I packed up my life
Uprooting all I had known
Loss like a knife
On a plane all alone

Only luggage I had
Harsh words in my mind
Not lovely, but sad
Unlike most words I find

They say time will heal
I’m not sure it will
I left, but I feel
I carry it still

I felt safe in my depression                                                       ­                          all black with no sharp edges

I helped a turtle cross the road today.

Black shell, tiny clawed feet,
yellow strip on either side of its head,
negligent in his actions, I intervened.

but I couldn't help the dying man beat
his cancer,

the turtle, impervious to the danger all
around,
trodding valiantly across his desert,
taking my hand, as we dared the world to try and
conquer us,

but I couldn't prevent the war from
murdering the innocent,

Resolute, purposeful, how we moved
to safety, defying the oncoming cars and
preserving one more day, at least we hoped,

yet I couldn't give the abused child a promise
tomorrow would be just fine,

and I released that turtle into his fortress of high grass and marsh,
he nodded,
and disappeared into the overgrowth,

what would become of that bold soul?
and would he remember me?
what would become of the world?
and would the turtle tell his tales of
encountering the sick one so long ago?

he knew something I didn’t,
and that was he couldn't save the world,
he could only paddle on and hold strong to the belief
there was always a
helping hand
ready to reach out
at just
the right moment.

i’m still the same words in a new font
same old punchline but more nuanced
the same marathon you’ve been running
under all the layers, an onions still an onion

finally a warm spring day
i break out my sandals
a couple of years old but still in prime shape
i put them on, drive to the show
exit my car, step onto the sidewalk
and sink up to my ankles in fresh cement
a tiny warning flag on the edge of the walk
this is how the world works

McDonald's crispy strips
Chipotle's triple-wrap burrito
Sonic's half-price shake after 5 pm
Gucci lotion
Verizon cell phones
Carona beer
trying to guess the TV station
by the demographic nature
of the commercials