imperfectly, striving forward
facing a fear that stems from deep within
standing alone, powerful, ready
to go toe to toe with the impossible us
but there was a time
we just danced

we had just danced

we had
moved in tiptoe steps
sweat in ¾ time with
repetition and colours

and we sat under the sun
and every word we spoke was God

infused into every breath and every pause
the rhythm made itself obvious
(there was love there, between us three)

we smiled as the secret evaded strangers:

we are all held by grace

no matter how we fight it, we are still held

and for one hour

us three knew it

Copyright ERK 2010

I stared and
drifted off
eyes heavier than breathing
muscles slowly releasing

it was calm

and I woke up
with a start
I finally remembered
where I had put the poem

the one I
read to you
the one you said you liked
the one I said I liked too

the one I
thought was
lost forever in the garbage
was in the recycling box

the recycling box
was outside in
the -10 degree evening
awaiting the next morning

I told you
it didn’t matter
turned to go back to sleep
you got up and got dressed

it’s your
only copy,
you said, put on your coat
and boots, and left our apartment

you came back
is this it, you asked
going through the contents
is this it, is this it, is this it

this is it
you brought the box
back outside, having found the
poem about how you don’t love me

ERK 2010

I say there is less abstraction
but truly, things are
becoming more ambiguous.

As much as I am in love with the world,

(like a stupid teenager
or a spiritual revolutionary
let me lead you in prayer:
in the name of the father, the son and all
others who concern themselves.
we know nothing. Amen.)

I am ready to destroy it.

I have it. I am Shiva.

As much as I am in love with you,

(I become a stupid teenager
and a spiritual revolutionary)

I am ready to destroy you
for the things your people
have done to mine
(in the name of the father, the son and all
those who concern themselves.
you knew nothing. Amen.)

I have it. I am ashamed.

As much as I am in love with her,

(when I was a stupid teenager, I hid it
and feared a noted spiritual revolutionary)

I want to destroy her
for this desire
for which she is blameless and is likely
forgotten by her father, her son and all
those who concern themselves.
teach her something.

I haven’t. Amen.

Copyright ERK 2009

there was a time
I am sure of it
when heat and wind were all

there was a time
we were ice and smoke
clear, cold, thick, bare and gone

the dark was all
there was to wait for
then light bore down with weight

we held it up
and back, and fell down
we, ice, smoke, thick and clear

we broke and screamed
now the light had us
we were scared, bare and free

we hold it still
the dark, smoke and wind
the heat, the light, the break

this is a time
I am sure of it
when you and I are all

Copyright ERK 2009

I am in love with words, but I know the feeling isn’t always mutual. Sometimes they are the perfect means to communicate and connect. Sometimes they are the worst. Sometimes I can make them work and other times I don’t know what I’m doing with them. Or what they’re doing to me.

And so it goes. Let’s see what happens.

You are welcome here.