The old county
Where I grew up
The straw north
Outside the state park
Where you could hear the rides
At night
Off the highway
That creaked in the evening
And cracked at dawn
The fields filled with
Corn and life
Back on
The other side
I twist and turn
On a hot summers afternoon
No inclination for movement
Or anything new
These tangled languid times
Are required to
Get back on my feet
To get back and compete
To be the best
Me
I can
Be
It starts with
Acidic thoughts
That run through my brain
Draining
The momentum
Of positive hopes
Dragging me down
To the lowest of slopes
It the acid of the mind
And the acid of the spirit
It takes you to where
Positivity you can’t even
Hear it
We will all look back
And see that this time
Was difficult
But our spirits
Regardless of what
Has been lost
Must be endurable
To continue to
Grow
For the next sunrise
We’ll know
In this life
We have a long way to go
Only at the most convenient
Irrelevant
But ideal moment
A polite word
Is said
By one
And refused as it
Left
So bring manners
When the right time occurs
But learn it for good
In all registers
What else could be said
About a little lie
That somehow
Left so many afraid
Of what could have been done instead
These agreeable chickens
Speak no truth
But lies
To me
And you
Giddy markets
Cut out the middle class
Of people
Working day and night
Giddy homes and giddy cars
Giddy stocks and giddy stars
So hold tight
And wait for a new opportunity
If it ever comes
Again
It’s as sweet as an afternoon nap
Right there with a cozy
Knit blanket on your lap
The new out of tune
Is the thing to do
When the world
Falls apart
Just tuck in
And get a good view
I was done
One and run
Out of the lifeline
Of support
I
Was
Kaput
Is there any way out?
From a dismal start
To the lying stout
That comes with time
And frustration
With all the hopes
Of one great nation
The only hope
Is to escape
Quietly
In the night
