I think we’ll call them dying days

And plant a tree or a flower or something

Something to commemorate what was, what is

And what will be will be crammed with new life

Filled full with new life and wonder

A smile a minute a day, and grins

Just a six-point star clutching swinging hands

I can feel atonement bubblin’ up

With a giggle and a spot of glee

Yes, giggles announce the glee

The coming of the glee

It’s like a sequoia

Tall – wide – wide and tall

It’s like a amphicoelia

The largest of the age-old large

It’s quite like a titanoboa

Like the relative but so much bigger

It’s quite like jackfruit

Bumpy – rough – smelly

It’s something like a argentavis

Rat-eater – Rat-eater – Rat-eater

It’s something like paradise cave

With it’s big ‘ole chamber

It’s almost exactly like the rafflesia

Is that rotting flesh?

It’s almost exactly like the Irish elk

Can’t move through dense branches

It’s pretty much like the armillaria ostoyae

Mostly hidden underground

It’s pretty much like the merostomes

With the bod of an arthropod

It’s truly like the great barrier reef

Made by the living – on and on

It’s truly like the giant short-faced bear

Gigantic carnivore

It’s sure like a gigantopithecus

No conclusions – rare remains

It’s sure like a quetzalcoatl

Fly fly away, big bird

It’s proudly like a blue whale

A sheer joy to see

It’s proudly like a sarcosuchus

Oh, it’s big

Each piece is an artifice

Remembered suitably

Each snug corner

Not remembered away

I’m dying here

My hours consist of swallows

And swallows and swallows

Making air-holes

Down deep in a vacuum

And I’m dying here

Exploitative sweet church mouse

Thrice blind: then – today – next

Oh magistrate

Make the call – flip the switch

And yes, I’m dying here

The music is back

I hear the drummer

Tiny men hold up the left

Tiny men hold up the right

And it’s back

I suppose we can call that

An actual smile

Now all other systems

Need to get on board

Soul production breakdown

Yet position – position

Not a care – no care

Yet position – position

What is your specialty

What track record prize

Where is the fruit

What justifies the hype

Not one disciple

Yet position – position

Not even friends

Yet position – position

What is your specialty

What track record prize

Where is the fruit

What justifies the hype

Coattail abuse

Yet position – position

Deafeningly idle

Yet position – position

What is your specialty

What track record prize

Where is the fruit

What justifies the hype

Waster of years

Yet position – position

Scrutinizing youth

Yet position – position

What is your specialty

What track record prize

Where is the fruit

What justifies the hype

Help me today

I don’t want to cheat

I don’t want to scheme

I don’t want to worry

I want to trust

That the same God who helped yesterday

Will help now

Help me today

Because those who could and should

Very often don’t

And in this case, didn’t

I want to trust

That the same God who helped yesterday

Will help now

Help me today

To forgive the jealous, insecure loud mouth

Who always kisses up premature support

Then caves quietly without pressure

I want to trust

That the same God who helped yesterday

Will help now

Help me today

Sort through surprise and shock

Through absurd logic

Through ignorant and empty assurances

I want to trust

That the same God who helped yesterday

Will help now

Help me today

To not stop making bold gestures

To not stop spoiling and caring for others

Simply because similar gestures won’t be returned

I want to trust

That the same God who helped yesterday

Will help now

Help me today

To ignore dull duds

Who only underwhelm and are wholly unexceptional

To finally learn where my refreshment comes from and where it will not

I want to trust

That the same God who helped yesterday

Will help now

There’s a real person

In and for and through

Now has a moment to speak

The preacher’s kid

Counsel to many

Experienced

Educated

Beat up

How will I capture you

You are one of a kind

I’m a fan and aware

I have to look at it that way

Not to mimic but find

This “this” voice

You gotta really try at these things

And plead with your inner self

To agree with God

Shush and shush

The image in the pond

And break out the claws

To climb and climb and climb

You gotta really try at these things

And cave to the glory saps

To agree with God

Hand over hand

Foot on shoulder on face

Fill the bucket of doubt

And throw it out throw it out

You gotta really try at these things

To know but not see at all

To agree with God

And be all about it

Paint a picture of your faith

Even if you don’t recognize it

Then just make it be

Waiting is the ultimate lead balloon

Can’t anything hasten anymore

Waiting is the tear stuck in the duct

It burns and reminds and teases

Waiting is the missing last line

In an almost poem, an almost song

Waiting is knowing and not knowing

All at the same time, all at once

Waiting is cruel yet safe

In the moment and for the moment

I don’t want to wait anymore

I don’t want to wait

I feel my joy coming back

Little by little

Like the cicadas, I hope

Promise promise promise

Then boom – swarms

To write again

And act

To plan

And drive the big group

To build experiences

To know where the bull’s eye is

That is glee