Wiley

Forest City blues
on a school night
weeknight crooning
sweet medicine
heals the heart

Muse walks in
takes a stool at the bar
next to the leashed cat
orders a drink
smooth scotch

strangers howling like
owwwwoooooooooooooo
London Werewolves
Reiki Lullabye
Cleveland Love Song

illustrating the many
shades of gray
"if Picasso had a Gray Period,
it would have happened
in Cleveland"

gray:
the indistinguishable line between
Lake
Shoreway
and sky

a 6-piece band
been there
done that
with 2 of 'em
Welcome Home, baby!

i don't remember
where we've met
but i always know
never forget name or face
or place

God Bless 'Em!
French Quarter calling
it's ok
it's after 9
my minutes are free

your bluesy trumpet of
Mark Twain's ghost
makes me want to get naked
naked inverted human pyramids
kinda naked

intuitively understanding
women balance with the moon
men draw strength from the sun
his corona
shines all over my body

like a flip book
Kerouac
Youngstown
blue flames
dance before my eyes

legacies of passion and labor
Train Avenue shortcuts
sundering is my past
unity my future
body grooves

energy in that old bar
flows apart
ebbs together
new friends
take reticent leave



No Matter

Monday night magic
consistently proves
the importance of spending weekends
resting up for weeknights

she sang those blues like nothin'
a mix of Ella and Janis and...
Robert Plant
soul sings & nerves dance

you came home in the morning
that's not a shock
i wonder if it was
when your key didn't fit in the lock!

your picture made my stomach turn
gleefully
love letters accidentally found
made me laugh out loud

the sense of coming home
to myself
how do you live
with yourself?