Themes
Raising the Bar
I need to move someplace where Cheez Whiz isn’t a major food group, she said.
Random Door
doorway that only lets some stuff through but you never know what it’s going to choose, so it’s hard to plan for the future
Quiet Prayer
As long as the sun shall rise goes the old lovers vow. But we are children of a scientific age & have no time for poetry. Still, I offer a quiet prayer of thanks for the sunlight each time I see your face.
Quiet Pride (No Gender)
There has never been a day when I have not been proud of you, I said, though some days I’m louder about other stuff so it’s easy to miss that.
Quiet Pride (daughter)
There has never been a day when I have not been proud of you, I said to my daughter, though some days I’m louder about other stuff so it’s easy to miss that.
Quiet Pride (son)
There has never been a day when I have not been proud of you, I said to my son, though some days I’m louder about other stuff so it’s easy to miss that.
Quiet Little Films
finally has figured out there aren’t enough quiet little British films around to protect her from the real world
Put Together
don’t be fooled by appearances he was all put together when I sent him out 10 minutes ago
Queen of the Universe
I used to hate birthdays, she told me, until I figured out I was the Queen of the Universe & now I do them for the little people.
Quick Hider
The only reason my cat’s still with me, she said, is that he hides quicker than everybody else.
Quick Service
He said being invisible wasn’t so bad except when you’re trying to get quick service.
Quiet Dance
Her feet moved like small creatures over the floor, quiet & unconcerned with anything but the business of dancing.
Psychology
Of course I’m not happy, she said to me, but I’ve got a degree in psychology so at least I can explain why.
Public Eye
Contains all the stuff I’ve decided to keep from the public for my own good
Public Face
I like to sit quietly in public places, she said, to make up for being so obnoxious in private.
Public Radio
He only gets vicious when he watches too much tv, so we keep public radio on most of the time instead so mainly all we have to worry about is him going around to all the neighbors asking for money.
Purple Madonna
One time on Hollywood Boulevard I saw a young girl with a baby. It was a crisp winter morning & her hair shone dark purple in the sun. She was panhandling outside the Holiday Inn & the door clerk came out & told her to be on her way & I wondered if anyone would recognize the Christ child if they happened to meet. I remember thinking it’s not like there are any published pictures & purple seemed like a good color for a Madonna so I gave her a dollar just in case.
Promise
the water washed away everything but the chance to begin again
so we came from cities & towns, from long golden fields
& we stood side by side until we made a bridge to dry land,
back to a place we have promised to hold safe for each other’s children,
back to a place called America
Promises
I only promise the little things. The big things don’t pay attention to what I want anyhow.
Proper Steps
I only do this until I get dizzy & then I lay down on my back & watch the clouds, she said. It sounds simple but you won’t believe how many people forget the second part.