Staff Bible Study

A fluorescent light
blinks over
tired sun-burnt faces
looking sideways
out of hooded college sweat shirts

while a balding man
explains where
wisdom and understanding
can be found.

Few bibles are open.
The bubbly girls are yawning
while the chubby-funny guys
are more asleep than awake.

I'm watching a bug circle the room
trying to remember how to spell

hallelujah.

Bass Fishing

This is another borderline.


I'm clumsy in boats
I always have been

I maintain what the boy scouts taught me
three points of contact at all times

I'm a decent swimmer
but I want to keep it a voluntary thing

The outdoor channel shows bass fishing
all the time

they have tournaments
the fishermen have fast boats

They stand on flat decks
and toss lures on weeds

it makes me nervous to watch them
I find myself clutching the arms of the couch

I change the channel quickly

I don't know why I'm writing this.

I'm a Grown Up Now

So I'm starting plan out my next chapbook. This is one of my borderlines. So tell me what you think.


When I wake up
I hit the snooze 4 times
mutter an expletive
and roll out of bed

It's dark when I drive to work,
brake lights and street lights
reflect off a slick empty highway
I listen to sports radio

I pass three porn stores
a strip club
and a casino
on my way to work

Five car lots, a Wal Mart
my old church
the house where my bible study met
when I was in high school

the church no longer exists
but there are teriyaki shops
at least 10 of them
just on my drive to work

I pass my old orthodontist's office
the field I learned to play soccer on
the music store where I bought my guitar
I commute when I used to watch grindhouse flicks after bar close

I don't know what I'm doing at work
People are friendly
ask how I'm doing
I smile

You know--keeping my head above water; or
highs and lows, strikes and gutters; or
starting to get the hang of things; or
same old same old

Oh and. . .
I went to sleep at 6:30 last night
because I just couldn't think of anything else to do; or
counting down the minutes until I can fall asleep or drink myself stupid