Seasoned Lungs

Throwing my shells into the sand
I go.
Basking in the sun's final glow
Mindful of rocks
Without shoes or socks
I go.
My eyes on the breakers
The green sailor takers
Breaking the waves
And calling to knaves,
"Come home!"

What a welcoming shore
Though the pace has got my ankles sore.
Its foreign salt forms above me lips
And salt and sweat fall to my hips

My burning lungs
Compliment a setting sun
That hides from my eyes
As I try to keep up my stride...

Buoyant Constellations

For once I can attest
From sight of my eyes
That hour oceans reflect
To make stars in the sky
The lights that we see
On Orion's great hip
Are mirrored from oil rigs,
Light houses and ships...

But the lights from my hopes
That burn ever bright
Reflect in the seas
That reflect in the skies
It is on hope alone
That we all do feed
It's sometimes what you want
But what you always need

It's the rush in your head
And the fear in your heart
Like kissing the lips
Of crashing waves in the dark.

My Green House

In my green house,
I'm the greenest of green
My phone books are blank
So I can save ink
That would drip from the pages
And into the sink
That would flow to the sea
And kill manatees
Which would sadden sea things
And make them all cry
And in turn would make
Our sea level rise...
So I guess without contacts
I'm saving us all,
But how could I tell you
Without making a call?

Well in my green house
We never do speak
Noise pollution is dirty
And greeness we seek
So I'll shut myself up
And give you this post
So I can fulfill my role
As the greenest of ghosts.

The Unequal Distribution of the Yellow Prison Solstice

The sun projects bars with the blinds in my room
Waking me, trapped in silence consumed.
I ask the sun, "What does the day have in store?"
He says, "Un-oiled doors and creaky wood floors."
And by that moment, I knew he had won
But let me tell you how it all had begun:

I challenged the sky and its selfish views
I told them to untie the knots in my shoes
"No you're not so blue and you haven't a clue
So let me tell you what you never knew:
Give me sentinels that man my doors
That squeak in the hinges and cold hallway floors,
Give me shadows that will darken my walls
Of black and relentless wrought iron bars,
Give me all this, if there's truth in your call
That I'll only find balance once I've taken the fall."

But Soleil's slow set was one I would regret
When it spread to the skies and blinded my eyes,
My irises melted by him, the great sun,
The heliocentric and cancerous one.

Doughboy

The bakers kneads my stomach into knotted dough
His demons walk my footsteps wherever I go
Biting at my heels
Restricting me to sight
Of what I really want to feel
So close it almost feels real

Instead he throws me into the oven
And the fires he fans
Patty cake, patty cake,
Baker's man,
Bake me to death as fast as you can.

But no,
You keep it slow...
Until the welts start to melt
And the boils begin to blow.
I'll only crumble in your hand, cold as the snow
And you'll throw me into the kiln's orange glow.

A Christian Ghost Town

It was one of those days I couldn't sleep in
I was rudely awoken by the drop of a pin
A mom tells her child, "Inside you must stay.
It's kind to give time for the tumbleweed's play."
All stores are closed
And a great silence falls
Everything has been bought
From the markets and malls

Cars sleep in their cells
And single Jingle Bells
Honking the seasonal tune
With bows on their hoods
And trunks filled with goods
With fashions as hot as mid-June
The housewives will squeal
And their cheating will yield
Until husbands foresee the gloom:
Tomorrow is near
And the water's not clear
The pool boy will be coming soon...

There's a sickness outside!
It's called Christmas cheer
And it fell down your chimneys
And got in your beers
It got in the cookies
You left for Saint Nick
And now whole the world
Is all Christmas-sick.

Cross My Heart, Hope To Die

I've got my envy.
Cut me and I'll bleed green
Saying things I never mean
These bloodied hands will never clean
Tainting waters once pristine

I've got my hate.
Raising guns to set things straight
Always saying it's too late
Exit wounds decide your fate
A bullet for the magistrate

I've got my greed.
Wanting things I never need
To my decry you must take heed
Sit yourself down, I'll take the lead
Until my sweat begins to bead

I've got my lust.
The smoothest brush
The softest touch
The lightest hush
A situation clutch

This is far too much.

I've got my wood and nails
And I sleep inside of this machine.

Dropping Babies On Their Heads

There's a stranger in my car.
He looked in my side view mirror
And called me his friend,
So drive.

I drove on the tracks
And put my seat back
And let out a heavy sigh,
I stared into the night
Adorned with red lights
Ready to speak if I must die:

You're lost in your addiction
And frankly,
You're not making this transition
Any better.
Now there's the door
So please excuse me
While I sweep my heart off the floor.

Twelve Days of Christmakwanzukkah

On the Monday of winter break
My true friends gave to me:

Twelve pounds of latkes
Eleven doubled people
Ten fingers freezing
Nine presents wanted
Eight presents not
Seven kinds of apples
Six eventful hours
Five blocks of singing
Four pitches sung
Three different songs
Two barreled shotguns
And a night very well spent.

White & Red

The last gas is burnt
And the engines stall
I, the captain, announce
Our state of free fall.
Please fasten all seat belts
And return all trays
To their upright positions.
Once burning ambitions
Are now exhausted
Tired
From feeding insatiable fire
Triggered by the tripwire
On which I stumbled.
Ashes, ashes,
We all fall down.

Below they turn to channel five
Weather forecast for those still alive:
"Stay indoors for unheard of sleet;
Propellers and luggage and empty seats."

I just wanted to paint the town red
But what once was encased in my ribs
Is now dead.

3,2,1, impact.
...I'm a heartless son of a bitch.

Cold Hands

Moving faster than ever before

Meters, miles, light-years in...

Divide the second by infinity,

Times two.

Now where are you?

Lost in the rush,

The potential to kinetic

A feeling synthetic?

Well the rotational has my head spinning

So let's get close,

Closer,

Closer,

There.

I feel your hair on my cheek:

Fragrant shampoo apple sweet,

Here are yours and here are mine

On our fingers we balance

This moment in time.

Fragile, fragile,

Handle with care!

Get to know me as well as you dare.

Endothermic

If the world ever does kneel over and die
I'll have your bright faces to help me get by
Shining smiles that glisten with enamel pure
That shines light back towards the deep azure
Pitting star against star to catch human eye
Comparing their brightness and coloring dye

Because here in our realm lives a different race
That respects the value of human embrace
Two hands that wander, but given good time
Will soon find themselves with fingers entwined
I'm told, "Here, take this smile
And take this warm hug!
Silly boy,
Don't you see that you are so loved?"

The Anti-Polka-Dot Party

We roast you on your boasts
Like fresh swine caught by the coast
Gagged with an apple
Heaped on a platter
With a sign on its neck reading:
Innocent.

But the language is strange
And we're far too deranged
To keep you from the burning flames.
And all we could do was jeer and jest
As the tears erupted from your hot head
That we put on a spit,
And on it we spat.

So I must admit
That I sang along
With the people who thought
That they knew your song.
We clapped our hands,
And stomped our feet,
And sang out the words
In three different beats.
...But then the music stopped
And the audience stared.

We were wrong all along,
I was wrong all along.

Try to focus...

Coils turn orange and bright
As the hot air softens the night
My collar once frozen stiff
Has melted onto my shoulders:
100% cotton hands
Undo knotted strands
Of tensile muscle and nerve
Until the skeletal locks unlatch,
The calcium creeps,
And the marrow meanders
From the matrices of my bones.

I can never fear heights
For my thoughts fall deep
As I sink into my chair
And slowly fall asleep...

New Years in December

Red blood cells rush
From the heart to the head
"Buh-bump!" goes the thump
As my eyes turn red.

But outside of the lens
The light starts to bend
In a shower of smoke and light
The pyrotechnician
Lit the fuse early...
But frankly, I don't mind.
Rockets burst in the sky
As tears burst from her eyes
That she shyly wipes with her hand.
She inhales the smoke
Her one last drag
Holding on to what's left to have...

My childhood.
Don't let it kill you, I'm going to make you proud.

Glove

Accepting new vessels for bloodstreams forlorn,
I hope that the name can keep my fingers warm.

Subways, Stabs, and Bright Yellow Cabs

While I'm planning my life
With dream catchers and sieves,
You're living the life
That I've always wanted to live:
The fumes,
The streets,
The lights and the sleet,
Oh how I'd die for... and from,
A breath of that bitter sweet air
And what a bonus if you were there!
Winter coat and heels,
Trying to hail a cab
And your red nose would wrinkle
As you got a little mad.
You'd twiddle your hair,
Making knots in your locks
In the same way that subway cars pretzel
In a symphony of gnashing iron.
And you'd say,
"Hush, this is my favorite song!"
As I ask you to tell me if this is where I belong...

But now I know your fate is somewhere far away,
So go ahead and say "Good morning!" to your brand New York day.

Moonlight Boomerang

The skies are so clear
You can see nature's skin,
Covered in goosebumps
And mapping out all of her intentions:
The storms and the floods and other cruel inventions.
And tonight, I sneak glances at the stars in the sky.
On the ethereal dance floor
A soft touch brushing by.
Tempt me to coldness
Yearning for that heat.
Head getting hot from the pump and the beat.

Damn you, Father of the Night,
Bedding down with Luna,
Conceiving your wicked child, Lust:
The contact, the friction, the sweat, and the must...
A bastard of bastards,
Oh, your child called "Lust"...
Breath upon breath
Hers upon his,
Following him back to his car
Just so he knows that she isn't so far.
Sensory overload...
But never release.
That insatiable hunger is never put to ease.

This one goes out to everyone who knows
This one goes out to wherever it goes
To those who want lust,
To those who want love,
Hell, this one goes out to all of the above!

And when the tree branches tease,
Their shadows cast by the moon,
Just remember:
It will all come back to you soon,
Very soon.

Slap, Pinky, Smooth, Kiss, Spank.

I'd put on a show for all the ladies and gents
Eat hot chili peppers for only twenty five cents.
I'd walk any distance with tarps on our heads
In torrential downpour, for some Mexican bread.
I'd get stopped by the cops two times in one night
To get tacos in Burbank, always tasting just right.
I'd wreck on my bike thinking, "Heaven or Hell?"
Just to have one more life-changing story to tell...

I'd even taste the blood in my mouth if I could
To relive my youth growing up in the 'hood.
I still know the handshake like we all still should,
D.B.S. for life! Yeah, we know what's good.

I Hope It's Golden...

Down from your hook, you hung your prize
A butcher shop to hungry eyes...
Shining meats of size and shape
From Puget Sound out to the Cape.
You dropped the line and I bit down hard
Bleeding mouth and disregard.
Yet deadly silence held your throat tight
From clicking heart in numbers, so the only light
Came from the clouds soaked in city light glow
And the fresh layer of this Hollywood snow.

In L.A., it only snows on your TV.

A box of a thousand voices that Pandora left behind
Whispers possibilities that pass through ears right to the mind
And on their breaths I feel the chill of deaf winds and blinded snow
That freeze your sockets in fixed position
And never let you go.
So now I stare into the TV screen,
Teary eyed from static sun,
To see if what I've waited for is finally coming on.

Wanted

Tripping on my laces
Falling through time and space,
Chalk lines dictate a change in state.
Eighteenth out of fifty and then back again
I pucker up my parched lips,
Deflate my lungs and let go:
"I really wish I did... but I just don't know."
The gavel drops and the prosecution stops...
Case closed,
Court dismissed.

Arrhythmia pt. 2

Rush, rush,
It's all a rush!
I can't take oxygen in liquid form
and the air in my veins
Is causing the swelling pains
Inflating my brain and making me lightheaded.
In a mess of blinkers and ran lights,
I'm living life by thirty-second's
12341234123412341234123412341234
DONE. Yeah, there you go!
Sum your life into a series of yes' and no's
Die and take your receipt to Peter's gates.
Wait in the cue,
A sales representative will be with you
Shortly.
And there on your receipt are digits lined in gold
Variations of numbers in a binary code:
Zero, one, zero, zero, one, zero,
One second,
I need some time to think.

Contact

Tomorrow is now today
And for you I must make this one exception:
For you the sun will rise a little earlier.
Stripping my Sunday's best off of my back,
Doomed for the day work nonetheless,
But all in all, for you
Yes, my dear,
For you.

We were runaways, vagabonds,
Looking for sanctuary...
Head West!
It was the gold rush
And you were my precious metal
Ever so precious,
Panned and polished,
Put in my eyes as
Perfection.

So Cal,
So could!
So far,
So good...

It started as a light in my pocket
Keeping my hands warm
But my thoughts even warmer.
And the flashing lights of camera bulbs
Burn spots into my eyes,
Branding lights into the ground,
Branding lights into the sky.
So now the stars dance with sirens
Dance with my retinas
Dance with the thought
Dances with you.
The warmth of your touch...
Yes, keep in touch.

Sanctuary

There is such tragedy in disagreement
And its multitude of degrees.
Here in Louisiana,
In this very state,
You can find ropes dangling
From the topmost balconies
Flags to a confederate history.
They beat our windows at night
Stirring the fright my ancestors once felt
The panes cry as the condensation thickens
And the fresh wounds heat and swell.

But here in this dark ocean
The waves roar, but do not crash.
They soar in unison
The uplifting feathers
Of a caged eagle, painted black.
This is my pride.
This is my place.

Yet we are an error
You find you must white out
O, sweet southern belle
How I love you so dearly,
But this place is not meant for me.

A Dime Short

It's been a long day.

Fifteen long hours

All yearning for showers

This is power through separation.

The social spiders weave their webs

The heated discussion singes the silk

Sun-bathed and curdled,

Once sweet flowing milk.

So here we are,

This day is done.

Gasp for the sneeze

That never comes.

Cathode rays

To quiet the day

And Bourbon's street lights fade away...

Twenty-Five Francs

Touchdown to the sound of the jazz and good times!
Mardi Gras beads and tequila and lime,
Louisiana friend chicken with an order of fries
Old men make their catcalls with lust in their eyes.

And now we all dance to the swung city beat
Under the bright neon signs of Bourbon street
This city is Atlantis in the right shade of light,
This is way too much right for just the first night...

Heathens in the Sky

Challenging our God is the jet engines' roar
Cinnabon and tarmac as I open the door.
Challenging our sun is the cabin and fins
Their blasphemous wings lack in beauty of skin...
Hell's angels.
Or Satan himself, searching for the corruptible,
The weak,
Or the seductive and sleek:
LAX is our Eden
Our tower of Babel
We bask in the glory
Of our inventions in travel.

An automated smile in a knit sweater vest
Regurgitates her greetings all over her desk:
Follow these instructions if you're confronted by Death
Calmly grab the hand of the person to your left
And if that may be you, put your hand in the air
Open palms for the god who may not be there!

But you see, I've got this pill...
And I'll be able to close my eyes,
Though losing consciousness, justified.
So New Orleans,
Here I come.

Write Triangles

This
State is
What I aim
To achieve. I'll
Give it a shot, you
Have just got to believe
In me, so self-pitying who
Jumped straight to plan B, But
Proposed by my Jacksonville Gem
A sound middle ground called plan C.
So united we are, in this library we stand
My Floridian friend gave me a helping hand
Taking words off the walls to make reprimand:
I am (no longer) one boy in the dark garden of man.

( ! ) - Due Maintenance

Open up my glory box:
Beeps and boops and ticks and tocks,
Soldered seams and metallic blood streams,
Half-animal and half-machine.

This month it ends and I get release
I'll let my proud tongue rest in peace.
I'll grease the gears and clean my ears,
Shine light on my darkest fears...

It's stuck in fifth and I'm going fast
Future becomes present,
Just as quickly to past.
Roaring engine
Pumping pistons
Prowling the desert
Turning sand into glass.

And now I haven't shaved in days
Growing out my lion's mane
And if curiosity killed the cat,
Then I'll gladly take death
As a matter of fact.

Elastic Time Spent

Time to get back on track,
Bag of books on my back
Snap!
Welcome back, kid.
Try not to crack.

Catch of the Day

All our wreaths and Christmas trees
Give off their warming glow
Our icicles are made of lights
Because our sky never snows
The dog sleeps at your feet tonight
After barking at the crows
And if you can hear me, calling you
Just somehow let me know.

So now I sit on the angels' peak
Tracing back to where it had begun
And I cast my wish on a fishing rod
Into a sea of infinite suns...

Brother

Today must be his
One of the rowdiest kids
His voice knows nothing but loud
Baby laughs with baby farts
Would melt your warm heart
He makes his dear parents proud
Apple juice traces
And Velcro for laces
On the smallest pair of shoes
It's November 28th
My brother's birthday
Here come the terrible twos...

No, Thanksgiving

Dammit just give me a few more minutes
I know what's going to happen today
Like any other holiday...
I want out.
I really want out.
I'd sink into the sheets and fade away
Comatose just for the day.

Dammit why is it so hot outside?
It's hell on earth...
We had it coming.
I don't want to stand in line
With people I don't know
Or ever want to know.
Their kids with their clothes
And fancy new phones,
It all just makes me sick.

Four thousand five hundred calories tonight,
Glutton yourselves until you lose your sight.

This day would not be complete
If what's tradition was not said:
Well I'm thankful for family
And I'm thankful for friends
But I'll be more thankful for when this day finally ends.

Dear Mr. Threadholm,

The sun peeks through all of the cracks in the sky
As the dead leaves take flight with cherubim passing by
If this is our Savior, let the storm clouds roll in
The city of angels must wash off its sins

My Life as a Captain of a Maersk Sealand Freighter

Her anchors have been ripped from starboard and port
By fickle-faced freighters who promised a consort
From bow to stern, she's been ravished by cliffs
Left in the Arctic to aimlessly drift
Her radio calls are only heard by ghosts
Who haunt the ribs of broken beasts on the coast

Alert the Captain!
Sound the alarm!
They've looted our hull and stolen our arms.
Abandon ship!
Fire the flares!
The lifeboats are missing, no hope is found there.

This vessel is rusted and moaning with age,
Singing her story of desolation and rage.
And with her I'll stay as she slowly goes down,
Holding her steady as we slowly drown.

Naming Songs After Songs

Show up to the party late
But they say you've been there
Hello, Mr. Trendsetter
With your cool hipster clothes
And your trendy bed hair

But nothing can rival
the styles and the grooves
Of queer Mr. Sparkles
with his sparkling moves...
His gyrating hips
Could make a salty sea dog sick
And as land-leggers go queasy,
We felt quite uneasy.

But I could never truly tell
The excitement I felt
Meeting someone I've never bet before,
With his mic in his hand
Leading this Oregon band
We'll stand until we can't stand it anymore!

And I've never had so much fun
On a late Monday night
But now we've got homework
And inexorable sleep to fight...

Play Street Lights: Becoming What I Tried to Avoid

The jingle of your keys
Signals the end of the night.
Be sure to hold her tight
Pressing her heart against your chest.
I'll keep my hands in the pockets of my vest...
Look away,
Look away,
I've got nothing to say.
I have nothing to do
But let life take its course.
I just miss someone else's warmth.

Say!

Claude, start it off...
Soft keys stroke a chord
Soft light fills the room
Shining on the soft pillow
Soft words spoke the willow
Weeping for her dear son
Not dead in war
But dead in heart
Signing away his soul
To go somewhere far
No matter where, it isn't home
And so she weeps,
As her son awakes from sleep.

A day early in my Sunday's best
But I make it for the curtain's rest
Deja vu, table for two!

I'm your modern day Gatsby
Living the dream
Living in the dream
Living the dream in the dream
Do you know what I mean?

Spill your heart out on a plate
And serve it up with delight
While the living dead wander
In the fog of the night.
They're coming for me, dear!
They'll be here real soon
And I'll be living (in) the dream
Falling asleep to Clair de Lune.
Why do you take me so soon?
Say!
...Good night.
Yes, it has been a good night.
Good bye, it's all over now.

21st Century Vagabond

Like trying to settle on hot coals
Like trying to root impregnable rock
I rush with a wind to cause a chill,
Unable to be that city upon a hill.
The pillars are built up
To be swiftly disassembled,
An organized theory that chaos resembles...

But if there is one thing never faulting
I must say it's the view
The breaking of legs
The colors show true.
So when the curtains close
Just keep on the light
Because were going to Roscoe's
And it's opening night!

Though paradise was never lost.

I'm really sorry you lost your wings!
Golden halo and silken things...
And you fell from higher than the tallest tree
Down to this earth to help poor old me!

Can you read me a story?
You'd really be the best!
And maybe hold the wheel
While I try to rest?

If you stay by my side
And you never recoil
You'll be packing my lunch
In brown bags and foil...
But as strange as it sounds
You are a mother at times
With a soft, caring voice
And an aura that shines!
For years it does seem
There's a recurring theme
You are truly heaven-sent
And what a friend really means...

Sorry, ladies...

Ladies, please!
You're in such distress!
This calendar lapse is just a big mess...
You've waited and waited,
For this perfect time
When God would hear prayers
And stars would align
And I, in my luster, as suave as can be
Would tell you that you were worthy of me.
You'd swoon and you'd faint
Into my burly arms
Conquered by lust
And my unmatched charm

Oh boys, silly boys
You're nothing but pawns
I am Enrico
And you are my lawn
Challenge me and I'll cut you
And put you into a bag
And I'll take your girl
So you can go stag.
And how can I say
Such an aggressive attack?
Because once they go black
They'll never go back.

But I guess for this once
You'll barely slip by
But without looks like mine
They'll accept with a sigh
So just keep them warm
But don't touch my girls
While I'm in New Orleans,
Just saving the world...

Mrs. James, you are a devil!

At last,
The sight from my rear view mirror
Shakes and fades away
Blending in with the break of day.

I hold my breath
Until my eyes roll back,
Trying hard to look onto the past:
The VHS cassette
The 93' Corvette
The snow angels on towers
The golden Youngstown flowers
Yes, these were a few of my favorite things...

But they call misfortune
The great magician
And life: A game of craps
You shake, you blow,
And seven's your call,
But you've got no dice,
No dice at all...

So now my head rings from the siren's scream,
As my childhood drips from the L.E.D. screen.

Literal Schizophrenia: Ignorance is Bliss

He wakes in the familiar bed
To the world he has never known
He picks his greens himself
From the plants he has never grown
He stamps all the envelopes
For letters he would never send
He blows to cool his tea
Though she says it's just pretend
He tells the girl he loves her
But she doesn't know his name
He ruffles all her hair
Without a sense of shame
He reminds old friends of pastimes
Retelling stories they've never heard
But then I stop mid-sentence--

I've been living in my words,
Always talking in the third.

Despair & Happiness

Oh, the sky has turned to gold!
The fires have burned our wealth into the sky
So now the clouds are worth more than the cars that drive by
Sit with me and we'll think of what could
As the sweet smoke stings our eyes
And our nostrils fill with the smell of wet wood
Will you share this daylong sunset with me?
And if we die, right here, right now
I think I might just hold your hand
So you won't get lost,
In the fields of Elysium.

Here the rain falls, but the sun doth shine!
And I am forever yours,
As long as you're forever mine.
Spectrum in the sky!
Spectrum in the sky!
Put your raincoat on
And wear those rubber boots high!
Because you'd never ever think
We'd be the stars shining above
To guide ships to safe harbor
To remind the ones you love
That you're still well looked over
Though you are no longer alive
Because here, in the absence of time
You lay your hand,
Forever in mine...

Six to the left!

I had said yes, and didn't know why!
But now god couldn't take it back,
No matter how hard he tried.

I practice my 15 step as I parallel park,
The violent motion has my eyes going dark...
Neon signs
Waiting lines
And a pleasant surprise!
I take a deep breath
And close my eyes...
Be it divine intervention
or intelligent design
Fate has never woven
Such a fabric so fine.

But set that aside
And watch the stars collide
As we sip on our coffee
Just to pass the time
On benches, on curbs
Whatever you find absurd.
You can call us eccentric,
But we're called artsy nerds.

So the flashes will fly
And catch strangers' eyes
Who envy what we'll never lose:
The laughs, the grooves,
The big city blues,
Your options are there,
You just have to choose.
Besides, I'm just a boy
Boy,
Crazy boy...
Stay cool, boy.

So I'll hang from the street lights
So I can click my heels
And wish to the stars
For how it all really feels.

Our Prayers at Evening

Bow to the wall,
Sing to the door,
Take off your shoes
And rise from the floor...
Only to hit the ceiling,
And fall down again.

Any more words
Would mean my uncertain death,
So when the stones start to speak,
I'll mutter under my breath.

"Hats off, take a knee."

Goodbye...
It was a good ride!
Our teeth have been worn down,
Tearing for victory.
We've only the embers left
From the fire once burning
In our hearts
In our eyes
Four years it never died.
But now,
The scent of wet ash is all around us.
Silence,
The fire dies quietly...

Though the callus has been built
Out of pride and out of guilt,
Even real men cry
When every day we live or die,
Fight or go home.

...So now our chapter is finished,
Our sorrowful song has been sung.
Our men are sick.
Our captain is down.
Now I wait
For Stockholm Syndrome to come around.

Yet at this paradoxical pivot point,
With our broken bones and creaky joints,
The sunset salutes us!
Nature's beauty galore
To say goodbye to a pastime,
There is football no more...

Good game,
Good game,
Good game.

What are you doing with your life?

O, the pains of maturity
And the imminent insecurity
In each gasp of cold air
In each strand of white hair
One less beat my heart will make
One less day I'll ever wake.
The body becomes a ticking clock
The organs wait for the relieving shock
And so the work whistle blows,
And your body lets go.

This is the time
When dreams and reality collide
And after the gray matter and dust subside
The product is truth
The absence of innocence
The slow decay of youth
And self-image tries its best
To crawl out of the carnage.

Well I've met my match:
Mundane mediocrity
A statistic in society...
I'm aspiring to be average.
I'm striving to be standard.

I am but a flaw in the system,
This is existentialism.

Blink and a day goes by...

You open your eyes,
Today might be the day.
You go through the routine
Making yourself look pretty and clean
With nothing to say
And no one to say it to, anyways.
You feel a little sick, so you let out a cough
Vitamins, orange juice, and then you're off.

You come back with a weight on your chin
Your limbs seem heavier
You've lost that grin
You feel a little off, so you let out a sneeze
Irritated, hushing the rustling leaves
You slave at your desk
And then let out a sigh...
Today wasn't the day,
You close your eyes.

Scenarios

No matter how this all plays out
The sky is getting darker...
The air is getting colder...
My muscles are getting tired and sore
I don't think my head can take anymore.
It's been a good long fight
But we've reached the nets
And it's a safe bet
That our time comes to lay our arms down.

But we won't go out with a whimper
We'll go out with a bang
More ferocious than the great creation itself
Tearing ticks off of clocks
Leaving nothing but the shock
Oh, we aren't done yet!
We've got a little fight left
And we're going to take what we can get.

So keep those damn soccer nets out of our way.
Because we're not finished yet,
And we're still going to play.

Sunsets are forgotten to see the sunrise again.

We all say our goodbyes,
Hoping we can say hello again.
The sun sets in the sea,
To rise again on the tops of trees.
It's all circular, can you see it?

We hate the bitter endings,
To love the new beginnings...
But if we never let go
And dwell on the dead,
Our own wounds will never heal
And we can never move ahead.

So I've realized if you dream it
It almost never comes true...
But if you forget it all
It might just come to you
So I'll forget all my loves,
All my hopes,
All my dreams,
And I'll redefine what life really means.

Is Tamara Home?

There's a knock at the door.
Single strokes
Drowning notes
Of the phonograph in the den.
For every horrific pulse
Counting out this death waltz
Your heart beats five,
Pumping to provide blood,
Struggling to keep you alive.

Wakey, wakey, rise and shine!
You're going to die!
Admire the blade's tip so fine...
Are they sinners?
Yes, sometimes.

So save your breath
You did what you could,
You locked the doors
Like you knew you should.
Begging's no good...
They aren't there anymore,
Just let the blood pool on the floor.

This morning seems colder,
And now you're alone.
But why did they do it?
Because you were home.

Well that's a step up!

So you've found your way in again...
Although I covered my ears,
And kept my mouth shut,
With screws and bolts and nuts,
You've found your way in.
Blurring my vision
Damming transmission
Irrational remainders
In this long division.

I raise you up
You do the same
We share the focus
Still frame.
Freckled faces.
This smile is contagious!
Let's give it another try
You had a bit of sky in your eye
The sun needs time to shine too,
You know?

24

I am the one that at times you may see
Carefully pealing the rings off of trees
Trying to spin the earth west
Three hundred and sixty degrees
Putting back the carbon
Into fossilized bees
Holding restless hands
From hitting half past three...

I pass it,
I kill it,
I keep it,
But most of all
I need it,
Time.

Controlled R.E.M.

It is the smell of late December
Sweet ginger, scarves, and sweaters
Drawing a circle in my right hand
Trying hard understand

It is the Siren song that fills the skies
Which God himself placed in your eyes
Bringing seasoned sailors to their end
Taking his ships and all of his men

It is 5a.m. with no direction
It is failure in recollection
It is losing all perception
It is the art of self-deception.

Yes. We. Can.

The entire world is awake!
Look at what we've done
The liberty bells have rung
We've made history here today...

O, speak our great hero,
Our citizen of the world!
Let your voice sing
And shake the dust from this nation
Tell her,
"It's time to move forward!
It's time to progress!
Stretch those weary legs
Bearing such heavy burdens
For I will lift you myself!"
We cry tears of joy
You've always had our faith
We trust in your hands
Our nation so great

To our dear runner-up
Sporting coats of red
We respect you so much
Though your campaign is dead
You concede with great honor
You concede with your dignity
Try to sleep well tonight!
Although this nation rumbles with excitement
Shaking its borders with the roars of proud lions
Jostling the Pacific and the Atlantic
Challenging their waves with our own,
The nation is in safe hands,
So do not worry,
Our nation's seasoned servant.

But tonight we won't sleep
But celebrate with dear friends
As we sit back in awe
In this nation born again...

...And their pumping fists pushed the heavens back to make way for change!

Nothing can hush this roaring crowd
Radio waves rupture the skies
TV screens shine with pride
All shouting one name:
Obama

Loyal flags trample front lawns
Showing a brighter dawn
A dawn of new hope
A dawn of due change
All shouting one name:
Obama

You say Obama
I say hope
You say McCain
I say nope

Barack the boat
Barack the house
You make the vote
He'll take the House

Obama says to knock you out.
Change is what I'm all about.

Go ahead,
Pump your fists in the sky
Letting out our cry in unison:
Freedom!
Oh let it ring...
Our stars, our stripes,
The pride they bring
Our nation's been waiting for a moment like this
So don't you dare wait until November 5th!
Let the world know what you've got to say
Because he who rejects change
Is the architect of decay.

A Father Watches His Own Son Die

Hector, my hero, I mourn for you dearly
The dark mist will never let your eyes see clearly
Oh son, how I raised you, so proud and so valiant
But soon you'll be tied to the frame of a chariot
Covered in blood of your brothers in arms
Driven by the monster who caused us such harm

How how I wish that my tears could protect us
And give back the wife of wicked Menelaus
But they just fall to the ground and fade away
As will the sun, shielding its eyes from the fray
When all of Troy is pillaged and burned down to the ground
And your mother and I are killed in our silken nightgowns
Son, do you pity our deaths in our sleep?
Or what damage your death will inflict on me?
A father cannot bury another one of his sons
As I have already buried Polydorus and Lycaon
How can I wash as you are eaten by birds?
Achilles will laugh and ignore every single word
Or cry, for that fact, as your mother beats her breast
Or scream from my voice as I pull from my crest

So now you run for your life around our great city's walls
As Apollo cowers from your side by great Zeus' call
But now you stop, foolish son, it's not your brother, it's a god
It seems you don't care, charging death against all odds
I pray you got to know Sleep, because his cousin Death awaits
The scales have been tipped and there's no turning your fate
Your soul will escape and your limbs will go slack
And once in the House of Death, you can't ever come back.

11:11 and nothing to wish for...

Today the sun did not rise
The sleep and saline crusted over my eyes
I could still taste the courageous words on my tongue
That took the fatal breath right out of my lungs
That shattered glass towers
And brought November showers
My is body still tired and weak
As if that sleep meant nothing to me
Good morning cold ketchup and eggs
Good morning filtered tap
God damn it I fought it off for five years,
But my friends, my hopes, your ghost, have disappeared
And now it's the only thing left to keep me company at night
It's the only thing I can ever really hold tight
But you're not to blame, my dear.
It is long past my due time.
This is truly my fall.
This is my
Decline.

Closure.

I made a vow to myself
To write and clutter my shelves
But my thoughts have been lost in the deep
And are slowly conquered by sleep

My eyes are too heavy to see
My brain is too burdened to think
My throat is too weathered to speak
My heart is too broken to be

They say ask and you shall receive
But I just don't want to believe
That this chapter has come to an end
There's no sunlight around the bend

But although you were on and off
Just know that I never stopped
And time has shown and will show
My stubborn heart just won't let go

Red Leaf, Green Leaf!

Today the trees cried
When the earth let out a sigh
Blushing their shades of brown,
The sky closed its eyes
As the storm clouds passed by
The earth never making a sound.

As the mercury drops
The burning sun stops
Pausing to catch a breath...
Until the sun shuns the moon
And blazes in June
And seat belts singe fingers again.

Lemonade stands will rise
And the winter coats will hide
In closets, in basements, in cars
We'll sing on the beach!
And dance in the streets!
I miss you summer,
Please come back to my arms...

Time Capsule - 500mg

Overcome by the joys that life brings
And accepting the sacrifice it means
We laugh, we love
And say to hell with the above
We make our own choices.
We sound our own voices.
Grammar strict
Spelling remembered
Because here it comes,
The first of November.
Buckle up,
You're in for a ride!
Sit back,
Exhale,
And watch the stars collide...
Happiness over sleep
Through and through
But now here I sit,
11:30pm,
More work to do.

Caution: Exposed Wires

Awestruck by your persistence
Damned by your charm
Why bring me to such a blessed fall?
You know me too well,
Without knowing me at all.
You've found the box
With wires galore
The vibrant reds, blues, and greens
Metallic shell and shiny things
Be gentle.
You're playing a game
You know nothing about.
Keep it sweet.
I love the taste of sugar in my mouth...

Meatball Sandwich

Hello sinful brown and red
Just shyly sneaking white...
For you I've waited all this time!
For you I've fought the fight!

Of hunger pinching down inside
My stomach craving you...
And there you sit so steamy warm
How could I resist you?

Your petite curves have got me wrapped
Like the meat and marinara you hold
This awkward verse has got me trapped
I know without being told.

But now I sit with my cheap fix
Of six dollars fifty cents
Now I'll give in,
To my gluttonous sin,
And I shall not repent!

Ultimatum

Kiss the stars and boulevards
And tell the world that you once loved good night,
Good night,
Good night!
It's worth the fight so hold it tight,
Don't tell this boy that you once loved good bye,
Good bye,
Good bye!

Everything that's held me back
Has turned to weightless dust
And blown away,
You could call me crazy
But I believe
That it could work this way,
Don't leave me
Hanging from the fray,
There's one thing
That I've just got to say...

Kiss the stars and boulevards
And tell the world that you once loved good night,
Good night,
Good night!
It's worth the fight so hold it tight,
Don't tell this boy that you once loved good bye,
Good bye,
Good bye!

I tried,
And choked on every word.
But I,
Am the one who loved you first.
This hunger is breaking my bones
And making me thin,
I know I'm trailing
But here's my second wind...

Just hold the door
Don't walk away,
Just hold the door
Don't walk away.

Seven years, no parole.

Look in the glass
And forget who you are
Set aside your seat belt
And start up your car

This isn't conventional
This isn't relaxed
This isn't uptight
It's just matter-of-fact:

There's no getting out
Once you've been pulled in
So be sure to indulge
In the pleasures of sin.

Heads up!

It's all over now
So what can I say?
Despite all of our work,
Things did not go our way...

We must keep our heads up!
And learn from defeat
But first and foremost
Get some well-needed sleep.

Truth comes from the swings of the pendulum...

For the sake of good safety
I'll make this one brief:
You are my lover.
You are my thief.

But ironically enough
You've got me locked up
And nervously pacing the cage,
I can no longer wait
On spin cycle fate
I'm itching to start a new page...

We're all getting tired,
We're all getting older,
But you're the only good weight
That has been on my shoulders.

Bravado

Someone call a mutiny,
He's to be court marshaled quick!
The acts witnessed today
Would make any gentleman sick...

It was a betrayal of brotherhood!
Our love and trust in great wealth
And in robbing our brethren
You're robbing yourself.
And from the shoves and pulls
Comes an emergence of tension
Your Alpha male tactics
Have caught our attention

We can't take that here
No, not in this place...
You're lacking in honor
You're lacking in grace

You thought you were king
Boasting hotheaded pride,
But all reverence to him
For he stepped aside.

Not bad...

Today, the sun seemed a little brighter
But my sweater refused to let go
The cold was still scheming,
of sweet winter dreaming,
The fall leaves put on a show.

Today the sun rose a little higher
But my bright eyes refused to squint
I would miss all the smiles,
The laughs between aisles,
Her soft lips dropping a hint...

Tonight the moon seemed a little brighter
But crickets kept chirping away
The lullaby went on,
Their sweet autumn song,
The tree branches swaggered and swayed.

Tonight the moon rose a little higher
But the night life kept working it's jive
The main streets were booming,
The city lights were blooming,
My heart never felt so alive...

Adding insult to inquiry.

You convulse your words of worthless ash
With blackened lungs and tired wind,
To satisfy your ego, that burning rash
To compliment your drinking binge.

You boast and brag
You take a drag
You think that you're supreme,
You live in envy
You live in contempt
Your head is full of steam

So you chug and tug
And toot your horn
Thoughts narrow as the rail
You're out of fire.
You're out of coal.
Your insults are turning frail.

To challenge me and my heart's beat
Is to genuflect in your submission!
It's to march your troops to my sturdy front line
And then forget your ammunition.

I'll mow you down!
I'll watch you drown!
Keeping your cement shoes nice...
Though this isn't a dance,
And this isn't a ball,
But you're prancing on thin ice.

So I suggest you back down
Put the gun on the ground
As empty as it may be,
Like the threats that you fling
An innocuous sting
There is no destroying me.

Quick, Our Youth Escapes Us!

I'm attacked by the sofa's floral patterns
While wearing my Sunday's best
Sitting here, dressed to impress
But drowning in nervous sweats

Be professional.
Be calm.
Look charming.
Look on.
Stay Focused.
Stay clear.
No whining.
No tears.

Oh, how I wish I was young again
The innocence and the scars
Mac n' Cheese, I want more, please!
Wish upon a shooting star

But there's no mother here to hold my hand
No father to lean on his shoulder
Nothing else left, but the task at hand
I guess this is getting older...

So suck it up and like the couch
Answer clearly and look neat!
This interview sucks,
I want to go home,
Only nerds go to MIT.

The scales have been tipped!

From within the depths of iron mass
Which concrete walls contained,
The panthers stalked their rebel prey
who took their name in vain.
A silence came that hushed the men
Who trained in grit and grime,
Then a voice bellowed a fearful cry,
"Now it's about that time!"

Their muscles tensed
And their hearts raced,
Pumping orange and white.
This was a war we had declared
Far more than just a fight.
It was a matter of honor
A matter of pride
It wasn't just a game,
They took them both a year ago
And put us all to shame.

But now we marched on our own field
Defending our own name,
Our heads held high
Our armor strapped tight
Yeah, it was that time again...

Here came the rain
Here came the flood
Here came the storm again.
Here came the fire
Here came the fight
Here came the rebels' end...

So pack it up and close up shop
Because now the war is through,
Today was redemption
No mercy at all
The field painted navy blue.

This first one is for Ben Puliafito, a man of inspiration.

"Imagine where you will be, and it will be so. Hold the line! Stay with me! If you find yourself alone, riding in the green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and you're already dead!"

-Maximus

In 14 hours and 7 minutes, Zeus will let the great scales of justice fall. For 48 minutes, both sides shall suffer great losses until the God of the Thunder Shield hails a victor.



Lace your war sandals.
Put on your war shirt.
Wear your bronze armor with pride
And sacrifice some bulls.

It's the Polytechnic Panthers versus the Flintridge Rebels,
A classic rivalry.
A brutal war.