Paperboy

The only quietude he’d ever known
Was throwing papers in the morning dark;
As there, in dawning silence he, alone,
Would pedal past the edges of the park.
Each paper that he’d throw would, in an arc,
Land gracefully upon a greening lawn.
The contrast to his home life was so stark,
Where all was chaos: angry, woebegone –
A home that hatred set its face upon;
But which he could escape when came the dawn

point of admission

she said
she never knew true love
until she had a child

and i felt hurt
as men will tend to do

to know
that we're extrinsic
to a woman's love
at last reckoning

yet i had learned
the lessons i was taught
as a child --

that men are expendable
in fire
in flood
in war

it is our job to die
so the greater work
can go on
without us

if needs make so

and that women will
transfer 
the full expression
of their love

always

to the smallest person
in the room

and they'll call you

when they're ready

for another one


maybe

All You Want

All You Want

It’s easy to forget
As life
Can our true goals obscure

That all you want is
For them
To be happy and secure

You ask them to behave
For you
Believe one day they’ll find

True happiness will but
Be found
If they’re both fair and kind

And yet you have this moment
They are
Here, and hale, and whole —

But you know all you want –
It might
Just be past your

Control