Cage Without Bars

endorphin gorged this morning

pouring over pages 

sorting word porridge

clawing away through my artistic middle ages

and what’s strange is

to overcome fear i find anger is a boost 

but if i’m only brave as my rage is

in that chaos contained 

confusing freedom with rights

is what a contemporary cage is

Teen Veneer

you ask for my considered opinion

then denigrate my reply

defensive in the face honesty
you flee and feign offense

squeamish confronted with compliments

you self-deprecate

from all of this you are convinced i’m trapped 

within your gaslit ruse

but you’ve built the walls so high i’m left outside

and have yet to enter

a carnival keep of contradictions

the edifice of youth

NYC

i read the stories

some saw you bottom up 

some top down

some idolized you

some still do

i never saw how

your black gum filth 

crawled under my skin

summered in my sweat

strangers standing breathing

too close on the A train

into Queens poverty

on the street in the subway

the bestowed anonymity

was a kind of faceless grace

i prepared to force myself to fit

but felt like the only one 

who knew it was a dream

and couldn’t wake up

Singing You Awake

in time's last echo

three faces sing in the mist

wake from illusion