POEMS

SO LONG, PRIVATE MITTENS

so long, private mittens,

you served your country well

let it now be written

you really gave em hell

you risked your little life and limbs

performing gallant feats

and all you asked for in return

were tennis balls and treats

troops in france would poop their pants

whenever you would growl

but you always stayed in place

when i would dry you with a towel

you kept it calm as endless bombs

fell on us in bastogne

i lost my thumb, you licked my wounds

and i gave you a bone

do you recall that halloween

right after collins died?

we dressed you in his glasses

and i laughed until i cried

when they finally shot you

you looked at me bold and brightly

i called out for morphine    

and you finally tried to bite me

always putting others first

a soldier to your core

that’s why i shed these tears

as we let slip this dog of war

BEING COOL

who gets to decide

how cool you are:

you,

or everyone else?

HEY!

I'M TALKING TO YOU!

KYLE

my car’s missing a driver’s side window
i’m always at war with the elements

scotch tape keeps the rain from coming in, though
and inside the ashtray, there’s hella mints
a crackhead stole my stereo system
my friend tim broke the cigarette lighter
he’s an engineer now, and a christian
helps uncle sam design bigger jet fighters
i tore him out the t’s in my rolodex
when he moved, and besides, my phone’s broken
his wife’s crazy, and can’t control her pets
it’s been over 10 months since we’ve spoken
want to show tim I grew out my deadlocks
want to tell him i don’t miss his grin
wish all these ted talks i bought from the redbox
would teach me to heal myself from within

but for real, i need more time with ME

with nobody talking or sharing my gin
i'ma bury my keys so I don’t get a dui 
and party right here, outside bank of marin

THE ANCIENT MASTER’S SUICIDE HAIKU
This haiku will be
--gasp--
my shortest.