Lost Cause

I knew it just wouldn’t last

not with you and your stable future

and me and my shaky past

it was good for a while

your positive relentless spirit

sure could make me smile

the time we got caught in the rain

and you couldn’t find your keys

made love on the porch again

we lived on ramen all summer

when we got tossed on the street

it sure was a bummer

you wanted some stability

I was scattershot deluxe

I didn’t have that ability

we split with a kiss

I watched you slowly drive away

so many little things that I miss

I’m blind but I can still see

that I miss you to this day

do you ever think of me?

Hockey Night In Chicago

black and white marble floors look like a theater to me

or theatre as the british spell it old man

fancy red seats, old pipe organ blaring away cool

hope the car is alright--rough neighborhood

hope it starts when we leave or else we’re fucked

good game, penalty shot

dude behind us yelling constantly over his beer

where’s your skates man?

beer flowing, game going

more fights in the stands than on the ice

off-duties in yellow jackets have a busy night

I don’t want the game to end

but it does and we head out to the subzero

car thankfully starts and we crawl like a frozen drunken worm

out to the expressway and it’s hypnotic brake lights staring at me

who the hell is out driving at almost midnight

well it is a big city I should have known better

grab some coffee and some pancakes on the way home

at the local family 24 hour restaurant

like families are gonna come in at 3 a.m.

talk about the game--talk about anything

The New Neighbors

the new neighbors with three pickup trucks wave

yet more new neighbors 

a feeble wave back at them out of politeness

I wonder when they’ll come asking for favors 

I wonder what their ulterior motive is

nobody’s that nice anymore

unless they got a reason for it

what you can do for them, what they can borrow

no I don’t care where you work

or how important you or your alphabet soup title are

or how much money you got

or if you’re drivin’ the fanciest car

you never know who they could be

some psychos just waiting for an opening

softening you up for the kill

maybe just broke out of Sing-Sing

with arrest records like a dictionary

or ordinary people who are a pain in the ass

I don’t make eye contact for long

don’t want them steppin’ on my grass

bring the dog in and lock the door

deadbolt keep out and away

that’s what it’s come to

can’t trust anybody these days

especially if they’re smiling or waving

as they say--good fences make good neighbors