The First Time I Didn’t Cry

The First Time I Didn’t Cry Fear sometimes is like ice drenching your bowels with a paralyzing grip. How well I remember tho’ the years have softened the blow a bit.  A bit but not all for I remember sitting beneath the Stork Phone where happy fathers...

It Couldn’t Have Been You*

It Couldn’t Have Been You* The years play tricksand make me wonderif I really remember the way things wereor if sometimesI remember a version that doesn’t burnor open wounds anew.It is not a matter of merely forgettingdue to the years extracting their toll.No, it is...

What Am I Doing?

What Am I Doing? I hung up the phone His little voice still ringing in my ear “I love you, Dad.” And I want to scream Why am I here? What am I doing? I found the VCR tape today Of when he and I went to the canal To see all the tadpoles And baby frogs Just...

Unfiltered Pall Mall and a Can of Schlitz

Unfiltered Pall Mall and a Can of Schlitz “Come on in” he said,“but pardon the smellof smoke and cigarettes.We try to air it out but the smellwon’t go away”.I told him it didn’t matterthat I was immuneafter a childhood and many...

I Lost the Damn Remote

I Lost the Damn Remote Funnyhow easy it is to just sitand watch whatever comes on.You watch whatever happenswhen you lose the remote.Shows become betteror maybe it’s more likenot being worth the effortit takes to get up and change them.Just when you think it...