grateful

 Where does love go when it forgets?
      rustling layers
of dried leaves, random receipts
    in  old drawers

         does it move away
and stare out the window
      listening to lawnmowers
and wind chimes?

      I saw it looking around,
for where it parked
    biting its lower lip
       trying not to cry

better luck next time
   you fucking chump.

Tinder

The people of the North
        who can hold up the sky
 and walk like smoke,
       have many words for snow.

      You and I can tell
the tales, and I for one
          have a jumbled sack
  of names for loneliness

                you tell me yours
and I show you mine
        we trudge heavy
     not looking back
until we do
       and walk in circles


  "It's all right", you say
"It's not that bad,
        we're
walking this bitch
      together."