These are not just words
that rhyme or fit together
in some fancy, schmancy
catchy rhythmic flow

These are my thoughts
my feelings
my inner beauty
my outer demons

typed on my kebyoard
stored on a web server
searched by web crawlers
presented to you

adieu!

Hello Mom
I miss you
you were so young
I was a terrible kid
I am sorry

Hello Dad
I miss you
You were so young
You were a terrible dad
I forgive you

Hello Uncle Jim
I Miss you
You were so young
You taught me honor and respect
Thank you for your service

Hello Cousin Tony
I miss you
You were so young
I can't hold a candle to you
Your funeral was impressive

Hello Nana
I miss you
Your heart was pure gold
You didn't deserve to suffer
You taught me more than I could ever repay

Hello Grandpa Tony
I miss you
You showed me how to fix things
Thank you for your service
Nana is with you now

Hello Grandma Pat
I miss you
You have a loving family
Your spaghetti was legendary!
Your son suffers no more

Hello Grandpa John
I miss you
You taught me how to play poker
Thank you for your service
Your loving wife is with you now

Hello Aunt Kathy
I miss you
You were always kind to me
Your jokes made me laugh
I see your face everywhere

Hello Grandpa Kuntner
I never met you
I heard terrible things
If it weren't for you, i'd never been born
For that, I thank you

Hello Grandpa Leon
I never met you
I heard nice things
I am a proud to be a stubborn ******
For that, I thank you

maps are for lost
fools, going in predictable
directions, too afraid
of the unknown.
they'll never step off
the concrete, never feel
the rub of untouched
brush against their skin
or the adrenaline of
where the **** am I?
they play by the rules,
in lust with their cookie
cutter by the book lives.

maps. charted journeys.
these things don't interest me.
i want scrapes up and
down my arms and legs
because i dared venture too
deep. i want bruises and
bleeding because i got lost,
too lost. i want to get lost.
i want to lose the map.
i want to lose my little
here dot, the one that
follows me, red and angry
because i don't stay on the
path to that cookie cutter
life.

i want off this route. this
one that leads only to
                                  y o u.