Cold Front

A cold front blew in
today
My feet began to protest
my perpetual use of flip flops.

On the way back from Sarasota
we pulled over to look
at the stars
and our peculiar, wild laughter
echoed across the countryside
the air hung like one enormous stone
and for a moment we forgot
our tropical prison.

Chris Cravey keeps having heart attacks
and I run around
screaming death death death

There are no comfortable chairs in the hospital
I'll keep my vigil in the bathroom
next to numerous buttons
'help' says one

i'll press it
staring at my urine

As long as they keep me in a dry place,
i'll last as long as the mummified cat on tv.

potential energy

with his life savings, everything
he invented an engine

it was beautiful, efficient
each day he polished it
'till it gleamed on its throne
pressed his ear to chrome
the perfect hum of pistons
so powerful with nothing to push

with his last breath
he wished he had been
a big picture person

Wisdom From My Hairdresser

She says,

"I'm turning 50 tomorrow,

Chris"

I tell her age doesn't matter,

and when she laughs

the ink teardrops around her eyes

disappear in wrinkles

forged by 49 years of living

in this desert.

She says, no,

what matters

is aging.

I know
I know
that chewing your nails
is not good for you
It's a bad habit and I have so many

I lay my hands on the bar
palms down and Orlando laughs
and slurs

"Even your nails are so white"