VIII.

                                      at a venue

filled with all the          People I May Know

a band I’m

not familiar enough with         is not

                                                 winning me over















IX.

                                                              I’ve had

meaningful conversations with you

in my head                   I wish

that counted                             sometimes I feel

like I’m trapped on the set

of a musical                              paralyzed

                                                  by the decision

between which words to say

and which words

to sing                         I almost always

settle on say















X.

                                      what’s happened

                                      what

hasn’t

the difference               is about to be

forgotten                      do something

else forgettable            good job

now me

friendship                     love                              anger

I’m sorry Miles             I’m sorry Vera















XI.

a commercial plane

                                     alone

                                     in the lonely

sky                                empty

Miles says it’s

probably delivering packages

throws me                    the ball















XVI.

the soccer announcer literally just said

little cosmic kite        which planet

                                   did you come from

that was Italy             in the ’80s

                                   when in Rome

is an excuse

each day                     the hope

                                   for a new image

passes

each day I ask

                        what kind of music

                        would this be















XVIII.

nostalgia

                                                 is not the missing

                                                 of the thing

                                                 gone

but our previous selves

a deer

             that doesn’t scare















XXII.

                                      activity

keeps experience          from being a memory

                                      as you experience it

a sport                           an art

                                      we celebrate everything

the same                                               my kids wonder

why nothing’s crossed off                    my calendar

                                                              I’m not

counting down to anything

time                                           is an offer

                                                  forgiveness

an offer                                     such promise

                                                  such

small margins for error