After so long of/
being told to go away,/
I can’t eas’ly stay.

OR

I struggle with “Stay!”

The new restaurant’s/
coupon says it’s on Stale Street./
I hope that’s not right.

Is the glass half full?/
Is the glass half empty? Be/
glad you have a glass!

How do I assuage/
your timid and insecure/
feelings of self-doubt?

If my lips were moist/
and not so chapped, I would smile/
thinking about you.

OR

Why I Won’t Smile At You:
If my lips were moist/
and not so chapped, I would smile/
when I am with you.

Why does Charlie Sheen
date a porn queen
young enough to be his daughter?
I really think he oughta
leave her flat on his flat screen.

I reflect on what
emotions, like waterfalls,
spilled out of my mind
and fingertips
last night.

Hope.
Desire.
Romance.
Passion.
Cheese.
Butterflies.
No omelets.
Antici…
…
…
pation.

Now, the next
morning,
I can ruminate,
consider what I
wrote,
how I threw
you
a life ring
as you bob
p
u
and
d
o
w
n
and try to not
drown
in a sea
where you see
plenty
of fish,
but just one
me.

Will you grab the ring?
Thrown by
a guy who might be
every type of romance,
tenderness,
attention,
praise,
intellect,
self worth,
Lebensfreude,
that you’ve ever
sought?

Sometimes,
when a heart
has been in bondage,
it must be shaken
AND stirred
to open
to what it always knew
it needed.

I’m grateful to have/
a shower. Under water, /
noone sees your tears.

She’s so practical,/
She’s still begging for romance./
How should I touch her?

I am a complex/
man who simply rises with/
the dawn when you’re near.