I have spent years on the clock
and decades working with men
who lived hard lives and
who understood hard times.
I have been the young one
and now,
I am not so young
anymore.

Of course, I want more.
I want to be more too,
as in more than I am now
or more,
as in more aware yet,
the more I am aware,
I want to be more comfortable
with what I know as well as be fine
with what I do not
or cannot understand
because, of course,
what is a man who knows?

I have come a long way “since then,”
but then again, we all have,
even if we haven’t
because life still moves,
even if we are stagnant or still,
the world keeps turning around, like . . .
on a regular basis
for free.

1)

The world really is an amazing place,
which does not mean I can always say this
with a kind regard.
For example, it amazes me how two people
can see the exact same thing
and walk away with
two different conclusions.

Ever see this?

My heart beats . . .
. . . and here’s why.
There is a glow about you,
like an archway above your mind
and all the angels who sing
have claimed to know you
all too well,
like someone who was placed in our lives
for one specific reason,
and eventually revealed
throughout the burdens of time.

1)

I know—
The things I say
are different from the things you hear.
But hey,
in the Land of Interpretation,
misunderstanding is king.
Or perhaps I should say queen,
depending upon the circumstances.

As I see it,
the world moves in pieces,
like a chess board
and so,
the eyes of the misguided
and the people with stalemate minds
will move from one day to the next
just to avoid the reminder
of being in check.

Safe to say . . .
I can be free now, if I choose to be.
Safe to say
that I can walk in any direction
or cross the street
or find a little café
and strike up a conversation
with some out-of-town person
who never saw
The Empire State Building
live and in-person.

1)
March 2024

Yesterday—

It was nice to see the city in the sunlight.
It was nice to see the hint of spring
which should be here soon,
and soon enough, the great thaw will take place
and once more,
we can feel the warmth on our skin
and feel alive.

It is closer to the months of summer now
and perhaps we are closer to the sun yet,
pieces of us
are growing more distant from each other.

I can see us now, as we were, a long time ago
in a lifetime, far, far away.
I can see the past come up in random moments
where random faces of once-known people
pass me by like perfect strangers,
which is fine, I say
because hey . . .
this only shows that our time was temporary.
No, really, it is.