you like rope swings
and graham cracker brownies
can’t decide on a favorite color but
in the lavender of the jacaranda in bloom
a certain message seems to be hidden
signs that say open come in
cigar smoke a little bit, not too much
and gut laughs where you think
you’re never going to breath again or
a two-year-old picks you out of the crowd
and hits you with a big cheeky grin
catching yourself lost in thought
you can easily live with your regrets
the mail order shoes, they fit
right out of the box, the order
and safety of things in their containers
you mitigate with words when things get awkward
always a day late to get the joke
and oh the food, the meals, how we
measure the time by working, feeding
coffee, coffee like long wet kisses
and cold brick-hard stick butter
ripping gashes in warm toast
long lazy mornings and that spell
comes over you when the book you finish
ends strong and ends true
call it an honest living
but for the parts squandered in distraction
it’s all good, enough with the edits
these uncorrected proofs are ready to call it a day
