When I put her out, once, by the garbage pail,
She looked so limp and bedraggled,
So foolish and trusting, like a sick poodle,
Or a wizened aster in late September,
I brought her back in again
For a new routine--
Vitamins, water, and whatever
Sustenance seemed sensible
At the time: she'd lived
So long on gin, bobbie pins, half-smoked cigars, dead beer,
Her shriveled petals falling
On the faded carpet, the stale
Steak grease stuck to her fuzzy leaves.
(Dried-out, she creaked like a tulip.)

The things she endured!--
The dumb dames shrieking half the night
Or the two of us, alone, both seedy,
Me breathing ***** at her,
She leaning out of her *** toward the window.

Near the end, she seemed almost to hear me--
And that was scary--
So when that snuffling ****** of a maid
Threw her, *** and all, into the trash-can,
I said nothing.

But I sacked the presumptuous hag the next week,
I was that lonely.

Thank you Ari
For showing me poetry
Really
I cannot say it
Enough

If I hadn’t met you
I would never have discovered
That words
Can be formed
Like crystals
Molded together by this mouth
I call my own

I have known
This language my whole life
But did not truly understand it
Until last year
In January
On Fairfax
When you brought me to
A place with
A black stage
Packed to the brim with ears
Where
For the first time
I opened my mouth
Released
And finally listened to myself
Speak

We went
With the intention
Of playing audience
But I left
A poet

Sarah Kay
Was lovely that night
Phil too
But there was nothing greater
Than the feeling
Of being heard
And how my heart
Made the jump
From my chest
To my sleeve
And is still there
Also how I
Have the ten dollar bill
From being named first place
It is rolled into the pocket
Of the jacket I was wearing
That night
I call it lucky
Call me cliche
But I mostly call it fate

I will admit I cried when
Two months later
I was announced
Winner
At the slam
You drove me to
I think I told you
It was a better feeling
Than I could get
From any pageant
You smiled
Because you knew
Thank you,
Thank you

I also feel the need
To mention
Your strength
And how you are
The bravest
Person I have ever known
As well as
The most hilarious
You are skilled in the art
Of making people
Laugh
So thank you
For that

Ari,
It was you
Who introduced me
To the world of poetry
I like to say
I fell into it
But it makes more sense
To say I was lightly pushed
By a good friend.

I swim in a sea of ice
Below frozen waves
Bitter currents entice
Darkness saves
Where silence reigns
Below the surface
Swept up in chains
Light alerts us
To Freedoms cry
It seeks to stray
Into our lonely minds
We fade away
Out of sight
Out of mind
Fading Light
A dying kind