April 30, 2009

#48 local legend

red baby barn his home
two miles past town-limit
whole town makes fun of him
takes care of him
new RCMP learn about him 
earlier  than they learn about our 24-hour Timmys 

you know right away he's the town-crazy 
the too-fast walk
unlaced workboots
odd objects carried
   especially the hatchet
   (never in town... anymore)

he is legend
kids stories and dares
adult stories and gossip
municipal celebrity


April 29, 2009

#46 gender cut

women
a cut above
sharp looks
superior stylez
a relationship
new, bright, $39.50

men
Dan's
John's
Walter's
 a shooting of the shit
outdated, dingy, 10 bucks

April 28, 2009

#45 OFF

the bigger the house
the better chance of the neon glow
though i did see one
where 
all the bodies were laughing together
or at least simultaneous
all eyes on the same box
a half-hour a day
130+ hours a year
almost a week
imagine
a week
in an average life
more than a year

April 27, 2009

#44 recurring kindergarten nightmare

teacher lines up our stuffed animals
saws their necks with a steak-knife
like carrots

we fight tears
amy loses
Mrs Ward speaks
from her oak throne
Shut your little mouth
You Crybaby
hands back our headless friends

i can't look at my Ernie
i'll cry
i look to the throne
happy plastic eyes stare

April 26, 2009

#43 six and a half hours

i started out ok
but i broke around midway
about 20k
legs aching
lungs begging
my stride a slo-mo stumble
bibs passed me like i was standing still
all friendly
offering encouragement
keep going,
next station's just around the bend,
this is the last bad hill
never before have i experienced so much
consecutive kindness
wonderful examples of humanity
and i wanted
to punch them all in the nose




April 23, 2009

#42 april snowstorm

overnight surprise
leaf piles
now clean white bundles
freshly sweeped streets
covered by snow and late cursing drivers
bicycles
yesterday common
today comical

rushing to find
hats and mitts and boots and scrapers and brushes
flip-flops laugh goodbye from entryway
stores open 5 minutes late
as morning shifts blow in
flip things on and
machines and registers
then
OPEN

April 21, 2009

#41 the wiggler

today my teacher called me 
pumpkin-grinner
i pulled this one out last night
and 'is on' herah
got stuck 
in my bologna thandwich
i found it 
thmeared in mustard
an 'is on' herah
my tongue knocked out at recess
and its neighbour flew out 
when i blew my nose
and this one
is a wig-
hey
it came out

April 20, 2009

#40 company cleanup

mother worried our house was cluttered
and when the phone warned of company
you and you 
laundry
you
bring that pile of stuff up
from the bottom of the stairs
(there were always piles at the bottom of the stairs) 
you
wipe down the bathroom sink
(i wondered why we "wipe down"  yet "tidy up"
but i knew better than to ask during frenzies
and during frenzies were the only times i wondered)
it's filthy
Go
and when i was a kid
i believed 
our house was messy
everywhere we visited 
neat and tidy
and spotless too
now i know
a house's neatness is best 
when it expects a guest 

April 19, 2009

#39 leash in hand

i stroll neighbouring april blocks
gaze up
amazed by sky and stars
and air and freshness
look around and down
my shoulders sink
weight of depression from the artificial-glow flickering from so many windows
and convenience-wrappers and disposable cups spoiling the night

she stops
i dig in my pocket

voices
drunk
on a parallel street
sharing a heart-to-heart with the town
n'im not just say'n th (hiccup) s'cuz i had s'm drinks

she looks up, pants, wags, smiles
i kneel, scoop, tie, stand
still
she pants, wags, smiles...
and i can't help but grin

April 18, 2009

#38 tolstoy and dylan

hey bob
are ya tired
of askin
how many roads?
others asked
long before you
and-peter-and-paul-and-the-lady

neil's got it right
how do we
keep on rockin
in a world free
on the backs of others
from countries
beneath us in our planes
and neatly bordered
only on our maps

we still ask
what is it good for
ain't Absolutley Nothin
but Stuff
endless Stuff

bob
are ya tired
of askin
how many roads?

#37 covers dylan

bob
note
give your life a tuning
too many frets
and strings attached

rest your tired body
your warped mind and neck
where up is down and down is up

capo life
pick a lie
convince yourself
its no cheat
sell your soul to Our dark hole
let them pick up the tab
for a 30 second spot

April 16, 2009

#36 of oceans and mountains

i know a lot of fishermen who can't swim
but no mountain men who can't hike
the mountain provides conquest accomplishment
the ocean laps sadness and submission
people climb mountains to reach the top
the ocean gives a modest living or solitude
follow the trail of another, up and up
one blue-green path, endless

April 15, 2009

#35 competition

thanks to the person in front of me
in front of me the whole way
sometimes just steps
hear her breathing
sometimes shrinking around the bend
thanks for starting just ahead of me
and enjoying the
finish-line just ahead of me
com and petere
striving together
thanks
for my personal best

April 13, 2009

#34 chain letters

saddle up for
travel
free-ride
cross-country
all-mountain

know your roots
slipped discs equal slipped discs
them's the brakes

right mindset
right headset
a Giant difference

the right frame
the right frame of mind
duels and hard-tails
fools and hard-tales
single-track mind
derailleured

climbs and drops
dream$ and shops

when you come to forks in the road
point your forks down the road
and that will make all the difference

April 9, 2009

#33 a great school day

i got a drive to school
our teacher used coloured chalk in Math
we had outdoor recess
i got a sticker on my Spelling Bee
we had free-write
and...
i won the weekly draw!

April 7, 2009

#32 kids

i'm the adult
i'm supposed to know
supposed to be patient
supposed to be fair
i'm the grown-up
i'm supposed to understand
supposed to be serious
supposed to be loving
i'm the adult
not supposed to think bad things
not supposed to favour
not supposed to get annoyed

April 3, 2009

#31 old grief

his remains
lie
a box in the earth



my memories
live
a box in my mind

thoughts and feelings
atrophy-and-swell-and-sleep-and-scream
until:

-random
Scrabble
colander
marble
or
-key dates
Accident-anniversary
birthday
christmas
open my box

i feel
i remember
his glasses strap
elastic
black
worn
his characteristic nondescript fashion
monochromatic shirts
multi-ownered pants
classic wallabees

and i smile inside

until

smiles turn liquid
travel lacrimal labyrinth

his Dad's eyes
in funeral home
dead
returning the library book
Overdue and stained
red

i close the box
sometimes slam
sometimes squeeze

Rejoin this world


April 1, 2009

#30 young protection

sitting on floor
2 year-old sister in lap and left arm
the jungle book in right hand

he reads louder
hoarse whisper in her ear

end of page

right hand extends
book reaches door
touches below knob
swings door shut

he rocks
to hide his body's trembles

the yells muffle
bangs become thumps
big brother's report card