Pay attention to the nice things people say about you
Write 'em down on tossed cigarette boxes
Struggling…
Ends meet and go through the meat grinder
Will I hear my drowning spiral?
Now? No.
Am I passing through the edges, bumping in the maze
Do I need healing or relaxing?
Lax? Me?
I saw the Water boy sweating
on a hot day, drinking water,
he didn't hurt himself with wine
He did talk with himself
By fall we reached the Water Boy,
didn't drink, smoke or fend for himself.
I bought him socks
A Christian brought him foods
I hope no one hollered at him
Someone stole from him
Everything—clothes and writings—
his thoughts dragged off cigarette boxes.
I made it through the winter
with thoughts now on candy boxes
letters, numbers...
I see a cream-colored cat on a high fence
Can you save her from the barbed wire?
In the rain? I tried.
All I could do was give her a name: Barbie
Barbie fed by a cute cat lady of 80
who was frightened the kitty would fall
I said I'd save her, but she disappeared.
My Water Boy had a Texas accent
People thought he had a mental illness
He was subject to being stolen from, and humbled
to sit on a park bench 'til he followed Barbie away.
