A soft wind whispers
early September.
The year is passing
and you are closed
for good.
You were more
than brick and mortar—
You had a heart.
Now you rest in shadows
in the downtown.
You still bear the voices
of those who came in
for a burger or a drink
also playing video games
or sports.
I still hold in my heart
how you cared for
the servers working
their way through college.
They were the dearest friends.
But mostly I remember
the Friday nights when
I stood on the dining porch
and you urged me to sing.
I still hear the applause.
I still hold dear the night
when I painted a waterfall
while nursing a drink
in your loft.
O how a blank canvas came to life.
Each morning the sun shines
but your lights are off.
Sparrows dance in the sidewalk
and chatter by the front steps.
But as I drive and take a look
I sing my song for you.
fabulous fabricated forlorn frenzied Franciscan fable
garnered garrulous geese gathered at Gloria’s gable
harboring a hangout for a hunter with Achille’s heel
identifying idiosyncrasies that are less than ideal
juggling jam-packed jokesters without a good joke
Keeping an eye out for kibitzers and kindly kinfolk
like-minded Lilliputian with a lullaby I like
manifesting mystical magic, then throwing down the mike
We’re not dating—
but you heart-react to my stories like it’s a full-time job,
send a “you up?” at 12:47 a.m.
then disappear like my willpower at a shoe sale.
You say you don’t do drama—
but you’ve got more red flags
than a Formula 1 race
and the emotional depth of a spoon.
You post gym selfies with deep quotes
like “loyalty is everything”
but couldn’t commit to a dinner reservation
without texting your group chat first.
I bring the vibe.
The sauce.
The playlist.
You bring… vibes?
Just vibes?
Sir, where’s the effort?
Modern dating is just
flirting, ghosting, and guessing
if “lol” means “I’m into you”
or “I’m emotionally unavailable but cute.”
We’re not dating—
but I still debated if I should shave for this maybe-hangout.
We’re not serious—
but your ex still watches my Insta like it’s Netflix.
You want wifey energy
on a side-chick schedule.
Nah. I’m not a limited-time offer.
This ain’t Costco.
Come with consistency,
or go play tag with someone else’s energy.
I’m too cute to be confused.
I am teaching the dogs about their new hangout
Where they can poop and pee and frolic about
They love it so much as long as I am it here too
But when I leave, my dogs jump up; they are through.
It was just a hangout..
struggling to be brave;
Denying every doubt
overcome with nausea.
What’s your sharp gaze about?
I cannot look away…
now fear’s starting to sprout.
A claustrophobic cave,
I may never get out…
I’m So Sorry.
I’m sorry I hurt you,
I never wanted to.
I wanted to make you happy,
that’s all I wanted to do.
I wanted to care for you,
like you cared for me.
I wanted to show my love,
that’s all I wanted to prove.
I wanted to have fun,
like all we used to do.
I wanted to hangout,
and goof off like we did.
I’m sorry I ruined everything,
I never wanted to do this.
A friendship full of light,
dulled down by my mistakes.
A relationship as bright as the sun,
covered by the darkness of my flaws.
A friendship once so happy,
saddened by my sorrow.
I’m sorry for hurting you,
everything I’ve done I regret.
I’m sorry.
Empty thoughts, smile pretty
When can I hangout with my friends next?!
What time is practice today!?
Which friends should I sit with at lunch today?!
Where should I go for dinner tonight??
Why am I so distracted today?
Why are my grades slipping?
Why does my body not look like hers?
Why are my grades not as good as theirs?
Why cant she be my friend?
Why cant he love me back?
Why cant I be skinnier?
Why cant I sleep at night?
Why cant I quit?
Why is my hair not long enough or blonde enough?
Why do I only feel better about myself when Im tearing others down?
Why do I look this way?
Why do I feel this way?
Why cant I have her life?
Why cant I be perfect?
Why am I such a disappointment?
Why cant I just shut up?
Why cant I be like everyone else?
Why did I start hating myself?
Why did I let their words into my head?
Empty thoughts, and always smiling pretty
Saturday morning
It's a beautiful day
Walking towards
my favorite hangout
A local arcade
Tons of video games to choose
I find what I like
A action-shoot
I add somes coins in
And off I go
Shooting aliens left and right
Gaining high score
I haven't lost a life yet
My score goes higher
I have a audience
They're all impress
I've reach the final boss
Time to get serious
I'm sweating, I'm focus
I lost a few lives
Only one life left
It's now or never
Boom! I did!
I've beating the game!
Everyone cheers.
I win a coupon
Coupon for a free pizza
Today, is a great day
I want to be
A useless friend
Without a means
Towards an end
I'd love to be
That one you know
Who's presence heals
With naught to show
Transaction lite
No gifts or tools
Just present
There to break the rules
That life is full
And resource heavy
True friends don't need
Transaction levy
I'd love to be
The friend you choose
When life is sweet
Nothing to lose
Unrequired
Layabout
Just present
For a mate hangout
Agenda free
Just there to hold
Nothing is bought
Nothing is sold
I want to be
There on demand
To chat and laugh
Or hold a hand
There is no reason
No goal, no end
I simply want
To be that friend
Thank you, Mother Moon
For this gift, I get to swoon
From the darkside of the moon
While singing you a tune
No matter what the phase
I get to see it all
And quite frankly, it's a ball
I hangout everyday
Flying higher than a kite
Shining brighter than the Sun
But darker than the night
Like a knight in shining Armour
Dishing out the Karma
Silver as a spoon
An alpha evening dawn
But a gamma beta ray
My light is harmony
My energy is free
My lucky numbers 6
A goddess she will fix
How you view the Moon
For one day you'll see
Deep inside of me
Just chillen at the core
My heart it does adore
Your Birthday Portal Door
Leading you to more
On the other side of me
Hiding deep with in
A wild child rides
Waiting to be free
The lowest you can be
The time is drawing near
It is time that you are here
Welcome home my dear.
I love you to the moon and ill never take that back
Mountains, and forest, but wetlands, favored,
but what do they know, they're just their pinups.
The whole South to Arizona's, bordered ...
trees and boulders serve their choice of hole-ups.
Cracker Butterflies, wings flapping sounds named,
be protecting domains or mating calls.
Speckled species ruse camouflaged proclaimed,
hangout mid-afternoon, ... plus, if rainfalls.
Twenty of their kind, perched heights notes which kind.
Birds are the death of them, ... Jacamars, lead,
--shared realms. Defense-like poison is defined
as pointless, hence, disguised tactics succeed.
Diet: fruit rot, dung, and tree sap-sweet gum.
Placement perched will measure the life of them.
Where did this all begin?
Maybe when I was still a kid
Listening to my family get into arguments..
Screaming like demons throwing
Watched as it rolled by, at some point I lost my innocence
So in a sense I grew to resent
Everyone who had it better than I did
Like did y'all ever spend nights on end
Dealing with starvation?
No I'm not complaining
But man back then I didn't have .
At thirteen I was kicked out of my house
So night after night I'd find a place to crash then when morning came around
I had to bounce, fourteen was when I thought I had it all figured out
Selling weed just to put food up in my mouth
Stealing alcohol just so I'd have friends who'd hangout
Fifteen is when everything went back south
Drama, drugs, and sex is everything that brought me down
In that moonlit night,
A nude picture hangout bares
My bemoaning eyes,
Showing raindrops.
Soul searching eyes,
Picking flowers and drinking wines
Haunt me in the valleys of dreams,
Images that last forever.
Ripples of beer in thin air,
I squandered my time.
Ever the same,
In that blue horizon
I'll search and wait.
Rational men among us state plainly
- that no ghosts walk among us.
But they haven’t really searched the shadows,
or smelled the sweet musk-roses you wore
when wind-chimes twinkle like your laugh.
If ghosts haunt, then spirits linger.
If ghosts bedevil and terrorize,
spirits hangout, abide and remain.
Time is as nothing to them,
they are now and they are then.
We are shadows, that are becoming
shadows, that were shadows before.
Rational men know what they see,
but they’re dull and though waking,
remain unaware that lemures tamper,
with impressions, subconscious voices
and barely perceptible shenanigans,
across death’s thin, permeable veneer.
.
.
Lemures = From Roman mythology: spirits who become involved with the living.
When I'm weary, you are there
To bear my weight,
You enfold me in your care
And stimulate
My deepest thoughts to come out,
When you hold me;
You're my most frequent hangout,
When I'm lonely,
You're my haven of repose,
You're my plush throne where I doze;
Cosy in your snug embrace,
I lean on you,
You are my relaxing place,
And my pal true,
You are my inspiration,
When my muse flees,
You have my admiration,
My mind you please,
You're my think tank, my comfort,
To you I run, when I'm hurt;
Oh! Easy chair! I love you!
Where would I be
Without you? When I feel blue,
I run to thee,
You let me sit on your lap,
Relish your charms
As long as I want, you wrap
Me in your arms,
Easy chair, my easy chair!
My comfort beyond compare!
26th February 2023
For Jeff Kyser's "Write an ode" contest
Related Poems