Star

I am TALL, lean, and (once ) very fast
I came from an ad in the newspaper
And I was almost named Sunset
It’s bad enough that she calls me Starbaby

I love to sleep wherever she is hanging out
Living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen
It matters not to me—just stay close and keep watch

I love to play with my cat
(don’t worry—she’s a beanie baby)
I love to go on walks and play tennis ball…

Except I can’t do those things anymore…
My hips are full of pain
So I sit and rest and sleep

But—I get lots and lots of treats
And I like to bark bark bark
Bark at the coffee grinder
Bark at the door bell
Bark at the TV

I am TALL and lean
I am watcher
I am Star

The cartoon sky gazes heavily on the reflective surface
Delicate pieces of cotton clouds provide extra texture to the glass mirror
Rushes and trees bank beyond and add some much needed symmetry in my life

A swimming snake has the water all to himself

The mighty elm that once was in everyone’s favor
Now bows it’s branch low wishing it were a weeping willow
To express it’s sadness over losing the glory days

But the branch has found a new love amidst the dying one
It reaches a little more each year for the limb growing so curiously in the river
It’s amazing how much they have in common

Sunrise and 2 hours of drunken sleep
Just cancel
Sickness – movement slow

The Pink Jeep arrives, only it’s a Suburban
Scott knows everything from the story of Vegas

to the plight of an endangered turtle
A history lesson and a snow covered mountain

The trailer park trash
in all their tattooed, cigarette smoking glory

stay quiet in the backseat
I realize once again that pink is not my color

We are here
The unforgiving Sun
kissing Nevada like it’s never been kissed
The vastness brings a tear to my eye
No words to express the measure
Thoughts of Papa Joe long ago in this desolate place
Bring a lump to my cotton throat

No quick movements, please
Cantilevered towers, bowing before Arizona
You sicken me - don’t look
Metropolistic statues were unexpected, but welcome
who knew I would find you here
Oh, to have a cloudy day to look at the stars
I’m so sorry Papa Joe

exploration unbearable

The Mountain

Lying so frail, so exhausted in a heap
And all alone, a soul of steel

There was a once upon a time
Wading through the water up to my hips
The warmth of your blue Thunderbird
Creedence Clearwater revives us

A smile, a glow
The scent of Oil of Olay wafting through the house
Was it a house? It was a cracker box.
It was home. You loved me there.

Afternoons were lazy
A short nap for you

Taught me patience
For the good times ahead

You are sweet and tangy
Everything I want to be.

The Mountain

We would wake up early
She would let me drive her
Maroon Crown Victoria LTD
Even though I was only 12

The fancy car had automatic seat controls
I would move it all the way up
And all the way forward
After all, I was only 12

The Skaggs Alpha Beta was 6 blocks away
I would make complete stops at every sign
She would give me a twenty
And I would leave the car running

I selected a 2 liter Pepsi and a dozen doughnuts

We sat at the kitchen table
(Bright white with silver metallic sparkles)
And enjoyed our sugary breakfast
She never mentioned she was diabetic

Dig, Dig, Dig
The sun is hot – it warms my shoulders
The gloves are tight – they protect me
The shovel is sharp – but still not enough
Blackland prairie – dirt becomes clay

The hole
is slowly
formed
wider
deeper
wider
deeper
Until it is done
The lemon water tastes so good

Wait, Wait, Wait
For the sun to go down
The twilight has to witness the burial
Putting in is much quicker
Than digging out

Water, Water, Water
And there it is
And there it rests
And there it lives

Exhaustion is the last thing on her mind
Headaches and hailstorms swirling there require her full attention
Reprimand from a higher up is not easily forgotten
But anger will push her forward one step at a time

Frustration continues to build in all corners
Yet she does nothing about it every day
There are not enough hours from sunset to sunset
To get things done and be as lazy as she wants to be

Anticipation is always there
Wondering where all these decisions will take her
If only she could understand why she constantly gives in
Maybe things would improve