poetry

waves 2020

waves 2020

the waves never cared about politics
conservative, liberal –
they would break the same way
with the same force
travel the same endless distance
across open ocean

but now the waves know
things are not the same
and there’s little they can do –
it’s so hard for them
to make little wet hands
to X out change

instead, the waves quietly whisper
vote for us

poetry

balance

balance

each arm scoops a boy
hugs him close
one moment my attention bends more one way
next it teeters toward the other
but always in the center of my chest
my heart is at the fulcrum
not oscillating at all
doing its best to keep the whole mass stable
and every bucket topped off to the brim