#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

#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outdated, dingy, 10 bucks

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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 

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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!

#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

#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

#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