Me and the Birds

As I stand on the waterfront
Taking in the river breezes
Which cool and calm and cleanse me of my ailments
I watch the geese and the ducks in their natural habitat
In this slice of nature in an unnatural city.

As I stroll lazily across the grass and by the trees
I hear the song of the red-winged blackbirds
And as I watch them take flight
I stare in awe at their plumage
So moody, yet so gorgeous.

As I walk amongst the ducks and the geese
All of us lingering peacefully on this slab of land
Pressing "pause" on all our pressures, our varied hassles, and ugly instincts
Just long enough to enjoy these few minutes.

And as the red-winged blackbirds trill their tune and fly to freedom
So must I fly away from this patch of green in an urban wonderland
So must I return to where I came from
So must the birds and I bid farewell
Until again, I find myself among them.

Emotional Demons

Some people get high on cocaine
Some people get high on heroin
Some people get high on ecstasy
But I get high on arrogance.

Some people abuse OxyContin
Some people abuse Percocet
Some people abuse Vicodin
But I abuse the ones I love.

For some folks, sex reigns supreme
Others can't stop touching themselves
Others keep their eyes glued to pornography
But I can't stop turning people off.

Maybe you drink too much whisky
Or a few too many beers
Or way too much vodka, gin, or tequila
But I enjoy my hate in moderation.

Some people just love their nicotine
They smoke themselves to death
The only thing I love to set on fire
Is my overheated rhetoric.

Some people eat until they're full
Then stuff their bodies even further
But I love to stuff my ego until it explodes
And makes a mess all over you.

For you may be addicted to drugs or booze
Or sex or food or smokes
But I am addicted to driving away
The people I need the most.

Something To Look Forward To

When I was still young in body and at heart
I loved to hit the city with a palette and a brush
In search of someone to paint the town with
I suppose that was something to look forward to

The sensation of a woman's body close to mine
And the thrill of any mutual attraction
The connection, even fleeting, of two hearts, two minds, two souls
I suppose that was something to look forward to.

When I was still a hopefully hopeless -- or hopelessly hopeful -- romantic
I used to keep my eyes and ears and mind open
Just in case the next lady I met could become my next lady
I suppose that was something to look forward to

Getting to know each other -- how mundane
Caring about each other -- how commonplace
Learning to love each other -- how cliche
I suppose that was something to look forward to.

When I still had the will to put my essence on the line
I put as much on the line as I could spare
And one by one, the ladies took it, used it up, and left me nothing
Was that ever something to look forward to?

And one by one, I lost my drive, my love, and my determination
But did I really?
Did they really take my essence?
What was really something to look forward to?

Now that I'm older and wiser -- well, at least older and changed
I've stopped carrying my palette and my brush
And they say you and I are "just friends" and nothing more
And they say that isn't something to look forward to

But when we see each other next, we'll share, we'll learn, we'll grow, we'll plan
To do it all again sometime, and again on repeat
Knowing that it means much more than fleeting fun or short-lived romance
I suppose that's something to look forward to.