26.

Ice cream
drips on my brother's face
school bell tone drone, SFO
rumbling in the sky.

dad yells my name
inside, but I hide in the grains
of the sidewalk, lost in
wheels on freeway, Lucy
barking at the door.

my blanket knows burning hair
dog hair vapor of marijuana
tickling the air, I creep
downstairs, everyone sleep
stares at television,
I light the floor of the kitchen
to paint.

25.

the thing is, where do we go?
this urge to get up overwhelms me,
even as you push me headdown into sleep.
all I need is a notebook, don't gotta move,
my mind wanderings before my eyes
hands playing too,
I'm warm here.
The toilet so quiet in calling
yet steady rumbles,
the page turns me back to body--
bladder.

24.

lovely, we've moved upstream
the creek more snortles here, we
lower the roof, we
breathe dark deeply, could be
hibernation, ritual bring me
sustenance, let me taste you
in private.

23.

Sam sleeps next to me, on the couch
squishing his face with his hand,
his breaths, chalky puffs
the accordion of his belly slow

He surrenders to the skies,
on his back, palms facing up
hand to temple,
we must do this right.

A toe twitches to this encompassing
rhythm of purring fridges,
pencil yawns.

His hand falls! Caught on pajamas,
a peace sign forms.
two fingers, facing down.

22.

A rock squats heavy in the river
you can sit on the rock, in warmth, in wet
you can spend all of your time with the river
in the river, drinking it, riding it, eating
the fruits holding fast to rock fist,
babies of river in their bellies

21.

we fake
argue in
the heat
it sips
our smiles
grumpy
lumps.
we frump
toward ice
cream take
a walk
cold mouth.

20.

Toes in dusty dirt piles
Duct tape patch on concrete
column
Bird flap flap flap flap flap
Man through a parking lot, Bart
pulling me away
Trucks and trucks filled with
products
Rolling his shoulders to
relax
Purple sweater hides a girl
We're safe here