“What does it mean?” “Not a damn thing. Don’t talk to me about sustainability in a nation gone from natural wilderness to wilderness of our own making in less than two hundred years. Talk to be about money and profit and comfort if you want to talk the truth.” “Don’t you believe it’s important to…
“What are they building here?” “A police station.” “Wasn’t there a church here before?” “Yes. They tore it down. The church died. They boarded the windows, surrounded it with chain link topped by barbed wire and sold to the city.” “Says something doesn’t it.” “Like what?” “They traded spirit for law and faith for enforcement.” “I…
“You see that statue of a woman way up there on top of the capitol building?” “Way too high for me to see. Way too high. “They gonna put another statue at the capitol. This one down real low for you and me.” “What they gonna call it?” “Miss Fortune.” “I know her sister, Works…
“You hear about that new bill they got before the legislature?” “Oh yeah, I heard about it. Real mother of a bill.” “They’re talking about building another capitol up there on the hill, side by side with the one they got there now. Seems one big tit ain’t enough for all the cats who want…
When I attended seminary, No, really I did, we learned the word above meant The Burning Ones, angels and flaming spirits sent by God, emissaries of divine presence and truth. There’s this girl, No, really there is, who runs by the house every morning, her face etched with pain and determination. Then within the hour she…
Haven’t ridden my motorcycle in a while. December in Wisconsin, right, but this global warming thing is way out of line and if they say Bad and I say Ride, then maybe while I do they’ll get this whole break figured out. Meanwhile you go your way and I’ll go mine and get where I’m…
There is a woman who works cleaning tables, not serving tables, nothing so glamorous as giving people food. No. Only garbage, trash and liquids cold and heavy carafes of lukewarm coffee grace her hands. Yet she cut her hair off her splendid hair to give to those with cancer, donated her glory to bring joy…
The water and the sun upon the water, the wind from the same quarter and the sky, the blue sky allure me to believe the same time endures between you and I, but that is only me for had I known you lay with him when last I thought you loved me here and now…
You don’t have sixteen thousand five hundred and sixty eight friends. Neither do I. You and I aren’t friends if you need sixteen thousand five hundred and sixty eight strangers between us before you share a word of yours with me or receive a word of mine. It isn’t social. It’s impersonal. If it’s impersonal…
What happened to you? The black horn rimmed glasses, the formless striped pullover, the wedding ring I would have thought you’d wear, the weight I see you’ve gained beneath your fidgeting fingers, what happened to you? Why didn’t you tell me? I would have cared. It would have made a difference, because I do, still…
