Compassionate morphine…  dripping…
consciousness fleeting…  I can’t retreat
and won’t surrender
He’s resting, are you family?  Sitting on my
father’s lap surrounded by his scent     large hands
scold but protect     sounds echo reflections of
connections…
“Pay attention children!” yes miss ryan we sang
“raise your hand if you know the answer.”
“but I didn’t hear the question,” pouted chicken little
walking into life’s big room with only one door in
and one door out…
Inside,
a clown draped in flowers and beads slyly
demonstrates how Gillette blades make such nice
straight white rows…     dreams for sale at bargain
prices, painted faces, hungry hearts and pink shoelaces,
moving sidewalks leave no traces… step-on step-off…
Take
the path of the magic bullet that ended Camelot.
Today’s body count was brought to you
by ring around the collar.     hey! Sit down in front
I’m missing the show.     Slow down slow down slow down
there’s time…     nurse, he seems restless…
Red lights
flashing through a motel window     rolling me into her
body     nursing me with mindless spineless kindness…
going down down down…     sweating petting getting…
ironing out wrinkled dreams…     time…
You know
I’ve been here before and I’d like to come again
but there’s something I don’t remember and
I can’t remember why or when…     time…
Emotional
zookeepers in blue uniforms chase buzzards
from a putrid carcass while sweating crusaders in silver
helmets look longingly toward an empty sky…
“Excuse me sir,”
said the child, “but weren’t neil armstrong and the
inventor of napalm both public employees?
and why isn’t the bishop’s ring made from
an iron nail instead of a ruby?”     are these questions?
someone?     anyone?
Shut the door don’t ever wanna see no more…
time…     ticking…  “Get up, let the boy sit beside him… Darkness
closing quickly behind a tired poet in a 327 chevy
with dog hair caught in the grill     black tire tracks scarring
fields of golden wheat     millions of mindless faces waving
in unison, shimmering silently     tired blue eyes reflect in
the rearview mirror disappearing westward across the
alberta plains – so far from “the rock”
Driving
faster to fastest seeing brighter to brightest – rescued
at last!  I’m feeling good-tired now but I’ll miss you baby.
My
father’s long forgotten scent is filling the air…
saturating…
permeating…
intoxicating… 
“I know the answer now miss ryan!”
and looking back into the mirror I reach out
grasp his little hand in mine…  squeeze… and step forward contentedly
into peaceful
oblivion.

— Multiple publications