Physics
Newton’s third law
states that
every action
has an equal and opposite reaction,
that there are forces constantly
at odds,
at war,
the push and pull
and standstill of atoms all around us,
waiting to react
to whatever comes.
What is the opposite reaction to this chaos?
How far into darkness will the pendulum swing
until we swing back
willingly
toward
the
Light?
Directions to My Childhood
off the highway
turn right on Rio Bonito
another right on Sierra Blanca
end up at Presidio West
and you might find me there
wide-eyed
almost unbroken
knock on Sherry’s door
the babysitter who watches
a pack of us latchkeys after school
she probably won’t answer
don’t knock again
follow the secrets
down the sidewalk to the big green boxes
the giant sage cubes of metal
that hold in electric meters or connections
who even knows?
some currents can’t be contained or explained
there is a clubhouse there
sure it doesn’t look like one but it’s there
the password is scratched into the
the circle of hedges
you may hear us laughing
or crying
if anyone asks you which
during truth or dare
always say dare
the truth is not something we speak of
in these circles
we are all make-believe and forget-me-not
we are all bliss and recovery
we are all cover up and don’t make waves
something is hiding in us
ask Gabe if he still has that gun he brought on the school bus
tell Jessica to tell me a new tragedy that does not involve my cat and a fast car
tell Tiffanie she will mix drinks for a living and do it well
tell Derrick that football isn’t going to save him
tell Carmen she will end up just like her mother strong kind clutching young
tell me it’s going to be okay
wait for the streetlights to come on
then wait a few more hours for mom to come home and kiss us goodnight
how 10:30 might as well be 3am in our little waitings
wait there
you will find me warming something on the stove
you will see me not doing homework
you will see me full of questions
you will see me become
husband father
hardly little
girl
you will see me waiting for childhood
to be something
I can control
I see you coming
don’t stop
keep going
all that is left here has turned to dust