Theme Week 15: Jux Suppose

This time I want to do it a little differently
Speculate, imagine
a quick in-and-out
Mysteries can still be written
pearls of beauty
Turns and curves and rabbit prints in the snow
A lot of quiet
The little girl dreaming
Imagine being the girl laughing
A little short of breath
It’s inevitable
Everything you want me to see
Smoky, sad, boozy
approach it with dread
run right past it without hesitation
resign ourselves to the inevitable
peek at the weaknesses
all those thorns
inimitably me
simmering rage directed inward
The inner trash
Thoughts curl back on each other
with a stranger, someone who had no face
Unusual circumstance, peculiar feeling
Check your horrors against our own....
Beat the poet out of you
Hit me that way a little.
Drunk on those tequila shots
enough to find some calm
Something magic about that
A rush of pleasure
bits and pieces of secrets
it came out of your mouth too
something new: in the past
he would probably have been safe
Find a new place to be gone to....
Something pleasant to think about
Temptation to be wrestled with
pretty much says it all.

Theme Week 14: I Am The Risk I Take

“This is a week where you take a few risks…”

Every word is a risk. Yes, even the ones that flow with their own life despite the meaning I’d have put to them are a risk. Every one.

I don’t worry after the grade or your thought of the words. I don’t worry about that unseen audience that may or may not read them. Each of those scenarios carry the same weight.

Every word is a risk because the wrong one, the wrong placement could say something that I didn’t intend. Each one could betray a vow of secrecy or offer a window where before there was nothing but wall.

Once those words are put together and posted they serve as a challenge to me, a risk to do better or differently or not so much or more.

For those of us who are not authors, who do not dream of being authors but only write because it is need, for those of us, Mr. Goldfine, every word is a risk.

Theme Week 13: Bar Fly: The Return

I watched her move across the bar hoping that she wouldn't see me. It was obvious from the wide eyes and the speedy nature of her gait that she was still using.

"Oh my God! I can't believe it's you. I mean I was talking to Larry just a few minutes ago and I said that I never see you or your sister anymore and asked if he knew what you were doing now and he never does because he stays on that tractor day and night and never goes anywhere and when he does he doesn't go to any of the places that you guys go which I don't even know where you guys go anymore and what you do because you never call me anymore and the only time I ever hear anything about you is from one of the kids and even then they don't tell me much because I think they worry that it will hurt my feelings so they don't really talk about you all that much and frankly I don't have any friends anymore except Steve and he can't really be considered a friend because he's only with me for one reason and I don't think I have to tell you what that reason is because you remember when we were hanging out we never talked about Steve except for about one thing so I guess that you must remember that thing now and I can't say it because everyone here knows him..."

"You're talking too fast." I said to her. She only paused for a second then resumed the pace of the conversation exactly where I had interrupted her.

"...so if I were to say anything about him and it got back to him then there would go the last friend that I have and no one should be without at least one friend and I don't have any friends anymore because you guys stopped talking to me and not even the kids talk about you anymore because they worry that it will hurt my feelings which I know I said already but I felt that..."

I sat and looked around hoping that she'd get the hint. She hardly knew I was there anyway so I got up and walked away.

As I put my coat on and headed out the door she was still sitting in the same spot. Her mouth was moving as quickly as when I stood up and the guy that she was talking to was looking around for help. I shook my head and stepped out into the quiet.

Theme Week 13: Bar Fly

I watched her move across the bar hoping that she wouldn't see me. It was obvious from the wide eyes and the speedy nature of her gait that she was still using. "Oh God don't let her see me." She did. She came over to where I was sitting and started jabbering almost incoherently.

"Oh my God! I can't believe it's you. I mean I was talking to Larry just a few minutes ago and I said that I never see you or your sister anymore and asked if he knew what you were doing now and he never does because he stays on that tractor day and night and never goes anywhere and when he does he doesn't go to any of the places that you guys go which I don't even know where you guys go anymore and what you do because you never call me anymore and the only time I ever hear anything about you is from one of the kids and even then they don't tell me much because I think they worry that it will hurt my feelings so they don't really talk about you all that much and frankly I don't have any friends anymore except Steve and he can't really be considered a friend because he's only with me for one reason and I don't think I have to tell you what that reason is because you remember when we were hanging out we never talked about Steve except for about one thing so I guess that you must remember that thing now and I can't say it because everyone here knows him..."

"You're talking too fast." I said to her. She only paused for a second then resumed the pace of the conversation exactly where I had interrupted her.

"...so if I were to say anything about him and it got back to him then there would go the last friend that I have and no one should be without at least one friend and I don't have any friends anymore because you guys stopped talking to me and not even the kids talk about you anymore because they worry that it will hurt my feelings which I know I said already but I felt that..."

I sat and looked around hoping that she'd get the hint that I was no longer interested in what she might have to say. Fact was, she hardly knew I was there anyway. It was more a monologue than a conversation so I got up and walked away.

As I put my coat on and headed out the door I noticed that she was still sitting in the same spot. Her mouth was moving as quickly as when I stood up and the guy that she was talking to was looking around hoping that she would think he wasn't interested. I shook my head and stepped out into the quiet night.