Rock Stars

Rock Stars will grow old-

and you will swear that it was only yesterday,
you sang
along
to their hymns of youth

They will grow old
and only be remembered

like records
like Polaroids
like the fox trot

They will be replaced
like batteries
like shoes
like wives

Rock stars will grow old
and
you will swear they have
broken their promise to
keep you young.

They will grow old and become broken-
like promises
like bridges
like spines

Rock Stars will grow old-

like your dog
like your parents
like you, will grow old.



09'

the eighth continent

in the middle of the ocean there
is a
large mass of trash,
twice the size of texas.

it is where all the trash goes.

it is toxic to
life.

it kills the birds
and the fish,

but it is so far away nobody cares.

one day-

she will be there,
these
words will be there,
that movie will be there,
the neighbor will be there,
and most politicians
and bored teachers-
her best friend,

her shoes,
and
her modest dress,
letters to friends,
letters to former friends,

their promises
and
offers,

their love,
their hate,
their absurdity

will be there.

one day i may find myself there,
on the eighth continent.
its president,
its king,
its ruler-

it is where all the trash goes.


09'

The Scavengers

Its late

Its dark

and the only sound

comes from

the loud rattle of cans.

I don't have to see

to know the

scavengers are going through

the trash lookin for

cans

I hear them-

aluminum crashing

against its

brother

like colorful atoms smashing into one another

in plastic bags

I hear them-

rummaging through-

collecting

nuggets

like miners in the gold rush
laying claim to our street.

this is money

others have the thrown out.

dirty money

recovered

from black trash bags,

like body bags-

intended to carry away the dead,

the old

the useless.

to be buried

and forgotten

the scavengers

know no shame in this-

know no pride in this

they know only need.

i feel sorry for them-

only because,

we never have

any cans

in our trash bin-

we know need, as well.
we are scavengers too.

09'

an understanding of sorts

I've missed
too many engagements.

I've
made too many plans-
and kept few.

I understand all too perfectly
and i am quite aware,
eventually the
invitations will stop.

the loneliness will creep in like the cold or a ghost-
eventually.

its hard to keep the few friends
i have left happy.

which is why i like to
keep in touch with
my enemies, the lazy,
the flakes and the
bored.

they understand

and require
no apologies.

09'

passing isn't everything

(B side)

you didn't score very well on my test.
I mean,
better than most.

but
you met a boring man,
in a boring city

in a boring way.

Well Blondie,
what can i say,
except

multiple choice
standardized.
fill in the blank

he passed the test .

the dress was very new york

we were
driving around
for hours,
looking
for a place to take a vacation.

You'd just come back
from a wedding and
your
dress was very new york,
you wore it well.

we are like family.
you gave me flowers
to take to my mother.

we are like family.
safe in each others company.

one day soon,
you'll be married.

one day soon

you'll ask me to visit,
to come
and see your baby.

and I will-

But tonight
I just  want to remember we
were also young.

I want to remember we used to roam cities
with nowhere to go.

I want to remember
the simplicity of tonight
and
your dress.

It was very new york,
you
wore it well-


11'

the fourth

the fourth of july,
is an odd
one.

I remember,
living in a frat house for
one-

living on her couch for another,-

my best friend at the time
and I
worked at the race track and had a beer when
we were done, for the next

then I came home.
the fire works in the neighborhood
would scare my dog Ted.

I miss them,
and those days.

I never feel very independent
on Independence Day.

We had a guest from
England this year, my sisters friend-
i was invited to join them at the aquarium to see the show.
but i just stayed home instead.

You could see the lights
from the backyard.
You could hear the fireworks all night.

But really, I just miss my dog.

09'

not by a long shot

I missed you.

even
though there
probably wasn't much to say,
I
thought i'd give it a shot.

But there is a indifference there
there is a grudge still there

you're
still the same,
making me wait in the
back of a firing line,

never saying Fire,
then
retreating.

and
even though
I
missed you-

I was the one
who
dodged that bullet.