Author Archives: Puff Of Smoke Poems

She says,
Those dented boxes
you have stuffed
full of old photos
and ink-faded letters?
The dusty boxes stacked
precariously in the corner
(stacked on your heart,
stacked in the corner of your eye)
Oh, what you built there,
she says,
Those are a metaphor.

red flowers green leaves
blade of grass on the lawn chair
shaped its summer self
to this long distinctive curve
an ornament hook
in search of a holiday

over the thousand summers
all this music was here
pinned to the cool white door

is how I would describe
their tastiness to the
movie dinosaurs
whose every roar and
gnash was restated
Loudly so the whole theater
could enjoy the talents of
the two women behind us,
women formerly known
as obnoxious who I would now
characterize as deliciously crunchy

in every sense of the word.

why have clocks and pockets at all
unless occasionally I empty them
past all bits of lint and wrappers
past every squandered hour
and spend it all
for the joy of not measuring
and for the sweet relief of
After

Yesterday
at the first meeting
of the Sunshine Committee
they voted Yes
to Everything

all flash and grumble
ominous in the distance
and traveling fast
changing all the time
as we do.
It arrived on our doorstep
despite the bluster
as soft rain for the garden
someone to miss when they go

which are the best kind.

Taking too many packages
from the car
his grip loosens at the
wrong or perfect moment and
a dozen bright blue messages
rise–Happy Father’s Day
scrolled on each balloon

What I’m not
Lately
is full of poems
They don’t crowd around
waving, jumping
craving
the scratchy feel of paper
beneath their inky toes

They wandered off
to the Islands, I imagine,
judging by the luggage
I picture them packing
Floral, full of sweetness
and secrets
sunscreen and paperbacks,
I imagine
— and that’s a start

He ran down a driveway
and across the road
right there
not a big dog after all
but a bear.
A Bear
right there
rough furred reminder
of the Wild all around
ready to step out of the
woods, ready always
to brush against our skin
as we hurry by each other