Jack Benny's Father

Jack Benny's father died.

Found in his chair
with his head blown out.

A whiskey bottle empty
clear as that June day.

Some say he'd had enough.
Some say they had seen
how sad his eyes had grown.

They were like two blue tulips
rising from his life

and we should never forget
what can grow
so desperately
from the dirt of a man.

Stapler

Stapler
Why are you here?
Were you inevitable?
Are there places where sentient beings have deep and beautiful thoughts
but there are no staplers?
Does civilization lead to staplers?
like inhale leads to exhale?

That crunch of a stapler stapling though
I kinda get it
so seductive, so satisfying
"Let's make two things
one."
"Let's get this paper
to touch each other."
"Let's link ideas
forever."

When you say it outloud it sounds like the thing doing it
sta pler sta pler

Staplers.
Fucking incredible.

I Wait While You Unlock

You lead me through your house and I wait
at every door while you search
for the correct key.

Your ring of keys is heavy
Like a ship's chain.

I wonder why you have so many locked doors inside your house.

The rooms I've seen are lovely
cozy with nice colors.

I loved the one filled with bean bags
and was really blown away by the room
filled with drawers filled with jokes that make me laugh

The kitchen was nice though I thought it strange
it smelled like freshly baked brownies
and you never offered me one
even after I said something
like, "I really love the taste of freshly baked brownies."

I thought it fascinating how you so slightly shifted with each unlock
like the key was pushing pins inside your mind

You didn't see me notice this
and as we moved through a hallway lined with locked doors
I swear I heard faint music
and I decided not to tell you
about how I see you
change.

Robed

We lived among twigs
I hiked in ancient tevas
Was attractive to dirt
and woody scum
Showered weekly at the worst
Nature was simultaneously
Filling our souls
And trashing our bodies
Most times I felt like a happy twig
On rotting leaves
After a soaking rain

We keyed opened the condo
Saw the remote controlled
Fireplace like a hallmark card
Something was gleaming
On the gleaming kingsized bed

A robe.

Perfectly folded
Curling like a finger
Seemingly
Whispering breathily:
“Come here please”

Silent, I touched the fabric
It was like a billion pillows
Packed to a perfect puff
Imagine a black hole of fluffiness
Fluffiness so strong that no fluffy could escape
It was like that
I mouthed, “I love you”
And the robe allowed me
To be
Full-Length Robed
Flowing over me completely
Cascading over my twiggy body
Cataracts of comfort caressing my cares

I looked at myself in the mirror
And I did not see myself
And I could not feel myself
And I was not myself
And it was so nice to live there
And then it was nice to leave

Leaves

When we live
in New York

The potholes
The jobs
The places to be

We want to see
the leaves
The snap of their change

We leave to see leaves

And the traffic is like the wind
Holding our color
Before we carpet the earth

The One That I Have Kept

I buy a pair of bottles
for me and for you
to drown out that fucking jukebox
Desperado
fuck

Fine title for a night
that begins and will end again
with me
a silent wail

Like that current of incredible power
I know is there
forced through wires
stuffed behind the wall
be com ing
The Eagles.

I am a poor jukebox.
Stick a quarter in my side.
Listen to me giggle
See how expertly I can twist
a silent wail
into a friendly smile
on the lipstick that is left.

I buy a pair of bottles
And tonight will build a ship at home
inside
the one that I have kept

and before the sun
begins I imagine
how the boat would billow
if only it could sail.

​ Fireman 🚒

A got a little fire
Man in my heart
Who's been toiling
Years on a flame
I lit by accident.

It was sorta on purpose
But you never expect these things to get out of hand
Or become what they do.

This flame.
It's weird.
It confounds my man.
His pails of water do nothing.
It's like dumping air.

Once, after months,
of him jumping around
Like a crazy person,
trying to extinguish the fucking thing
the alarms wailing,
I confronted him
Exhausted
I pleaded, "just ignore it! do
Something else!"

My little fire
man
Tried to be a cop
Tried to be a bum
Tried to be a personal trainer
Tried his hand at planning parties
I felt bad the whole time.
Imagine planning a party
While you know a heart is burning?

So
He's back at it.
I let him do it.
All those pails of water,
Invested in a hose,
Experimented with smothering
and chemicals.

(No effect)

My heart is sore and sick
I want to be cold again.
I want my little fire
Man to retire.
He deserves it.
He'd look so relaxed
Floating on a pool
His grinning face
free
of soot.