It has been 
a long slow
slog down the 
familiar rut of 
life dodging trenches 
trees and passing 
pitfalls stumbling into 
holes divots and 
dumps to finally 
find myself here 
if ever I
have learned anything 
it’s that to
lose one gains
tire you will 
tire we do 
but give up
never or ever 

I sometimes think 
I’ve lived backwards 
making others happiness 
my first priority 
and pushing myself 
further and further 
down and away 
almost to the 
point of beyond 
and then life
happened hit me 
in the jaw 
waking me up 
making me think 
what the hell
am I doing 
letting myself live 
those other lives 
when it’s me
and it’s mine 
that I should 
be living for 

This factory that 
I am churning 
out parts that 
made others whole 
went through retooling 
everything the whole 
line and shop
floor gutted and 
redone and now 
I’m cranking out 
this kind my
kind of happiness 
pieces that fit 
only for me 

It’s time 
for change 
from summer 
to fall
in home 
from flowers
and fruits 
to ghosts 
and goblins 
oh this 
new found 
feeling of
silliness and 
the celebration 
of life
moving forward 
gimme kitsch

Time to dust 
and to wipe 
what is left 
that has settled 
time to see
what was forgotten 
laying in pieces 
so small that 
they are unrecognizable 
into the bin
they finally go
right where they
have already gone