I’ve had that dream of school
When you forget your classes
When you forgot to go to PE and
Don’t graduate
When you can’t wake up
Because your dreaming inside
Another dream and you scream
Having a baby and it’s not real
And feel sad and relieved
The one where I get shot and
Felt the bullet
The one about the plane
Crashing and burning
Right in front of me
And I feel the heat from the fireball
The one where someone’s
Chasing me and I jump
Out of bed to hide, to my poor husbands fright “what is wrong?”
The ones where I’m having
An asthma attack and I can’t breath
The vivid one about concentration camp and I am hiding children from the ovens
And they still don’t make it
And it’s in black and white and
Woke up angry and depressed

The extra strange rest of them I can’t and won’t share

Relieved in real life these aren’t real
I’ve always wanted to share my dreams and frightmares
Sorry in advance for any bad dreams

Don’t catch stupider
We get it from ignorance
The cure may cost us dear
And its very lengthy
And we don’t have
That kind of time

The Doctor said
You should fix that
But I can’t afford to
I won’t be able to provide
If I miss work
I will go into giant debt
Go to collections
Then file bankruptcy
I will be broke
Living on the street
That’s no way to survive
It’s a tragedy to be homeless
Maybe I can find a spot

Those in charge said
We need to fix this
But we can’t afford it
It just can’t work
We cannot provide
We are already in giant debt
Our city will go broke
File bankruptcy
Won’t be able to fix the streets
Yes it’s no way to survive
Its a tragedy-for the homeless
Maybe you will find a spot

Perfume, garlic, wet dog
That makes a lot of scents

Paying your lunch tab with coins
That makes a lot of cents.

I texted you all day today
That really doesn’t make sents.

How do you get your hair to do that?
Don’t wash it
Brush it real gentle
Throw in a few rats
Then give it lots of treats
It will do anything I want
Such a good girl!

Flare up angry pain
Like an unjust
Unexpected scolding
Received as a child
That can’t be remedied
I did nothing wrong
To deserve it
Why me
No consoling
Not even redemption
Disappointment in me
Maybe I do deserve it
It’s just too personal

Dear baby me:
You were wrinkled
You had no hair
Couldn't walk
Couldn’t formulate a thought
Cried a lot
Couldn't see too clear
Couldn’t distinguish what I hear
Can’t figure out how
I am so much like that now
It happened too fast
Why didn't my youth last
Seemed in an instant
I was no longer an infant
I knew nothing of life
But sure now it’s with strife
I remember way back when
I can’t remember now and then
It’s just not really fair
Being old with flair
No one forgot the baby you see
I hope no one forgets the now me

When you use
Dollars and cents
Instead of
Hours and minutes
To figure out your
Payroll time sheet

Fifteen eighty three
Go to sleep March 11
Wake up March 22
The powers that be
Messing with
The calendars again
Were they vacation days
Or PTO?

Woke at 4 am
Silent and dark
Stillness surrounded
That sound? Is it in the park?

I can hear it off in the near distance
But I don’t know what it is
Outside critters perhaps
Don’t breath so I can hear

What is that noise
It sounds like clicking
Is that baby opossum out there
Or is it a kitten

I can’t tell if it’s inside
or out
It’s driving me crazy
It’s giving me doubt

I hold still at first quietly
Get up to take closer peep
I still can’t figure it out
Everything else is still asleep

My amazing investigation
Finally figured it out, oh please
It’s the giant broken clock!

Saying...go...back...to...sleep

A mournful sound of a train
I’m not sure why
Makes me want to cry

Is it saying I’m going now
Like it’s saying goodbye
I might never see you again

Or is it saying i will be back soon
Wait for me
Don’t move

Pitiful mourning in the night
When everything is sleeping
Searing soulfully in the mist

Why does this sound
evoke emotion like this
I get up so it can speak to me

I grew up with it
It’s familiar to this child
A long comforting hug

Maybe it’s the strength
Maybe it’s the speed
Maybe it’s the a far off loud

A need to keep hearing
It's only a whistle
Holding in my memory

I want that one
But it’s not ripe
It doesn’t matter
If I don’t like it
I can just throw
It away

Trees cry deep within
We-unable to hear the sound
Barely brushing a leaf
Knowing it responds happily
Exchanging breaths
Forcefully accepting the water
It was given from above
Pulling it in so it can survive
Even a few drops it cherishes
Roots go deeper than you can see
Protecting feeding beauty breathing
It does it for you
It does it for me