packing back with you

It's said, and I believe
The best way to relive something is to witness someone experience it
for the first time

And with you
the air bristled with an energy
pine sharp
sunlight crisper
and the clever cadence of your words
to jolt me out of
the long stretches
of trail silence
from my childhood
where TV jingles pounded heedless
for hours
over
and
     over
with the steady tread on dust
my feet.

No, something so exciting
about you, but as natural,
you,
conjuring alien chases across the tree roots
and brushing meadow reeds
our arms
in our wake.

I know you are experiencing
it
differently,
through eyes that have never
glimpsed this place,
but both in awe
we gasp
when we stumble to the
top of each crest,
our clothes plastered to us
with sweat,
hearts bursting and
shoulders set in defiance
or defeat.

2 lizards,
10 lizards,
a snake,
pumping water
stretched across a rock
waterfall pounding
glistens afront the jagged ragged
peaks
as we climb
and our toes numb
the view around the corner
becoming increasingly tremendously
and water fording
We sprawl in a boulder's exposed
crack
Trip through down the
sharp undergrowth
and venture back
to hang it all in a tree
and watch the curious moon
try to socialize
with distant stars...

We discussed and we did
ate slept
and moved through our world
in the ultimate collision of
hearts and minds
And I can't imagine a soul here
I'd have rather gone with.


post dedicated to NNP, my dear friend

to my fiery resilient mother, on 52

(I wish words and signifiers could do her justice)

to you,

nothing less than a birthday sonnet:

Eyes narrowed she walks face into the wind

When home: Penny's rug, pot roast at 10 till

The three minute drive, she can finally grin

Starkly efficient she revs up the hill

Tell me there's someone who does it better

Why are we always looking for the sale?

To sis and me, she's rock solid, and were

we patient, we'd know from her how never to fail

Gaudy? No, she's color-coordinated

Loyal, dame of Compassion, and as a

matter of fact, perfection goes unstated

as she keeps our whole dizzying world at bay

'course Dad completes her; yet your Teddy bears declare

Mom we love you so much, you're always there!

Forward

Feet planted in the shadowy abyss
I square my shoulders
Set my lips and grin
What optimism never lets me miss

I glimpse the pinholed
sky, there's hope I'll win
I know
so I write.

22, babe!!

And we sat
under a tree
that rained
caricatures of spiders
And there I was–
my chatter putting so much distance
from the gun's firing
And there you were–
listening,
your words with
a deliberation
that always leaves me
straining
for that unfinished phrase–
there we were,
here we are.

This is harder,
babe,
this writing something for you...
because a sonnet
won't cut it.
You'd shatter it
in a single
glance–
hell to flattery
and its friends
Don't bother
saying it if
all form,
no
substance...
and lord! the
glass that has
hailed
the sidewalk
if I could
put us into words,
as we sip our
bitter drinks,
it's who we are,
and what we do.

To think that
you've driven me
even more
spontaneous,
while pushing
me to defend
to the diction
my words which
are sometimes less
of thought...
to think
that I can't
yet
even
pinpoint all the effects
of our vibrant ship...

Jessica R. Daniel
meine Lieblingsfreundin
I see a beautiful girl
caught
bemidst
what should be
and what isn't
far too wise
for most to know
Ich will nur dein Glück
and passion
can't exist in a
vacuum
Nothing exists
in a
vacuum.

Eile mit Weile
It's your eternal motto–
you just
don't know it yet
in those precise words.
Time without the hurry
all-consuming schedule...
time to be.
What the world needs
and what we
will
always give it
as night falls
and we escape the
city
of our captivity
the headlights
pave
a country road
speed
narrated by
the music
emblazoned
crosst our souls
Meeting once again
with
the thrilling Unfamiliar
in a mad
culmination of...
für immer??
Only to us.

I love you across the mountains, seas,... past that brilliant horizon we are ever watching– the sun's getting brighter, babe. Here's to 22– your brightest yet!! To a badass year and one hell of an adventure that's right around the corner. <3

always dwelling on light

we walk the fine
bright city line

our dainty heels dig spikes
in the puddles of spilled light

shall we cross the glitt'ring bridge?
or continue to the ridge

am i in my rightsome mind
is intigue as yet a bind

when did they coin it blind?

how fitting

the spotlight came on
in class
when we started analyzing religion
in The Monk

the church is just a backdrop
which enables them all
to do wicked things

Hark!
critical thinkers!
let's throw light
on the shadows.

current context of my being

I am but currently defined
by an eclectic bagel, banana
peel, three binders,
and the solemn imposition
of time
so solitarily confined

They are not,
three generations
joined manifestly
by the arches
of their
throws
the young soul
running blithely
in his tiny
cap, tiny
red shirt
matching his dad's

Allein ist gut
aber zusammen
besser ist.


(written in the last day gone by)