10-30 Does Martha Get Hangovers?

Shit Yeah! She does.
Do you think,
all of those,
perky, perfect, pumpkin seeds,
didn't happen without a special,
spank-me, spice me,
slap-n-squeeze my lime tickle me,
puh-lease, this smile,
(adjusting the blonde wig)
is just as sweet as the day of,
cover of,
Living the morning after.
get this girl, a rice latte already!
Shite.

10-29 Odie's Bridge

the woods stirred,
behind your eyes,
the hunt had begun.

I could tell,
you wanted to bundle in,
scarf around your head,
ignore the call,
and look down,
at still water collecting evening,

but instead, you held on to the
wooden rails, train rushing by,
while I, casually, ripped out my eyes,
to show you the backside,
and said,
don't worry sweetie,
see I have scars too,

before jumping over the rail,
face planting, blindly groping,
crawling on the moving,
sinuous surface, till I could stand,
hands clutching my eye-balls,
middle-finger pointing lightening to the sky,

don't worry sweetie,
I yelled over the rush of the train,
see I have scars too,
and popped them back in,

while you faded away, ticket in hand,
fingers clutching your face, I heard a pop,
followed, by another, and then silence.

The hunt was on.

10-28 For Example: A Shoe

So...

Last I heard,
you were stuck,
on the steps of the palace,
mighty warm, on the steps of the palace,
where the king had born a tiny lord, mighty warm,
The tiny lord, on the steps of the palace,
oh! magnum, did you hear what I heard?

you stole the heart of the tiny lord, oh magnum,
on the steps of the palace,
you were screaming, Gloria, Gloria, Gloria,
we all heard, you screaming, Gloria, Gloria, Gloria,
on the steps of the palace, in excelsis, De-e- Oh!
Why so mysterious, excelsis, baby, joy to the world,
and all that,

I still can't believe you stole his heart? You did, right?

Was it? A star, that star, that prince of a star, shining in the east?
That made you do it? Or
Was it? That pesky little drummer boy,
pounding Bolero into the night?
Oh I know! A toast, a toast! It was him, HIM!
roasting his gingham chestnuts,
on the steps of the palace, roasting. That Tiny lord, mmmm.

No? Do tell, do tell. Boo. Why so mysterious, Magnum? Why?
What gave you courage to take his parting glass and fill it with, Oh!
Magnum, why?

Why ever did you run? Silly. He can't celebrate this night without you.
Without you, babe, without you, he can't celebrate, why ever, did you run?

Heigh ho, sweetie, Heigh Ho,
it's all so much folly,
Heigh ho, sweetie, Heigh Ho,

Do you think he has a clue?

10-27 In Which Much Goodbyes Are Said And Hellos Remembered

Winter, old friend,
don't be shy.
I'm here again.
You too it seems.

latte please, with almond milk, double shot...
separate. 
  
small world,
to meet such,
spare change,
at a coffee shop,
grinding, where I once
last saw you,
me, walking the wind to my door,

to go.
sweetie, you have all the time in the world,

walk with me, again,
like this,
yeah I'm cold, but this is nice,
don't be shy,
I'm right around the corner,
just a few minutes, old friend,
Why are you here? again,
whistling the wind to my door,
again, whistling,

maybe I shouldn't ask questions,

just come on in,
don't just stand there,
we are old friends you and I,
don't by shy,
old friend,
Winter, you must remember this,
when the wind comes whistling to my door,
I am a man too,
we are, old friends,
you and I,
what else are we to do?

10-26 So a chef, a dog-napper, and a hungry red she-wolf parade into a bar...

oh snap,

the devil,
went her heels,
spotty on the floor,
twirling in the smoke,
from her cruel jagged lips,
cackling,
twirling in the smoke,
from her cruel jagged lips,
fur, ceiling to the floor,
ceiling to the floor,
fur, ceiling to the floor,
arms, shoulders,
ceiling to the floor,
-it's laber-doodle,
do ya love it?
flash, thrust,
cackling, in the red,
cackling in the black,
pearly white cackling,
ceiling to the floor,
oh snap, my sister,
oh snap, my sister,
oh snap,

twirling wooden spoons,
clapping, slapping,
twirling wooden spoons,
clapping, slapping,
shaking shook salt,
on the floor,
on the floor,
shaking shook salt,
on a,
pepper perfect patron,
pepper perfect person,
pepper, perfect, pepper,
patron, perfect, pepper,
patron, person
please, sister,
hold the salt, hold the salt,
shaking, shook, slapping,
hold the salt, hold the salt,
shaking, shook, slapping,
hold the salt, hold the salt,
slapping, shaking,
slapping, shaking,
oh snap, my sister,
oh snap, my sister
oh snap,

in a red dress, undress,
in a red dress, undress,
caress, in a red dress,
howl like you want it,
howl like you want it,
howl like you need it,
howl like you undress,
in a red dress, caress,
in a red dress, caress,
in a red dress,
howl like you have it,
howl like you have it,
howl like you give it,
howl if you want it,
undressed, in a red dress,
caressed, in a red dress,
howl, cause you got it,
howl, cause you got it,
oh snap, my sister,
oh snap, my sister,

oh snap.

10-25 Love, For Love

As I lay dying,

Cinderella tucked her knees,
into the house of September,
wishing the cotton woven starlight,
into his ember-ed  arms,

love, for love, 

as he
gathering the shadows from her,
spun black threads into her thoughts,
wishing, between her knees,
she would fill his house of September,

love, for love,

as I lay dying,
watching the two,
in the midnight ashes of the hour,

love, for love,

end the day.

10-24 Children Will Listen

Apple and I,
are afraid of you,
what you are seeing, hearing,
Whispers of war, brewing,
witches in the branches,
wishing on the hour, emerging,
wizards in the leaves, falling,
revealing, Whispers of war,
are not, what others have seen,
accepted before, Apple and I,
are afraid you will, believe,
and listen, and then,
look,

Moon rises between the un-forming, branches of my sky,
as you,

curiously, peel away, picking,
remarking, casually, with glitter, tossing
the rotten ones on the floor,
rolling into the corner,
while the ripe ones, the ones that glow,
sunset red and sunset gold,
your eyes fill with pleasure, plan,
the smell of pie and glue guns,
tracing, the once-been cross-hatched markings of dough,
tightly woven into the bark blackened,
around my face,
with your glue guns, hot, and dripping,
how can you ask, me,
to bake a mask, for my child?
when,

Apple shivers under the yawning, yellowing, rising Moon-
I can't hold him, and hide my face too.

Can't you see the salt dripping between my fingers,
silver needles, scissors, flashing, with my thumbs,
flashing, thin silver cords, when I look out,
cutting, the pastry, in my red apron, I can't hide him, from you,
silver needles flashing, gold thread forming,
from the Moon, spun, asked,
always a price,
always a price,
and yet, you, ask for more,
gold thread to be spun, to name,
the tree growing without my permission,

he is too beautiful, to want,
to prune, to capture, to release,
he is too beautiful, to hide,
glowering within the amber fire of his dark shadows,
when the Whispers held him,
fed him Whispers into the late of October,
because I could not, sing down the wind,
because he is too beautiful, to sing,
down the wind, and be born,

beneath the angry eye of the dragon moon, hungry,
careful

Apple and I know,
Apple and I know,
where the Whispers went,
where the Whispers went to follow, and curl,
into the hollow of his arms, cradling, him,
while his parents, cried over their stillborn,
child, face down, in the dirt, leaves crumbling,
into gathering Whispers, as they buried, him,
sending him to where the Whispers went,
to follow, and curl, into the hollow of their arms,
cradling him, welcoming him into their company,
in their,

graves holding the once-living,
who holds the never-alive?

Apple, The Moon and I whisper,
sing down the wind to me,
sing down the wind to me,
he is too beautiful,

trying to hold, me,
with their tiny lullaby hands,

but what do children know,
that a lover will listen too?

Oh Moon,

He sees you looking,
and tries,
to rip the hands from my face,
the scissors from my hands,
the needles from my thumbs,
strangling himself in silver and gold,
threads, so young, spun,  and hot,

he can not know,
who his parents are,
he can not know,
what prices were paid,
to the witches and wizards,
so he could,
sing down the wind, with me,
my child, sing down the wind,
with me, we are afraid,
Apple and I are afraid,

all he can feel, is

the tree of his heart,
growing too big,
to hide behind, another mask,
what will you find?
when his temper, unchecked,
sends the Whispers to love,
with the tree of his heart,

Apple, and I are afraid,
afraid for you.

10-23 Last Call

you said you wouldn't,
fall,
for a writer,
but how else, do I?

tell you, these woods,
feel empty, these leaves,
collect, crumble,
into my hands, these words,
collect, crumble,
into my hands,
these woods,

feel,
your shadow,
behind me, walking,
your shadow,
behind me, walking,

away,
as the last bells of evening,
call,

your shadow,
collecting, crumbling,
words into my hands,
into these woods,
collecting, crumbling,
words,

I am, again,
looking down,
an Autumn, unwinding leaves-

alone.

10-22 Mr. Behr, The Moon, and I Say Goodnight

good bye love,
when the night came,
to say good night, love,
the moon and I,
thought of you love,
the moon and I,
thought of you,
love.

I could come home to you,
when the sun goes down,
I could come home to you,
but I could not stay,
the new day awake,
I could not stay,
at home with you,
I don't know why,
but the moon and I,
thought only of you,
tonight love,
only of you tonight,
love.

good bye love,
I didn't want to say,
good bye love,
but you asked me to say,
good night love,
tonight, love,
the moon and I,
think only of you,
tonight love,
the moon and I,
think only of you-

alone.

10-21 Autumn Reveals His Eyes

but I said no,
no, no, no, no
but I said,

the crisp was warm,
like I knew it would be,
gluten-free, caring,
like I knew you would be,

sitting in the chair,
like a wolf dad,
caring, would be,
for it's pup,
who had grown up,
slick, muscled and furry,
golden-amber flashing,
undecided, in an apartment,
that wasn't, and won't be,
yours,

anymore, you need to leave, leave, leave,
as you should be,
because I can't not in this place,
there is not,
enough room,
for the storms brewing, in my palms,
in my lips, in my canines,
as it should be,
creature of the woods, you raised,
you are me,
too,

and you talked, you talked, you talked,
your black glasses into punctuation,
and boundaries, sentences, fluctuation of you voice,
and I came, come,
with the dust of the old lupine country,
in my words, in my movements,
as I should be, as you want me to be,
in my words, in my movements,
you want a man,
to prowl with,
I've become, one,
if you want this man, to hunt with,
you need to remind me that,
I can howl at the moon,
as much as you want me too,
I can howl at the October moon,
as much as you need me too,
and howl, howl, howl,
howl, howl, howl,
as it should be, two,
scratching the dirt from beneath my paws, two,
scrambling, twisting, clawing, to get at you,
just as much as you,
just as much as you need me too,
but,

I am,
only a pup of a man,
I whimper,
hot-headed, blood dripping from my mouth,
hungry,
whimpering, nuzzling, blood drying on the corners of my mouth,
while we talk politely, of corn fields, full moons,
picket fences, and other gods,
but he stirs, while I stir,
 unconsciously, wild,
in the fever-dream of your words,
as it should be,
becoming-

no.

10-21 Could you?

How would you hold me if I asked?

Promises. Promises.

I made promises,

and I can not break.

How would you hold me if I asked?

Sweetie. I know, 

I do.

but I made promises.

holding your face in my hands,

I made promises,

Promises, Promises,

and I can not break,

How would you hold me if I asked?

holding your face in my hands,

I still hesitate, I still do,

I hate it, I hate it, I hate it,

but,

I made promises,

Promises, Promises,

and I can not break,

How would you hold me, if I asked?

and I am,

but I can not break,

I can not break-

penny whistle plays the rain, whistling into the grass,

bending to the wind, whistling into the rain,

promises, promises,

and.

I can not break,

I can not break-

How could you hold me, then,

love.

How could you?

Promises, Promises

I can not break.

10-19 Three Minutes

Some people,
use three words,
to say-

I was lucky,

and had,
three minutes,
to say-

these three words.

10-18 The Onesie Shows My Package

around me,
men are stripping into
their panties,

high heels, bird-seed bouncing,
hummingbirds,
tittering, titillating, tweetering,

huddling into a tiny corner,
I quickly, drop trou-

feeling naked- exposed
I am not seen,
until.

fumbling with the buttons,
sugar-water drips nervous,
down my chest,
- a buzz-by startles me,

another
another.
another.

the buttons undone,
attracted to the color-

red.

10-17 Shame

brother-in-my-arms,
is this not wrong?

hand held,
pushing me away on the dance floor,
pulling me back,
reluctantly,
spinning slow,
pulling me back,
fast-reluctant,
in your,
hand-held,

brother-in-my-arms,
is this not wrong?

step left, step right,
step left, step right,
look at me,
step left, step right,
step left, step right,
look at me,
look at me-
turn away,

brother-in-my-arms,
is this not wrong?

stop.
breath comes fast on the spin of the moment,
spinning into the moment on the breath,
coming fast, you are the moment,
of my breath spinning, coming fast,
you are, spinning, coming fast,
spinning, you are breath-
stop.

brother-in-my-arms,
is this not wrong?

is this not wrong?
is this not wrong?

hand-held, pushing me away,
into the moment of my breath,
spinning, look at me, spinning,
brother, look.

10-16 The Curse of The Petunia Bakery Shoppe

careful,
Mr. Behr,
careful,

Leaves crumble in the hearts of my Autumn.
what do you say, Mr. Behr?
shaking leaves from the skeleton fingers of my Autumn
what can you say, Mr. Behr?
is it time to sleep?

gold smolders, crumbles, storms, in his eyes,

Winter looks out,
innocence in his fore-arms, careful,

Mr. Behr,
careful- these are the days of my Autumn.

10-15 The Morning After

Come,
follow all,
follow all,
in the hallow,
in the hallow.

Come,
follow all,
in the hallow.

Litter on the ground,
in the hollow,
in the hollow.
litter on the ground,
found,
in the hollow,
in the hollow,

Come,
follow all,
follow all,
in the hallow,
in the hallow.

Come,
follow all,
in the hallow.

foot steps on the walk,
in the hollow,
in the hollow,
follow, come follow,
foot falls on the walk,
talk,
in the hollow,
in the hollow,

Come,
follow all,
follow all,
in the hallow,
in the hallow.

Come,
follow all,
in the hallow.

gather trash from the mud,
in the hollow,
in the hollow,
gather ash from the mud,
red,
in the hollow,
in the hollow,

in the hollow,
red,
in the hollow,
in the hollow,
come follow,
gather ash,
red,
in the hallow,
in the hallow,
come follow,
gather ash,
in the hollow,
in the hollow,

foot steps walk,
quiet the follow,

foot steps walk,
quiet the follow,

foots falls talk,
quiet the follow,

in the hallow,
in the hallow,
quiet the follow,
in the hallow,
in the hallow-

hush.

10-14 Apple and The Balloon Breathe

Breathe.

Apple could not,

Breathe.

Apple would not,

Breathe.

Apple could not, would not,
and So.

There were,
balloons in the corner,
balloons tied-to-the-chair,
balloons in the corner,
there were,
balloons.

But Apple,
could not,
would not,
and So.

It was NOT Apple's birth day.
But.

There were,
balloons, bright, bright, yellow,
balloons, red, green, white-striped
blue,  balloons tied-to-the-chair,
there were,
balloons.

But Apple,
could not,
would not,
but,

his mom.
Did.

Apple could not,
Apple would not,
and So.

There was a
Balloon, Purple-white-striped.
Balloon, Purple-white-striped.
Baloon, tied-to-his-hand,
there was a,
Balloon.

But Apple,
could not,
would not,
and So.

Apple let go.

and breathed.
Blue-sky-swallow. Fly.
Fly-blue-sky. Swallow.

Fly.
Apple-breathed.

10-13 The Door Opens

petals fresh from bouquets,
on my hands, I opened

the door to the house of September

shadows in corners whispered my name,
a hushed fellowship, gathered, to look
upstairs.

candle light flickering, the house had caught,
something new, something different, and he

nested, fumbled, into the eyes of the house of September,
amber smoke smoldering, unfurling,

into

shadows in corners, whispering his name,
I, with petals stained on my hands,
hesitated, at the door,

whispering his name, shadows gathering-
changed.

10-12 Snow Buys A Shirt

You were as surprised as I,
when on a lark-of-a-road trip,
painters brush dangling,
casual bristles swaying,
from your hip,  you bought,
an out-of-style-retro-trip-hip
t-shirt,
only been, worn, torn, caught-a-smile, few times,
in the candy aisle,
of a country five-and-dime,
painter's brush dangling,
bristles, casual,
from his hip,
on a pink plastic hanger,
in a candy aisle kind of road-trip...

and it fit.

Now you're wriggling,
because you can't,
for the life of you,
understand why.

10-11 Did

Timothy David
couldn't, didn't,
though he tried,
Timothy David,
watched his empire,
crumble, mumble, and die,
cursing screws, kings,
princes, washers, and
cheshire,

smiling lost things,
Timothy David built

wooden-metal cross-beams,
crucifying his princess,

and her steadfast pea,
laughing at clocks, ticking-tocking, rocking
maddening, maniacal, midnights ,
Timothy David,
stroking his ego,
hammered his lady, crazy,
stoking his pyre, higher,
taller, higher, brighter, till
Timothy David,
did.

10-10 Stick

Pretty little needles, humming,
gossiping, humming,
witty necessities, humming.

Chatty tiny prickers, buzzing,
darting, buzzing,
must's, do's, buzzing.

Pretty little needles.
Pretty little needles.
Hold.

10-9 don't you, don't you

don't you,
don't you,
write me a sad Christmas song, babe,
don't,
sing for me your sad Christmas song, when,
L is for the way I want you,
to look at me,
don't you,
don't you, understand,
I don't want to hear you cry that sad Christmas song,
when O, Oh, Oh, is
for all I want to do,
lay it down in duet,
with you, so
don't you, don't you, don't you,
forget about me,
when you write that sad Christmas song, babe,
because, V, is very, very, you, are my,
E, extraordinary,  so don't you,
don't you, don't you,
forget, this is how you,
you-
L.O.V.E your Christmas song to me.

10-8 Look

mirror, mirror,
beneath your skin,
the house of the dragon,
hiding within,
slumbers,
beneath your skin,
one eye open,
can't look back,
can't look back,
what have you done,
mouse is caught,
beneath your skin,
looking in,
looking in,
mirror, mirror,
will you let him,
in again, and again,
slumbering
beneath your skin,
the house of the dragon,
hiding within.

10-7 You Forgot Your Key

Lock.
Tighten.
Screw.
It's Not You.
Shut.
Tighten.
Screw.
It's Not You.
No. No. No.
I told you.
No. No. No
It's not you.
Lock
Tighten.
Screw.
Shut.
Tighten.
Screw.
You. It's Not.
No. No. No.
It's Not.
No. No. No.
It's. Not.
No. No. No.
It's Not.
Lock
Tighten
Screw
You.

10-06 What He Told Me

the wind, blew

kisses on my knees,

unwinding,

folds of fabric,

from another summer’s

memory, soft,

unwinding, folds

of blushing kisses,

on my knees,

unwinding

folds of fabric,

whispering,

in the wind,

in the wind,

of,

summer’s,

kisses on my knees,

whispering,

I didn't know.

I didn't know.

I didn't know,

She, unwinding,

summer’s kisses,

on my knees,

whispering,

whispering,

I didn't know

I didn't know,

blushing, she

didn't know, blushing,

she didn't know,

she didn't know,

summer’s end unwinding-

in the wind

10-05 Again, Flight

alone,
in this,
and not,
alone as
traffic overhead,
honks, jamming,
the airwaves,
while I sit,
in radio silence,
wondering why,
the knob broke.

10-04 Winter Is Always Coming

snow in the forecast again...

shivering when you, he's near,
clutching, grasping, turning my head,
firmly to look at you, him, from him,
to you, your, where-ever,
no matter where the ever of Alaska
takes me, there he is, and you,
tapping me on the shoulders,
with your, his, skeleton fingers,
tap-tap-a-tapping,
on my shoulders,
pushing through bone,
digging, digging, digging,
skewering my heart,
words of winter,
no matter where you, he takes me,
there Alaska is,
fist-punch to the chest,
smashing, smashing, smashing,
words of winter,
yet you, he and you kisses my eye lids close,
so sweetly,
sweetly into the soft kisses,
of his, your eyes,
so sweetly, soft
there Alaska is,
falling words-
winter is coming.

10-03 A Spell For October

fairy dust,
fairy dust,
fairy dust,
to wake the eyes,
from deepest slumber,
lips and lies,
to soothe the truth,
beneath grey skies,
within the hearts of men,

oh, come, men, come,
come, men, come,

come find us,
wake us,
know us,
soothe us,
bring us, to
the back again,
with fairy dust,
to wake you then,
held within our lips and lies,

oh, come, men, come,
come, men, come

your deepest slumber,
in grey-ing eyes,
caught between our hearts and sky,
these men of October must not lie,
fairy dust,
fairy dust,
fairy dust,
bid them wake,
unto,
the good of night.

10-02 Caretaker

there's a reason,
and it's not what,
you think,
and I am not sure,
what to think,
so I play along,
and hope,
the reason,
is not what others think,
that you don't need,
a reason,
just a heart,
and that you have,
large enough,
to swallow me whole.

10-01 Shouting Out In The Darkness

monks in robes,
hold my arms,
dipping them in ink,
swirling woods,
forming conversation,
with a man,
I may never meet,
but who might as well,
be holding my arms,
swirling in ink,
forming a woods,
being a man.

09-30 Sad Beautiful

last day of September,
at the half-past line,
there you are,
in your sad, protected, rhyme,
moving in,
the heart didn't ask permission,
for you,
to be beautiful,
wild, crazy, beautiful,
and not.

the heart didn't ask permission,
but there you are,
and I,
don't know,
if I want,
to let you in,
let you share,
let this new, wild, crazy, beautiful, me
give permission,
to share,
cause at half-past,
you are still a man,
and I'm a girl,

is this house of September big enough,
for two sad beautifuls,
to be wild and crazy,
or will you,
not,

give permission,
for my heart,
to be beautiful.

who are you?
who are you?

but there you are...

last day, at half-past,
and I still don't know.

who.