Such a waste 
chasing the back
end of cars
like some dog 
hoping to go 
who finally stops
at the gate 
let them go 
I now say 
let them find
because obviously what
they found in 
me they didn’t 
want bad enough 

If a break 
isn’t bad enough 
I’ve got to 
repair the line 
and get back 
what got out 
or maybe just 
leave it be 
let it fend
for itself and 
see if the 
grass grows greener 

In this half
day half dark
I smell soap 
and imagine clean
it’s funny clean 
it being once 
and never again 
until it is
so dirty maybe 
soiled even is
the natural order 
because clean doesn’t 
stick around long 

Now done
already finished 
one more 
box ticked
a checklist 
life is
a challenge 
a checkup 
and then 
a checkout 
before you 
go home 
memories bagged

Regret is 
a blister 
on the 
heart of
hope and 
the hands
of justice 
and one 
that will 
surely take 
decades to 
ever heal