[rehearsal reflections]

they always say that life sucks

and I used to think it wasn’t true

then for some time I quite agreed

and I thought the world was a horrible place

then I heard the music, then I saw the love

how could a crappy place have so much beauty?

it must not be so rotten

maybe it can be good

then I watched the news

people are rotten to each other

I realized the world is a horrible place

and humanity’s to blame for it all

but we’re also to blame for the love

SPOILERS

a splash of light
a wave of flame
and shrapnel flying

the burning sun
ain't a star, it's
an exploding ship

whose ship, you ask?
i'll tell you who
I don't know his name

he's called john smith
the lonely god
destroyer of worlds

do you know who?
i cannot say
he makes you better

LEAD MY DANCE

i can't do this all on my own
i need a little help, a little guidance
if you're standing there, watching me,
could you lead me in this dance?

if life is a dance, i don't know all the steps
i'm getting better, more coordinated
but i can't always hear the tempo
just give me some advice that ain't outdated

i know i can't do this without your help
you know i need you, i know you hear me
i don't know what i've waited for,
but the time for waiting is over, i can see

i'm just pretending to be in control,
would you help me hold the reins?
or better yet, here, take them
and take away my pain

GUILTY ON A GOOD DAY

oh, you're just okay
well, i'm sorry to hear that
i'm great
it's not my fault if life is good

karma might be a witch
or luck might be in my favor
i wish your life was better
but you rain ain't on my parade

i wish i didn't have to be so happy
because you're not
i feel bad
but i just can't bring myself
to be sad
not today

WHEN I'M OLDER

maybe when i'm older
i'll do things i only dream of doing
things i say i'll do tomorrow
things i wish i did yesterday

maybe when i know better
i'll know not to dream of doing
i'll know not to say tomorrow
i won't worry about yesterday

maybe when i'm older
i'll appreciate today
and what i'm doing
right now

I WONDER

i wonder where the north wind hides
in the summer, and the turning tides
where do they go if the moon disappears?
the dawn is drawing ever near

i wonder why the falcon soars
high above towers and stores
and why the nightingale sings in the dark
but in the morning, the songbird's the lark

ONLY AMBER*

amber smiles and ducks her head,

avoiding eye contact

she watches their feet walking past,

wishing she felt less alone

their voices tumble around,

replacing her silence

still she wishes and she listens,

never feeling filled

never hearing that one voice

she ducks her head until

the day he comes

amber has no friends, and yet

she doesn't want any

the friend she wants is coming

she waits to feel less alone

she longs for no companion

she desires no best friend.

knowing he's there at the end

doesn't make her less alone

right now

but he won't let her fall and

he will not let her down

he is waiting for her now

and she knows he's not alone

amber knows he's coming, though

she does not know the day

he's on his way, he's coming

and now if only they...

could wait

they'd see she's not alone

*note: i have turned this one into a song. it ain't silent anymore.

PEANUT BUTTER

Crunchy or smooth?
Plain-label, or
Peter Pan Brand?
Simple sandwich
Fruity jelly
Too much to choose

It even comes with
chocolate in
Christmas Cookies

Peanut butter
Yum yum yum Yum.

AWKWARD

k before the double-ya.
k after the double-ya
one k
kay sammich on double-ya bread?
aardvark!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Nest
Two birds
The three eggs
Four worms for breakfast
Finally, a family of birds

Title
Two pages
Three long chapters
Four plots and subplots
Characters don't quite get along

Point
A line
Plane of imagination
Derivatives, integrals, functions, graphs
What is the fifth dimension?

A song in haiku
With only seventeen notes
No rhyme: simple song

CLEMENTINE'S MYSTERY

Clementine always was the sad one
Standing there, hair a mess, the buttons of her shirt undone
They wondered what had happened
They wondered where she'd been
But Clementine never said a word to them

They watched her, waiting for her to crack
She'd smile sweetly, comb her hair, and run when they'd turn their backs
They never asked her questions
She never left a hint
But when they watched her, they often saw her flinch

Clementine smiled when they showed concern
She accepted their help, and let them care, but in return
She ran when they asked questions
She ran when they followed
She'd come back like before, but in her eyes a glow.

And so they wondered.

FINALLY GOOD

the trees will dance
bees and birds sing in harmony
the rivers will start a symphony
then you'll know to take the chance

the fish will leap for joy
the horses gallop, treasuring freedom
and chickens will totter along
all will have meaning. even the koi

the clouds will form angels
the mountains will waltz
all will be able to survive from just salt
then all species shall eat at one table

all species of trees in one wood
the sheep and the rodents shall nap with the beasts
and even pandas shall have daily feasts
when the world is finally good

BAKERY LOVE

tomato soup with a french baquette
three bagels, bread-sliced
$6.12 is your change
oh won't you please go out with me?

tomato panini, with mozzarella cheese
one frozen caramel coffee
uses of a rewards card
now will you go out with me?

a smoothie, a muffie, a pastry or five
can i get a free pastry yet?
here's your rewards card, beautiful
I will go out with you.

AUTUMN

a tree
a moth-filled, decaying woolen bag
piles of damp leaves
crisp orange sunsets
harvest moon rising over the skyscrapers
pennies spent on bait
fishing in the cold mornings
forests of rainbows
hunting season
change.