Allegory of the Cave

(for Ryan Adams "I boycott today...")

I refuse to accept the world
with its wars
and its surges
and its weapons
and its dead soldiers.
I refuse to accept the world
and its money
and its greed
and its possessions
and its celebrities
in exchange
for your truth
for your justice
for your mind
for your love
for your map
to leave this place
to know awareness
to find your kingdom
where there are
no chains
no inequalities
no oppression
no labels
no darkness
no projected images
because this world is a cave
built after the fall
and the things we believe
are just shadows on a wall.
I want to be
free
free
free
free.

Yellow Sweaters in January

(Sterling Jerry Halley is a forgotten Vietnam veteran who lives on the Kansas City streets near the River Market. I will remember you and I hope you enjoyed the sandwich.)

He stays warm with an alcohol addiction
and a year's worth of clothing.
When he smiles even his teeth
are wearing sweaters.

Sometimes You Can Fool Yourself

Sometimes you can fool yourself into liking someone, but then you just want to kick them out of bed. This is how it has always been, how I judge my feelings for him. Ray was sweet, but he had small feet, and at a mere 5’5 you must stand taller in character and personality of which he had none. He was boring and insecure, so the fact that he was handsome, with perfect hair was not enough, and it showed up when we were laying in bed.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but unless you remove your arm from around my waist, I won’t be able to sleep.” He took it well.

Then there was Joe with unfortunately no where to go when I kicked him out of bed. Joe was smart and he loved the Lord. He was a romantic and a true missionary, but he was the one who would need saving on this particular morning. As he lifted the sheet, I rolled over to see what was disrupting my sleep.

“What are you doing?” I said. “I guess I’m going back to sleep in another bed.” He didn’t take it as well.

I wanted to like these gentlemen and I tried real hard, but no one ever loved someone that they also did not love in bed.