9:30 on a Saturday Night

Sitting at old
Varnished planks
On a bar stool
With a Fat Tire
Eddie Rabbit is
Driving his life away
I'm considering
A sunny day
And I know
It will always
Happen
Here and there
When I least
Expect it
All just like
This tumultuous
Weather
Normalcy?
Should I hope?
Well...
It doesn't hurt
To hope...
Normalcy would
Suit me fine
But I'm okay
Regardless
Always the
Perpetual optimist...
And now...
I've been displaced
By arm wrestling
I was asked
If I would move
For use of
My corner
And those
Around me
Are talking legalities
Screams of
"Over the top!"
Really?
And now I
Return to reflecting
Waiting for the
PA to arrive
While Merle plays
And I think of...
Her.

Blades

Hey, hey, hey, can I say? Can I say that it wasn't such a bad day? Really. I should be sleeping...as usual. Listening to the Black Keys. Thinking about...that one time...listening to the same album...before the last time. Yeah, those amazing brown eyes. Yeah, thinking about that time.

Please Forgive Me (David Gray)

"Please forgive me
If I act a little strange
For I know not
What I do
It feels like lightning
Running through my veins
Every time
I look at you
Every time
I look at you"
~David Gray

IT IS.

Being a dad to four extremely unique and wonderful children.
Being a teacher in a second grade classroom full of such beautifully diverse students.
Being a friend to so many amazing people and hoping that my heart's output is sufficient enough to earn their love and respect.
Being a server at an incredibly great steak house.
Being some bloke who is organizing a 20 year high school class reunion.
Being a front man in a band that is about to release a killer album.
Being a builder that gets to swing a hammer again this summer after school is out.
Being a part of southern Illinois.
Being a citizen.
Being rooted.
Being...
Me.

Blades

Beautiful blades
Of brown hair
Swept over brown
Eyes
Spin it as though
Just sometimes
But I'll be honest it's all the time
That I think of you
The coolest grace
In the way you move
I fall over myself
When you change your shoes
I hate knowing now
That I am
Forever
Away from you

So I'll draw
Your face
In the light
That I see you
And think of
The place
Where I last
Kissed you
Slow
dancing
Beside
Your Christmas tree
Your eyes
Your smile
All of it
Happened

Crack
In your favorite wine glass
Never stopped us
From enjoying our favorite white
Snow
On the television
Never stopped us
From laughing all night
Sitting on your
Garage stairs
Sweeping through
Beautiful blades of brown hair
Chilled to the bone
Huddled at home
A dizzy black softly
Swallowed us whole

So I'll draw
Your face
In the light
That I see you
And think of
The place
Where I last
Kissed you
Slow
dancing
Beside
Your Christmas tree
Your eyes
Your smile
All of it
Happened

Your Name

Caught on the edge
Frayed as it might
Just be as it may
The off random sight
Trip on your stare
Caught up in your eyes
All talk is too brief
Too long sleepless nights
Toss and then turn
A make believe whirl
I sing and I miss
World spinning unfurled
It's all stupid nothing
Better sense says to shame
But I know I'll sleep better
Just savoring your name