(Christmas cat)

Christmas cat –
bedside greeting
begins with a pounce

Office Motor Mouths

I have a co-worker who literally
eats in her cubicle all day long --
course after course,
odor after odor,
lip smack after lip smack.

I have another co-worker who literally
talks to everyone in sight all day long,
cornering and capturing his victims
in verbal spider webs
without restraint; without mercy.

Oh, that the eater
would share her food
with the talker.

Eating on the Job

I am well aware that we fuel our bodies with food.
We all do it.
But there's something annoying about the people
who eat all day long on the job.
I know you've got to eat,
but I don't want to hear every
crinkle of every potato chip bag,
every crunch of every blasted chip,
every burp of every Tupperware container,
every scrape of every spoon in your bloody Rubbermaid.

I don't want to hear every slurp
of every sip of your coffee, then tea, then coffee, then tea.
I don't want to smell every whiff
of your canned peas marinating in the microwave.

I don't mind witnessing the afternoon snack
or occasional meal at your desk.
I'm simply sick of being subject to your
eight-course meals all the live long work day.

Thanksgiving Traffic

Three miles in an
hour and a half --
bumper-to-bumper
interstate congestion and
stomach indigestion,
angry drivers with
hungry kids, no
exit in sight, and
no explanation.
Arrivals delayed;
hugs and hand-
shakes on hold;
dinners postponed.
It was easy to get
irritated and impatient,
until we saw
the white sheet
on the ground.
Suddenly, we were
thankful for the
fume-filled air that
we were breathing.

(the leaves mimicking)

the leaves mimicking
the sound of raindrops in the
wooded autumn hills

(The attention whore)

The attention whore
demands your intentness but
does not give you his.

(Even beautiful)

Even beautiful
people look ugly when they
are seized with a sneeze.

(In my mind, you will)

In my mind, you will
always be 45, strong,
capable and kind.

(clear blue sky)

clear blue sky
sun on my back
fresh breeze on my face

Ladies’ Man

A man who champions women
is more "man"
than any macho man
or boardroom bully.

Such a man is
strong and confident
in his manhood,
not fearful and insecure
about his place in the world.

With gratitude to Robert McCurley for the perfect title

(Bumped from the bustling break room)

Bumped from the bustling break room / and relegated to the restroom, I wash my coffee mug in the bathroom sink / as my co-worker soils her toilet bowl.

My One Wild and Precious Life on Art Friday

I just learned that my poem "My One Wild and Precious Life" was recently published on New Direction's Art Friday blog.  Check it out here!

(The scent of your perfume)

The scent of your perfume
lingered on my shirt
long after we said goodbye.

Happy Independence Day!

the cardinal
sounding off
like the Fourth of July

with gratitude to Rebecca J. Davenport for a spectacular ending

(It sounds like his throat)

It sounds like his throat
is filled with gravy.
Instinctively, I coughed in sympathy.

(He filled the foyer)

He filled the foyer
with a fart and turned his back
to me and his funk.

(It took me 12 years)

It took me 12 years
to realize that he has
a stutter.  Stunner!

(It sounds like he has)

It sounds like he has
gravy in his throat, like a goat
swimming in a moat.

Happy first day of summer!

Seasonal Criminals

There's something about
summertime sandals --

they're too much

to handle

when it comes to

the stench that

sweaty feet and

leather create.

My nostrils don't

celebrate or salivate about

the smell that emanates

from the partnership

that perpetrates

heinous crimes
against olfactory.

Happy Father's Day!

Presents from Dad

He was so excited to bring "surprises"
home to us, whether it was a $5 movie
from McDonald's, Sam's Club chocolate
chip cookies, or a two liter of Dr. Pepper.
My sisters and I would laugh at him
and try to downplay his "treats," but it
was his simple, silly, contagious joy
that made the best gift of all.

In Light of the Orlando Massacre

Note: "Muslim" or any other religious term may be substituted for "Christian" and "Christ-like" hereunder; the same sentiments would apply.

A Letter to the Predator

Dear straight Christian friend,

When you post a picture of
a burning gay pride flag online,
I am not merely encountering
an expression of an opinion.
I don't simply see a person
making a statement
about an issue.
I don't view it as
an individual "deeply devoted
to a faith based on mercy and grace"
taking a stand amidst a culture war.

I see my friend
advocating -- and perpetrating --
violence against me.
I feel threatened
and frightened
and sickened.
I see -- with my own eyes --
my friend proclaiming
to me and the world
that I am worthy of abuse.
I witness my friend
declaring me fit for
gasoline
and matches
and burning flesh
and torture
and death.

I see that my friend --
my "loving, compassionate, Christ-like" friend --
is not, in fact, my friend at all.

-- Your gay neighbor

(minutes from the beach)

minutes from the beach
home of my alma mater
my coming of age

(A grown woman missed)

A grown woman missed
the toilet at work, pissed on
the floor and left it.

Happy Mother's Day!

Woman of the Word

for Julie Jarrett Hall

I remember walking through the backyard
behind our little brick house, singing the lines
to your songs during my afternoon playtime.
I felt important, knowing all the words and
the melodies. Proud of myself, I sang the
verses and choruses out loud, feeling some
sense of connection with your songs and
with you. On those hot summer days, I was
proud of myself, proud of you and proud
to be your daughter.

(Two bonny bluebirds)

Two bonny bluebirds
ushered me across the bridge,
one bird on each side.

A Closing Comment as National Poetry Month Comes to Conclusion:

Poetry is music set to words.

Huzzah for words and music!

(That life-long smoker)

That life-long smoker
and his cigarette look like
twins -- thin and ashen.

Happy Record Store Day!

The Dancing Queen

She taught us what it meant to
be married to melody -- singing
and dancing across the linoleum
floor, sometimes lip-syncing and
sometimes belting out the lines
with gusto. My sisters and I sang
into hairbrushes with a sparkle in
our eyes, while the vinyl spun
'round and Mom reigned as queen
of the dining room dance floor.

Hacker

He clears his throat
out of habit
and sheer desperation.

Announcing his arrival,
he uses his hacking cough,
however subconsciously,
to solicit attention,
leaving no doubt
that he is in the vicinity.

The aural assault
begs a comment, question,
some sort of human interaction.
"Bless you."
"Are you okay?"
"Yikes!  You scared me."

The shocking, deafening blast
serves as his calling card,
ensuring that, however lonely,
he will not be forgotten,
at least not yet.

Sticky Fingers: Like a Kid in a Candy Store

Dear Co-worker:

My candy dish is a gesture of goodwill -- meant to be
visited a couple of times during the workday in moderation --
not a vehicle by which to fill your child's entire Easter basket.

Signed,
Your Supposed Sugar Mommy

Reverse Vampires

Some people who live alone
act like reverse vampires.
They suck the bloody life
out of their co-workers by day --
demanding and commanding the attention of their colleagues,
holding court by holding folks hostage,
unloading their every thought and question and concern on people
like a dump truck possessed of the devil --
and retreat to their solitary homes alone at night,
lying in wait for the sun to come up again
and provide them with fresh blood
to live another day.

(Two squirrels and two robins)

Two squirrels and two robins
scampered away through the trees
like Noah's ark escapees.

Happy "Green" Day!

I Am Abuzz

I feel as if
the windows to the world
have been thrown open, like
french doors flung wide
to reveal before me
oceans once unseen
countless hills of green
and a slate scrubbed clean.

(Without my glasses)

Without my glasses,
the neighbor's dog looks like a
turkey vulture on a leash.

(Live well and love well.)

A rerun on Valentine's Day, after learning that a friend was in a serious accident and is now in a coma:

Live well and love well.
For today is all we have,
so far as we can tell.

Snow Garden

Our yard was a garden
of snow and our father
was the gardener. He
made snow forts and
an obstacle course of
sorts for my sisters and
me in the front yard one
winter. It was an exciting
adventure, and a little
bit scary, but I felt safe
knowing that Dad was
guiding the sled and
guarding the fort. I still
remember his laugh
that day as we squealed
with delight, holding tight
to the orange, plastic sled.

One Fine Day

Note: I wrote this on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in 2013 -- a triply historic holiday.

On MLK Day,
inauguration day,
on the day
that a gay
Cuban-American poet
read a poem
to America,
I am moved
to tears
in the sunlight
of my study,
thankful
for the sunshine,
my books, and
the partner
our dog, cat and I
await, who will
join us after work
on this fine day.

(The courtesy flush)

The courtesy flush
acts as an air savior with
bidet behavior.