583

You left without turning back

You left without a word

And I knew what that made you

What consequentially had to be the case

Which is something

Which is quite something

That has nothing to do with me

For you showed yourself that day

To be drunk on every kind of let down

Wet and wasted with upset

That runs the world over

You’re the baby on the bench

So alone and so abandoned

That you’ll never think of a reason

Why you should ever say goodbye

You’re the baby on the bench

Lucky enough to be raised by the village

But bruised enough to think you’re only ever in the way

582

Your salvation

Is for all of life

It’s for now

This moment

It’s a special knowing

That you are always held

Always always always

Always the beloved

Stand but breathe

Lead but breathe

Be the calming presence

And keep breathing

Whisper consolation

To each other and sing

Sing for, sing with, sing until

You’re convinced of joy

Your salvation

Is for all of life

It’s for now

This moment

581

Along the backside of the trailer

There are cinder blocks sitting in the mud

Filled with water that’s red from rust

And the rebar is so bloody and twisted

That it looks like the legs of a wolf spider

And it’s hot like only South Carolina is hot

And the gnats and mosquitoes make it suck

Sweat burns everywhere and rashes wail

And the window air-conditioning unit

Is stirring up dust from last fall and winter

Spraying it across allergic skin

My signature song

And all I know is that I don’t like it here at all

That is something I know for sure

‘Cause that heat and yuck

Wasn’t the worst part by far

‘Cause even with

The screaming blotches and the cracked skin

The worst of it came from not being seen

How do you endure being ignored

While constantly keeping yourself from scratching

How do you juggle

The certainty of complete disregard

With the long hell of summer

580

My lack

Of aspiration

Has come back

To bite me

Because

I’m not able

To balance

The transcendent

And the dust

I just stare

Straight ahead

All day long

I just suppose

That everything

Is stupid

As the sun rises

I just suppose

That everything

Is stupid

As the sun sets

579

“Boo” say the powerless

And tyrants say “use your words”

But emotion for the oppressed

Is the strongest tool available

Because ticking time bombs

And ticking time mobs

If nothing else, are heard and seen

And when the ground shakes

And the smoke clears

Kings and kingdoms must then decide

If it is worth the stench

If it is worth the ache

578

When I

Choose to

Walk alone

I cannot blame others for not being close

There are consequences

The results are in

When I

Climb down

Too low

I cannot choose to question the cold

There are consequences

The results are in

When I

Leave you

Over there

I cannot wonder why you haven’t shown

There are consequences

The results are in

When I

Sulk such

Sorrowful songs

I cannot plead for friends to sing along

There are consequences

The results are in

577

Optimism

Is like a grumpy neighbor

You never see

But know is watching you

All hours of the night

Optimism

Is for people with a pulse

Who are patient

And long-suffering

And steadfast

Optimism

Has always been a friend

But today is merely algae

Barely alive and covering

Smothered and comatose

576

What does it feel like

And what is it

Why does it crush

And step on with sadness

Why does it aggravate

And churn and bubble

I hate it

I hate it’s faithfulness

I hate it’s grip

I hate it’s bite

575

The apostle

Always tastes opportunity

He gags himself with it

She approaches every corner with glee

And it is there and it is there and it is there

And when the disappointment is thick

Opportunity rings a bell

And the soul snaps awake

And any renegade worth their salt

Finds the floor

Finds the door

Finds the first hint

Of triumph

And drives hard