4.7.26: Poem Untitled 1 #19

This poem carries a powerful, immersive voice, moving fluidly between introspection and observation. The consistent rhyme scheme gives it a musical backbone, while the shifting thoughts create a sense of urgency and emotional depth. Lines like “i live my life incommunicado” and “light at the end of the tunnel, i belong / with my family” ground the piece in something deeply human, balancing struggle with resilience. There’s a compelling interplay between philosophy and lived experience, as the speaker navigates perception, recovery, and connection. References to yoga and tai chi suggest discipline and a search for balance, while also hinting that something more—something stronger or more definitive—may be needed beneath the surface. The imagery feels vivid and memorable, especially in moments like “liquid angel” and “careless stare.” The final lines resonate strongly, blending companionship and introspection into a lasting impression of shared meaning and emotional complexity.

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Book-length poems

4.6.26: Untitled 3 #24

    risperidone love me, and risperidone love me not; she loves me, and, therefore, risperidone does not—unless a miracle happened, such as seeing you seeing me; how you channel your desire—making a weapon out of it, something you can use to bludgeon your mate into submission—my genes, my way.  but you have your genes, too; very funny, Ursula, but what would you say if i told you that, in the future, long, long into the future, my kin and kind would be unisexual—getting themselves pregnant, so their genes can rule, and, well, “that’s my whole reason to get you in bed—to make you want it so bad you do whatever i say.  raise the kids how i see fit—that kind of thing.  so risperidone—stuck with you for another six weeks, at least.  Maybe she’ll keep me on it?  Because of the antipsychotic potency?  there must be another way.

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Novels in real time

4.6.26: Poem Untitled #18

This piece pulses with a restless, improvisational energy that feels both chaotic and intentional, pulling the reader into a mind that refuses to settle. Its language leaps between humor, confession, and surreal imagery, creating a voice that is unpredictable yet deeply human. The shifting tones—playful, anxious, defiant—mirror the instability of thought itself, giving the poem a lived-in authenticity. Lines collide and reconfigure meaning. There’s also a compelling undercurrent of self-perception, threaded through wit and absurdity. That tension between control and unraveling gives the piece its momentum, making it not just something to read, but something to experience and revisit.

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Book-length poems

4.5.26: Untitled 3 #23

She’s living in the corner; after a fight, she leaves the house—goes somewhere to check her social media; that’s not true and i say, “oh yes it is.”  so she’ll leave him with the apartment, will she?  Is he protected?  Ursula already started looking like an ex to me; i get some impression, now, of how she treats him—how she functions, adapts to relationship change—don’t know what she was like in the past; suppose it doesn’t matter unless it puts things in perspective, in her favor, i imagine, if her behavior has improved.  It occurs to me now—the way that I acted when my infinitesimal blips happened is more justified than not.  people don’t know who they’re messing with, they want to go and poke the bear.  Anyhow it doesn’t matter how she treats him: it matters how she treats me.  I don’t anticipate things coming to an end at some unforeseeable point in the future, wholly at my expense.

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Novels in real time

4.5.26: Poem Untitled 1 #17

This portion stands out for its bold, associative movement and its willingness to let voice shift fluidly between reflection, confession, and surreal dialogue. The speaker feels intellectually restless, moving through ideas of faith and agency with a kind of improvisational energy that mirrors jazz itself. Lines like “a function of the eye / that centers my attention” suggest a philosophical awareness grounded in perception, while later passages open into stranger, more symbolic terrain. The abrupt tonal shifts—serious, ironic, intimate—create a layered psychological space where meaning accumulates rather than resolves. There’s also a strong sense of interior conversation, as if multiple selves or influences are speaking at once. That complexity gives the poem a lived-in, searching quality that can be reread and inspire deeper interpretation.

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Book-length poems

4.3.26: 1 Album 12: A fifth of gin

The song blends a conversational vocal line with a thoughtfully moving guitar part, creating an intimate, reflective mood. The melody unfolds naturally, as if the singer is discovering each phrase in the present, giving the lyrics a sense of honesty and immediacy. The guitar supports this with fluid, broken patterns that guide the listener forward, adding shape and direction without overpowering the voice. Together, they form a cohesive texture that feels personal and immersive. The song moves through vivid, sometimes fragmented images—references to drinking, memory, and self-reflection—that suggest a mind circling its own experiences. The words feel less like a linear story and more like thoughts surfacing in real time, which deepens the sense of authenticity.

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Songs

4.3.26: Untitled 3 #22

    make a wire transfer for 25 dollars  don’t want to pay it, sunshine; “Are you mocking me?”  i’m not doing anything  let me get used to your smile—those carnivorous incisors that would keep you on your toes, but, by now, everybody knows you’re as good as they come, more beautiful, my darling, than any disingenuous outcome  ”how do people keep their teeth so white?”  So they didn’t smoke, for one thing, but i see them drinking coffee, they must have veneers, however and however much that works  i think i’m in the clear; love that loud lipstick, red as my lips.  i play a little dress-up to drive the haters away; or, even better, convince them, over time, to change their loving ways.

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Novels in real time

4.3.26: Poem Untitled 1 #16

This piece pulls the reader into a volatile, intimate monologue where affection and accusation blur into one another. The voice shifts rapidly—tender one moment, confrontational the next—creating a sense of emotional instability that feels both unsettling and compelling. Beneath the sharp language and provocative imagery lies a deeper exploration of longing, miscommunication, and fractured connection. The repeated address to a “darling angel” adds a haunting contrast, suggesting devotion tangled with resentment. There’s a theatrical quality to the scenes, as if roles are being tried on and discarded in real time. The poem invites readers to navigate discomfort and ambiguity, rewarding close attention with glimpses of vulnerability and unresolved tension that linger well after the final line.

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Book-length poems

4.2.26: Poem Untitled 1 #15

This passage pulls you into a voice that refuses to look away—from itself or the world it confronts. It moves with a restless energy, shifting between defiance, humor, and an undercurrent of unease that keeps you alert. What first feels abrasive gradually reveals something more human: a speaker wrestling with guilt, love, and the need to be understood without softening the truth. The imagery is striking and unpredictable, giving the poem a sense of motion, as if it’s unfolding in real time. There’s a tension between what’s said outright and what’s implied beneath it, making you want to read closer. By the end, you’re left not with answers, but with a lingering sense that something important has been exposed.

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Book-length poems

4.1.26: Untitled 3 #21

Divine love?  yes, divine love stood between me and nihilism and the addictions that went a long with it.  But what about this new-fangled addiction to soda pop and sparkling water?  Would my teeth be ultra-sensitive when i went to the dentist?  Would I get a whiff (or more) of excruciating pain?  What this came down to was: I still doubted that God exists a fair amount, even if a greater percentage of my heart and mind believed that he certainly does exist.  Now—if my meds were doing what they were supposed to do—and i felt good—then i had no reason to doubt His existence; but I did, and that is the crux of the biscuit.  I felt bad about this—and that made me doubt His existence even more because it made me feel worse.  So, what?  All of this means something—I stand by that, no matter the lesser doubt that I feel.  And that keeps me on my meds—and sober, and, when the time comes, a function of compromise.

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Novels in real time