Hospitality
The Birthday
Always got your frown
Got your brown bags
Sulking in the corner
The ruins of Rome in your armchair
Filling up your pores
And your wars and your basket
Smoke on the mantle that sits on the ashtray
Roll up the windows on this drive
Blackened oily teacup
A drop on your round mouth
Armor is rusting
The knight and his raptor
Always looking bored or too tired to remember
Dust on your knee
Or first snow in December
Tighten the reins before this ride
The hills and the alleys, back ways
Forage through the leaves and long days
Raking up the tea and candy
Bent baby blue and his old bad news
Evergreen but old isn’t wise or becoming
Dust on your boots isn’t much but it’s growing
*Bundle up your plans and your bags and your high class
Treasure was found but the gold turned to green brass
Tighten the reins for one more time
The hills and the sandy blond bog
Brackish water waves will mend some
Cobalt-colored glass and sandals
Elope to the reefs of Australia