I’d been running 
end to end 
and all around 
looking for something
I’d surely dropped 
finding it nowhere 
I finally stopped 
sat and thought 
had I really
ever had it
or had I 
only thought I’d 
checking my pockets
and inside shoes 
still so desperate 
certain it’s there
and it was
it had already 
been there where
ever I’d been 
for the thing
forever was me 

Early morning orange 
a delicate dip
in new day
just a wash
rinse and spin
of water and 
pot and cup 
slowly dying embers 
of dreams past
ignite dry wood
of dawn coming 

At this age 
I’m an exclusive 
no longer generic
or young or
freshly minted squeezed
or canned I’ve 
been steeping and 
seeping too long 
too late and 
far too often 
a tad bitter
a bit spicy 
but always smooth 
sweet and mellow 
never thrown back 
like an afterthought 
only ever sipped 
and slowly savored 

In my bubble 
away from others 
I lazily swim
bloop bloop bloop
back and forth 
nary a care
round and round 
I go from 
room to room 
and back picking 
up this and 
that then back
just a goldfish 
in a bowl 
on a counter 
sometimes I imagine 
I’m a bird
in the bubble 
of blue sky 

What’s that 
the present 
heard the 
past say
that’s you 
when just 
a child 
and I
am the 
adult having 
learned from 
your mistakes