Jackson

It was the one tremendous smile amid the gruff-mouthed tense-shouldered cockfight posturing It was the one who said yes Who said, Sure, we can be friends—why not? Just like that The one who said Sure you can join us at our table The one who said Come over The one who danced with me All… Read more

gun now holstered trailing smoke he walks away down the other side dust verandahs his posse flanking him left and right always hits me never kills me my posse wait for me in a distant shantytown at a sidewalk table I bind my wound clean my gun borrow a horse Read more

Pen Keep your pen moving. Don’t stare around the room. Green For a moment there I thought the light was green. Empty The purple seat beside me, empty. Read more

Facebook wall: screens of quick-slap backslap happy birthdays like yelled across a noisy bar like look at me talking to I searched through a shop for ten minutes or more to find the perfect card— A black one with a Took it to the Waited in line Looked in my purse Paid Made small talk… Read more

Music with love in it makes me write but words on websites make me think. If my money can reach where my poems don’t and my credit card can dig the African dirt and water can flow and children can drink without walking miles in the pounding heat— it’s something. African Well Fund Read more

The moon is not full as I look up at three o’clock in the morning trying to lead him by the hand to my front door   He will not take my hand   He puts his hand on my butt instead and we walk to my front door in the cloudmoon dark having kissed and kissed   I pause and… Read more