Published on: 4/5/2015
Looking Back

I had a motorcycle
and I could have ridden it forever.
It wasn't even mine. It was my Dad's
and it was a small bike
with little horsepower.

I rode it on a gravel road north of Minneapolis.
The road had soft hills and tight turns
around barns and silos and farmhouses
and rows of high corn and yellow wheat fields
and after each turn in the road
when I couldn't see beyond the next turn
not knowing what was coming next
I was never so happy.

Published on: 12/11/2013
Stuck In The Snow

Already late for work
My job stocking shelves with gift cards
Along with their joyous messages.
I have a few choice words
Hallmark never heard of
As I rock this boat
Of a '68 Impala
Back and forth ever
So gently thinking
Don't goose the gas
Be patient
As I throttle back
And forth between drive
And reverse
Until finally my Mom
Comes out with a couple
Of old blankets and
Throws them under
The rear tires and wouldn't
You know it the
Tires take hold
As my Mom waves
And the world
At least for a minute
Becomes one great big stinking
Hallmark moment.

Published on: 5/9/2012
Vintage

I bought a bottle
Of Portuguese wine today
The one with the
Full figured bottle.
Back in college
I used those artsy bottles
To hold candles
To give off a seductive light
To seduce the girls
I could never seduce.

I thought this wine
Had gone the way
Of bell bottoms.
It's been modernized
With a screw top cap.
Imagine, a wine
From Portugal where
Cork grows like kudzu
Using a screw top.

But the taste was the same…
Somewhat sweet with
Just a hint of bitterness.

Published on: 4/15/2011
First Girlfriend

Today I woke up
And couldn't remember the last name
Of my first girlfriend.
It's been that long, though
I sill think of her sometimes.
Now that I've forgotten her last name
I guess I can let go
Of all of those teenage heartaches
And hurt feelings
When she dumped me
For one of the high school toughs.
He hit a home run with her
While I never made it past first base.
He was an athletic type
I was a Poindexter.
But now that I've forgotten her last…
Damn, I just remembered it.