rattlers on the lost dogwash trail in

spring.  the new government
healthcare plan.  the new government
student loan plan.  the chances to
get hit by a foul ball when
sitting in the 3rd row on the
1st base line.  surviving  a
brain tumor.  be
coming an actuary and
digging it.  be
coming an actuary and
figuring out all those numbers above.

rattlers on the lost dogwash on trail in
spring.

cubs game in spring training

sitting in the third row
first base line
six days before opening day
reminds me of obama's favorite word
reminds me of obama's latest accomplishment
but do politicians accomplish anything?
mlb cable predicts 2nd or 3rd for the cubs this year
well, i tell you my dear,
baseball players and
politicians
have one thing in common:
victory,
defeat,
and that thing that
george washington's face is on.

go cubs, go; it's
been a unicentennial plus.

visiting the folks in phoenix

over spring break
reminds me
to be grateful
for ma and pa

the Idea Man

comes up with Ideas every day.
sometimes he writes them down.  and
sometimes he doesn't.  sometimes he tells
people.  most of the time, he keeps them
to himself.  he forgets a lot of them.
most of them.  sometimes he throws away those pieces
of paper.    the next one will be better, see.
so nothing gets done.

wait.

the Idea Man
comes up with Ideas every day.
sometimes he writes them down.  and
sometimes he doesn't.  sometimes he tells
people.  most of the time, he keeps them
to himself.  he forgets a lot of them.
most of them.  sometimes he throws away those pieces
of paper.    the next one will be better, see.
the Idea Man
comes up with Ideas.

have you ever stood up

to watch your shit go down
all that black & brown
sometimes white surround
ed by water & paper
and, i hope, your
relief, hear
the flush--o that sound!--
wash your hands, now, wash
your hands, now,
toilet symphony in your ears, now,
pollock shitphony in your eyes, now,
disappears now
disappears now
reappears some
time, you
pray.

march madness entices

even this basketball hating
jew.  i just saw tennessee beat ohio state
u. back and forth, see, back
and forth; forth and back; forth and
back.  what did the volunteers have tonight
that the buckeyes lacked?  kar
la graduated in columbus, as did her bro,
her dad, my sis.  tonight they were a
miss.  the last few minutes.  po
columbusians, po po fans, i ask you
this:  what's better, a buckeye dead near
the finish line or a blue de
mon never to feel Death's kiss?

one 5th decade white boy jew

in the high school hallway saw two
latino girls thin as fingernails
figting against lockers
while the crowd grew around them--
free show, see,
everybody's got cable, right?
but this was live--
i tried to separate the chicas
glued as uno,
and with the help of the football coach
(without whom i'd be gone-o)
they were dos again,
taken
downstairs to
the cops
but who knows what who'll see
tomorrow?