511. Why Dating Around Works

My married women friends
Tell me to date around
There's no ring
On your finger
They say
I protested
And tried to be true
It turns out they knew
The secret
Men only want
What other men do


Dating, San Francisco

509. Too Many

A man I used to date
Had to keep a spreadsheet
To keep track of what
He said to all
His different women
How can he enjoy
Any one companion
If he can hardly remember
Anyone's name?


Dating, San Francisco

510. Dim Sum

Dim sum
Chinese smorgasbord
Of delicious tastes
Sampling one delicacy
After another
You can never get bored
With all that variety


Life in San Francisco

503. Love's Flow

Words running
From your mouth
As a river flowing
To protect you from love
Entering your soul
You forget that when
You are breathing
Hope is coming
Into you
Filling you
Uncontrolled


Dating, San Francisco

501. Heart's Rainbow

A happiness grows
Inside me
Like a rainbow
My heart wants to be
One with yours
Your fingers on my skin
I have let you in
My heart longs
To be yours and free
To be loved and love you
With all my power


Dating, San Francisco

502. Lust Revealing Love

You came to my house
To come
I want more
You feel you cannot
Accept or provide
You find it hard
To share your feelings
Hard body, hard shell
Around your heart
A gentle soul lives inside
And beats with a love
And need for me
I can feel
In your touch
When you sleep


Dating, San Francisco

145. Misfit

Shoehorned into a technology career
Buckled down by the pay
Struggling against myself
Strafing with everyone else
Every day


Life in San Francisco

146. Workplace Politics

Politics bubbling up from the people
A boiling cauldron of discord
People work to subdue one another
Climbing on each others' faces
To hoist themselves aloft
Before they fall
And hang themselves


Life in San Francisco

25. Grocery List for an Almost Vegetarian

Chocolate - to keep me alive in spirit
Pepper - to spice things up
Berries - to make a fruitful morning
Yoghurt - to fill the morning cup
Veggies - these are mostly what I eat
Salmon - giving me its energy
And guilt for its sacrifice


Life in San Francisco

504. A Wife?

Do you want a wife
With a high powered career
He laughs and says
I haven't thought about it
Life filled with work
And other pleasures
He never considered
He could have more
Or that there's more
To enjoy in life


Dating, San Francisco

505. Need Primordial

I like sex
But don't need it
A man said to me
I saw the lust in his eyes
And knew not to believe it
His eyes couldn't lie


Admiring Men, San Francisco

506. Hope

Hope fills me
Like a stream
Flowing gently
Quietly entering
Then coursing
Through my veins
Beginning to awaken
A dream


About Women, San Francisco

51. A Happy Mother

A cheerful mother
Plays ring around the rosy with her girls
A house guest observes
She enjoyed it more than they did
He smiles
He wants a wife and children
A wife like her...
Happy to be Mom to her kids


Admiring Men, San Francisco

499. Out of Patience

Mr. SMS Only
I refused your kiss
You thought you'd snatch one
A little afternoon bliss
I ducked and dodged
So you'd miss
I'm sick of being
Bottom of your list
And tired of our dates
Getting cancelled
I'm out of patience
With you


Dumping, San Francisco

428. Blue Morning

Waking up
Sometimes feels
Like a mistake
Today,
I should not
Have bothered


About Women, San Francisco

451. Tangible

I need
Someone real
A man I can
Touch and feel
Every day


Dating, San Francisco

450. Love's Foundation

It's important
To have shared stories
And experiences
As well as ideas.
A love
Built of substance
Time together
Sharing life
Has the strength
To endure


Dating, San Francisco

452. Real Me

A man who covets
My possessions
Is no match for me
All I have is inside
That's the important
Part of me


Dating, San Francisco

467. Optioning Out

My thoughts on stock options:
Worthless pieces of paper
Used as bargaining chips
With prospective employees
Never to materialize
Sure to be diluted
An employer's waver
And substitute
For compensation


Life in San Francisco

471. Rat Race Maze

Facebook, LinkedIn,
ExecuNet, Craig's List,
Headhunters, networking,
Monster and Dice
Many ways, I and
The rest of us mice
Traverse the maze
Of today's
Ever changing careers


Life in San Francisco

498. Male-Female Contrast at Work

Male colleague standing shouting
Face red with consternation
Female colleague quietly suggesting
Face neutral with professionalism
Man's case: nothing happens
This is normal behavior
Woman's case: she's called aggressive
And told she is a failure
True story; not crazy
These differences in expectations
Are standard


Life in San Francisco

500. Message from the Universe

Between me and you
The universe sends clues
Life's trials and tribulations
Are showing me
It's time to find
Another path to achieve
My current or new objectives


Asking for Directions, San Francisco

481. Flying Trapeze at Club Med

The flying trapeze
Experts do it with ease
A hopeful heart
Hanging on a thin bar
Living dangerously
Swinging precariously
Between two posts
Hoping to reach
The other side
Hoping to impress
The other sex
How far
Do people have to go
To win love for life?


Dating, San Francisco

484. Not on the Ball

Trying to get
Back on the ball
I still find myself
Napping under it
Not balanced on top
But completely flopped
Below

Asking for Directions, San Francisco

480. Club Med

My friend
Went to Club Med
And learned
The flying trapeze
Dating as
Performance art
Dating extreme
G-d, I hope
It will never be me


Dating, San Francisco

487. Understanding without Words

I said nothing
But you knew
My feelings
Is this a sign
A foretelling
Love is to come
To me


Dating, San Francisco

486. Seeking Musician

I have the words
But no music
Can you make
My poems sing
Looking for a
Musician
To collaborate
With me


On Writing, San Francisco

485. Accompany Me

Photography
Illustrated pictures
Video movies
Animation
MP3
What would be best
Accompaniment
For modern
Poetry


On Writing, San Francisco

483. Dad

Raised on a farm
A hayseed
Is how my father refers
To himself
Two college degrees later
He writes poetry
But mostly
He's a man
Strongly tied
To Rocky Mountain
Rivers and land


Long Relationships, San Francisco

477. Good Tidings

I hope things work out
For you and my brother
We'd like him
To have a baby
These are first words
On first introduction
To friends and family


Dating, San Francisco

479. Shaolin Monks with Lines Ballet

The Shaolin Monks are hot
I wonder if it's
Against their religion
For me to say
That about them
All I can say is
Get a ticket
If you can
To Lines Ballet


Art

474. Meditation Vacation

My friend says
Come with me
For a week
To meditate
Sit in one spot
Not moving or talking
It'll be great
I stare at the phone
As if she's crazy
That's not much
Of a visit
In my experience
Perhaps I'm too lazy


Life in San Francisco

468. The Right Look

He grew his hair long
And his technical trainees
Respected him more
Looking scruffy made him fit
The technologist image


Life in San Francisco

469. A Man's Best Asset

A warm family
Is the best asset
A man can have
Parents, sisters, brothers
Any group, who welcomes
Me into their circle
Nothing is more
Compelling


Dating, San Francisco

441. Non-Material Girl

I don't want to make a mess
In your car, he said
Placing my Starbucks yoghurt
Gingerly aside
As we talked while
Driving
Unable to find a parking spot
Or a seat inside
It's just a car, I replied
He paused and looked
Happily surprised


Dating, San Francisco

109. Empty Bucket to My Right

Fancy car, a valet guy smiles
I look so down
He can't believe it
If I had a car like yours
I'd be happy every day,
He smiles
Simple pleasures. Hardly.
I like the design
But would rather be
In the passenger seat


About Women, San Francisco

460. Getting to Know You

I learn something new
About you
Every time we talk,
A friend said.
That's not to say
I always like it,
Is what
He intended.


Long Relationships, San Francisco

462. Interior Contrasts

Few people see me
As I really am.
I would have to let them.
Most see a hardened me,
A fighter, a fabrication.
Some inspire the me I love:
Playful, spontaneous,
A passionate and loyal
Dove.


About Women, San Francisco

461. Iron Man Movie Men

Did you see the movie Iron Man?
I don't want to fan the flame
Of an impossible protagonist
Who can't love anyone
Problem is...
I know guys like this one
They are technologists
Here in the Bay Area
Totally absorbed in work
Completely unaware
Who they hurt
And, I bet, terrible in bed


Life in San Francisco

454. Walls

Walls impenetrable
I build around myself
When I do business
A different person
Emerges
A woman made of steel
Perceived heart of stone
The soft core
Well protected
Unseen and unknown


About Women, San Francisco

455. Made in America

Father's side:
Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist
German, Polish, Native American
Mother's side:
Jewish
Italian, Spanish, Turkish,
Austrian and Hungarian
What does that
Make me?
American


Life in San Francisco

459. Dinner Wear

He looked at her
He looked at me
She in high-necked grey
Me in deep-necked green
Turning to me
He smiled and asked
Are you in marketing?


Singles Events, San Francisco

447. Action Hero Movie

Don't get too turned on
By those muscle men
I am your super hero,
My handsome friend said.
Can you imagine
How elated I feel
A man I compare to gods
Wants to be that for me.


Dating, San Francisco

444. Telling Architecture

I asked my architect friend
Tell me how you design
He replied
"The bedrooms are monks' cells"
...In my mind
I hoped we could fix that


Dating, San Francisco

442. A Friend's Inquiry

Are you married yet?
An elderly friend
Said to me
No, I replied
Why? he sighed
He took my hand
Fatherly


Long Relationships, San Francisco

439. Writer's Curse and Blessing

My journalist
Brother said
Nothing bad
Ever happens
To a writer
It's all just
Material


On Writing, San Francisco

437. Enough Is Enough

Time will come
He texted
When we can
Be together
May still happen
Five months
I've waited
SMS is not enough


Dating, San Francisco

435. First Kisses

I want more
Than just one kiss
...I do too, he said
Looking at me
Playfully
He kissed me again
And left suddenly


Dating, San Francisco

423. Who Has the Upper Hand

It's women who choose
No, it's men who ask
Actually,
Both feel powerless


Dating, San Francisco

424. Going Blond

My hair looks better brown
It goes better with my skin
My friends and family
Require me
To keep it blond
For them
Not sure why I listen
Yes, it looks a little thin
But brown is how
My hair is supposed
To have been


About Women, San Francisco

434. Wanted Attraction

Arousal that happens
With the right partner
Is a joy both carry
In their mental dance bag
For days
A happy wistful memory
Accompanies
Each time you see
A shoe, a smile, a move
A reminder of your dance
Together


Tango, San Francisco

432. Nuevo Tango Attraction

A partner who lets me
Share the lead when I want
Or even take over for a moment
Is so attractive to me
No matter his age
Or physical description
I'm willing to give him more
Because he lets me be free
When I'm feeling inspiration


Tango, San Francisco

433. Unacceptable Admission

An unwanted erection
From the wrong tango partner
Is the most disgusting feeling
A man getting his jollies
Without my permission
Is never to be accepted
For another dance


Tango, San Francisco

431. Macho Tango

Guys getting macho
On the dance floor
An oxymoron?
No
Men show each other
Who's who
With a well-placed
Step or elbow
In the name
Of protecting
Their partner


Tango, San Francisco

24. If Married Young

I wonder how my life would have been
If I had married young
Borne babies young
Been happy young
Grown together young with a man
I feared being a first wife
Only wanted to be the only
Now it seems I will be none


About Women, San Francisco

4. Grown Sideways

16-year old Soiree
Prom Night
Girls Dress 30
Talk Trashy
Boy with yellow pointed
Spiked Hair
Children Grown Awry


Life in San Francisco

430. Wrong Tango Partner

Milonguero style
With the wrong person
Is like a prison
For three songs
Confined
Uncomfortable
And wrong


Tango, San Francisco

421. Exploring

My mind
Wandered off again
Where did it go?
It wants to make
A poem
My smile
Shows


On Writing, San Francisco

422. On Sports Cars

A man told me
My car
Is obnoxious
Jealous
He wanted it
For himself
Sports cars are
Boxing gloves
Men use to spar
With each other
A woman
Who drives one
Delivers
A knockout blow
To their self-esteem


Dating, San Francisco

419. Confession

I wrote a poem about you
And titled it, "Adonis,"
I told him.
But we haven't made love,
He said, surprised.
His smile showed
He wished
We had or would.
And that was all
I needed to know
To make my day and night
Bright.


Dating, San Francisco

418. Early Connection

I play guitar when I feel like it
Write when you feel like it
You don't have to force it
These few words from him
Created a spark, a connection
Shared feeling and experience
Better than
Making love too early


Dating, San Francisco

420. When I'm Composing

If I'm smiling
Into my notebook
You can see
A poem has taken
Over me
It's flowing
From someplace within
And making my pen glide


On Writing, San Francisco

417. Blush

A strong, handsome
Man ... blushing
Because he's attracted
To you, too
Is there anything
More alluring?


Admiring Men, San Francisco

416. Numbers Game - Or Not?

You have no trouble
Getting a date
You find it hard
To keep them
Perhaps you go
Out with too many
See fewer men
Better chosen
Be more discriminating


Dating, San Francisco

50. Modern Artist

An artist - frustrated
Paints houses for a living
Feels unsatisfied
Sometimes uninspired
His art - so beautiful
Powerful, varied
Comes out from time to time
Shy soul
Unable to market his wares
Puts his energy
Into other people's houses
Leaving it behind


Art, Life in San Francisco

191. Death by 1000 Emails

The ball and chain
Is what a young man
Calls his laptop
The laptop bag
Tattered from use
Unable to escape email
Or the constant buzzing
Of blackberry and phone
Like cement blocks
On his feet
Sinking him to drown


Life in San Francisco

358. Imperfection's Beauty

Flowers from the garden
It's ok if the edges
Are dry
When given as a
Present
From someone's
Own tending
Imperfections
Are part
Of the beauty


Dating, San Francisco

361. Accidental Savior

My neighbor saved me
Just by engaging me
In conversation
Not knowing
She prevented me
From seeing him
Delaying me
Just enough
To prevent me
From falling again
Into his lair
I'm in her debt


Long Relationships, Dating

369. Upset Becomes Anger

Disillusionment, despair
Soon turn to anger
What a jerk!
How does he dare!


Dating, San Francisco

407. Friendly Advice

You look great, but
Change your hair
Get your nails done
Buy new clothes
Put on your makeup
This is my friend's advice
I don’t tell her
To lose 20 pounds
Because I'm too nice


Long Relationships, San Francisco

406. My Fault

You have so much talent
You are beautiful
So well educated
And successful
You were meant for more
You are so unhappy
I don't understand it
Why isn't your cup full?
It must be your personality
If nobody
Wants to be yours
These are more
Words of encouragement
From my friends and family


Long Relationships, San Francisco

411. TIC

Tenancy in Common
Let's you buy
Into a home loan
With 3 to 5 people
You don't know
If one defaults
His mortgage is yours
To cover
Or lose his investment
And your own


Life in San Francisco

410. Home Ownership

$600,000
For a one bedroom flat
In a bad neighborhood
Think of that
The minimum
Price of entry
To home ownership
In San Francisco


Life in San Francisco

415. City of Contrasts

Women walking
Down my street
Carrying a cross
And chanting
Hail Marys
...Very surreal
In a city
Better known
For Bay to Breakers


Life in San Francisco

412. Business Woman

Hardworking woman
Top of her field
On the board
Or a CEO
She's single at 40
You think she's happy?
...I don't know

About Women, San Francisco

413. Actions Speak Louder

I don't want to help you
Or be your best friend
I just want you in my bed
Understand?
He said
...Not in words
But in his actions


Dating, San Francisco

414. Retraction

I have made a decision,
He said, eyes earnest
To let you in my life
I'll introduce you
To my daughter
And my friends
Even my ex-wife
... Five months later
Nothing has happened
Decision unmade
Relationship undone


Dating, San Francisco

370. Not Their Slogan & Not the Best Place to Look

San Francisco Ballet:
The gayest part of the gayest city
In the world
- A complaint from a friend,
A straight woman dancer
Seeking a man
To date in San Francisco


Life in San Francisco

397. Conceiving Thoughts of You

Can't concentrate
In class
Too caught up
In thoughts of you
Ballet teacher says
Do this, do that
All I can do
Is smile
And fantasize


Dating, San Francisco

395. Man Hoping for a Child

Children...
I want them badly
He said
With a look
Of deep intensity
He searched
My eyes
Looking
For a chance
Of creating love,
A home and family


Dating, San Francisco

399. Dancers' Bodies

Dancers' muscles moving
Sensuality in every sinew
Watch their bodies rippling
Coupling
With the universe


Admiring Men, San Francisco

401. Grumpy Acquaintance

Grumpy ticket taker
I try to make you happy
By always being chipper
When I see you
You are my challenge
Is it possible
To make you smile?
I doubt it
But your Eeyor style
Is fun for me


Life in San Francisco

402. Earthquake Possibility

Architect
Visiting the city
Looking at structures
Making conjectures
About earthquake
He sees
100s of electrical wires
Crisscrossing every street
Imagines people
Trying to escape
On their feet
Unsafe inside
Not safe outside either
He wonders how do
People make decisions
On where to live
Why choose a city
That can take life
So easily
No matter what
It can give


Life in San Francisco

388. Light My Fire

When conversation
Sparks shared ideas
About a topic dear
A flame ignites
A love begins
To kindle
A warm fire
Begins to glow
Within the hearts
Of two people


Dating, San Francisco

386. Bravery

A hopeful heart
Daring to explore
A new person
Just met
Venturing forth
Into conversation
Daring to share
A little of himself


Dating, San Francisco

384. The Right Embrace

Embrace connection
Sparks tantalizing
Not needy or grasping
Instead,
A comfortable circle
With room to move
A perfect coupling
Together
Yet free


Tango, San Francisco

383. The God of Love

The god of love
Has a warm heart
If he shines
His light on you
You are the soul
Focus of his attention
There is only you
The rest of the world
Melts away
He brings you
Up to heaven
In the rays
Of his eyes


Dating, San Francisco

382. The Real Thing

You looked at me
With hope and expectation
A heart wanting
To share a future
And ready
To make a pair
Into one
Soul, body, and life
And you restrained
Yourself
Allowing only
A kiss on my cheek
A touch of my hand


Dating, San Francisco

341. Voting to Self-Publish

Getting poetry published
Looks like an arduous job
Foregoing payment
By self-publishing
Through my blog
Seems a better option


On Writing, San Francisco

337. Mom

My mother is amazing
Always an award-winning beauty
At 76 she has so much energy
18 rounds of golf in the tournament
500 dance students under her tutelage
Running her own ballet company
Dating, traveling, and exploring
More than most 30-year olds I know
And all this pales in comparison
To the radiant love and encouragement
She always gives to me


Long Relationships, San Francisco

332. Nice Work

I read them all
I didn't even have
To force myself
This is big praise
From a brother
Hard to please


Long Relationships, San Francisco

326. Life Change

My friend quit her job
Trying to have a baby
A most accomplished lady
Harvard educated
Reducing stress
By doing less
Instead of high-powered
Consulting
She's now calling ducklings
And clucking
As she throws them
Broken peanuts
And reads by Stow Lake
It's not a bad trade
To make


About Women, San Francisco

311. Cat Lady

I never thought
I'd be one of those women
Single with a cat
But here I am - 35
It's just kitty and me


About Women, San Francisco

241. Self-Control

I can tell my muscles
What to do
But I can't control my mind
And emotions ...
He simply gestures
And turns away ... pained


Admiring Men, San Francisco

303. Skipped a Generation

You have good features
You have nice bones
A beautiful woman says
To her daughter
Without great looks endowed


Long Relationships, San Francisco

287. Self-Realization

I am the problem
I know that
Trouble is
I don't know
How to fix me
Who can do that?


Asking for Directions, San Francisco

285. The M.R.S. Degree

I always looked down
On women who
Went to college
For the M.R.S. degree
Too bad for me
They had the right approach
They are not living singly


About Women, San Francisco

277. All the Names for Me

Petit Chou - cabbage
Petite Puce - flea
Ballerina - self-explanatory
Chamster - for my work ethic
Little Squirrel - from the movie Ice Age
Piolin - Tweetie Bird in Spanish
Honey Bunny - rabbit
Firebird - magical bird defeating darkness
Little Bit - tough for my size


About Women, San Francisco

274. Hot Entertainment

37, 51, 63
The good channels on board
The elliptical machine
At the gym
Save me from boredom
While I sweat
Keep my mind alive
That's my best time yet


About Women, San Francisco

270. My Fragile Phone

Motorola Razr
My three hundred dollar
Pink paperweight
Was a little too fragile
When I was not agile
And dropped it
One too many times


Life in San Francisco

264. Sacred

I'm not interested in them
But I keep them
Under lock and key
Journals kept
Words I wept
Directly onto paper
No you cannot see them
I won't read them either
But they are
A part of me


On Writing, San Francisco

261. Self-Conscious

A tinge of fear
What if my writing
Is not good
What if people
Don't respect
The way I reflect
My thoughts on paper


On Writing, San Francisco

258. Guarded

I have a new fear
That someone will snatch
My poetry
Before it gets typed
It's a horrible feeling
That you can be robbed
Of your soul


On Writing, San Francisco

255. Scourge of San Francisco

Girls, you wonder
About San Francisco
Don't go there
It has plague
Straight men
Afraid to marry
Who'll tempt you
Till you're old and grey


Life in San Francisco

243. Ode to a Missing Phone

I can't believe I lost it
It's not here or there
I peer under car seats
And piles of underwear
Where could it be
Where could I have left it
An absent-minded person
Needs a phone
And can't quit looking
Till she's found and blessed it


Life in San Francisco

242. New Baby

My poems are my children
It turns out I am fertile
I had thought
That with career's end
All hope had been aborted


On Writing, San Francisco

236. Unwilling Prejudice

Black and white latticework
Our fingers intertwined
Checkerboard patchwork
Too bad I can't leave
My Southern upbringing behind


Dating, San Francisco

232. Uncertain Outcome

Wrong turn averted
Good or bad
You cannot tell
Planned or not
Time will besot
The best laid efforts


Asking for Directions, San Francisco

138. The Search for Myself

Pillow cases from Thailand
Table runner from Ethiopia
Amber from Poland
Paintings from Peru
A necklace from Italy
In all my travels
I never found myself
Only when I lay weeping at home
Did I find me


Asking for Directions, San Francisco

129. Porcupine

All my porcupine spines are up
I feel affronted
Approach me, and I will hurt you
I'll strike you to the core
With harsh words
Deadly lances


About Women, San Francisco

113. Without Identity

...but, no, I can't do that
Can't do that either
Are you kidding?
Do you even know me?
I wouldn't be good at it
It's not me.
Who am I...I don't know
What's your passion...I don't know


Asking for Directions, San Francisco

111. Led by Others Dreams

Interests by osmosis
I've let my life be directed
By the men, who infatuated me
Georgetown for James
Princeton for my brother's friend
Yoga and ballroom dance for Stan
Startups for George
What do I want for myself
What can I do that's truly me


Asking for Directions, San Francisco

1. Potency

Blank paper
New journal
Blank slate
Filled with nothing
But potential
Up or down
Maybe sideways
Unfulfilled
But potent
with Possibility


On Writing, San Francisco

205. Unbalanced

One thing is always out of whack
Life's an impossible balancing act
Love, finances, health, and career
G-d's little game
He makes us play
Wondering which one which day
Will disappear


Asking for Directions, San Francisco

221. Telltale Tips

Copper penny covered shoes
Tell you that I'm ready
To dance tango with you
You can tell I know how
From the brand I wear
And that here and now
I'm ready to play
And that you'll
Remember me somehow
Comme il faut
The telltale sign
Of an advanced dancer
Of tango Argentine


Tango, San Francisco

385. First Meeting

I saw you
And smiled
A smile returned
Not forced
But genuine
Afraid to look
Unwilling to pry
Hoping
Starting
To fantasize


Dating, San Francisco

381. Interior/Exterior Contrast

My face looks old
I've lost the bloom
Of youth
My heart still beats
And fears
Like a teenager
None can see
Unless they
Know me


About Women, San Francisco

387. Courage

It takes courage
To talk
About what
You truly love
Your source
Of inspiration
What if the other
Doesn't feel it
What if I'm left
Exposed


Dating, San Francisco

380. Living Among Gods

The gods are real
I know
Because I met one
His name is _______
A warm heart with intellect
Imagination, passion
A soul that's deep
And open
A gentleman, a noble
I feel blessed to know he
Has visited me


Dating, San Francisco

365. Physiologist Says

I'm a physiologist
Oh no, I say,
As I sit in my split
Learned in ballet


Dating, San Francisco

360. Paid Advisor

Professional coach
Paid advisor
Not knowing me,
My business, talent
Or industry
What can I expect
Except
From my money
To be parted
Only the knowledge
That I've taken
A step
To improve myself


Life in San Francisco

347. Failed

Unmarried, single
A failure
As a woman
Not too great
At business either
What do I do well?


About Women, San Francisco

351. Self Abuse

He cancelled me again
Abruptly
Text message only
I freaked
I texted and called
And tried again
Till he said
Stop calling me


Dating, San Francisco

352. True Secret

The secret is
Not to care
Whether you
See them again
Or if they call
If you don't care
There's no
Harm done
To yourself


Dating, San Francisco

355. Best Chance for Writers

The old piecemeal
Publishing system
Is designed
To keep writers poor
One to five poetry
Submissions
That's no way
To make a living
Notoriety online
Is better
For creating
Opportunity


On Writing, San Francisco

359. Stormy Day

Today is a down day
I can feel my rib cage
Heaving
Emotions buffeting me
My mind ready
To unleash
Torrents from my
Eyes and heart
Gushing anguish
Uncontrollably


About Women, San Francisco

366. For the Traveling Guy

You say,
For your work
You travel.
Well then,
Have a
Nice trip!


Dating, San Francisco

379. Mr. Right?

Chance meeting
And connection
Conversation
A meaningful
Spark
Could this be
Him?


Dating, San Francisco

391. Favorite Therapist

My therapist is
Always available
Spirits unassailable
No matter how much
Negativity I spew
My notebook is,
Between me and you,
The very best therapist
And a whole lot cheaper
Than the average


On Writing, San Francisco

392. Short Temper

Irritation with a friend
Who hopes to understand
Me better
Is inexcusable
I berate myself
For my impatience
I know
The subject matter
Too well


Long Relationships, San Francisco

390. My Notebook

A therapist I carry
In my purse
Compact and resolute
Reflecting back
My thoughts
In a way that
Helps me clarify
And heal


On Writing, San Francisco

389. Tango Bliss

A smile, a joy
A passion
Takes over my body
My expression
I begin to glow
When I find
A tantalizing partner
In tango


Tango, San Francisco

373. Adonis

Just danced with the most
Gorgeous man I've ever met
Sweet dimples, turquoise eyes
Blond curly hair, warm smile
German accent
Brought his Mom
To tango
To relearn how to walk
I could fall
In love with him
If we get a chance
To talk


Dating, San Francisco

378. Loneliness

People look at me
And can't see why
I'm unhappy
Beautiful with nice things
Showing I have access
To money
Loneliness is a feeling
That strips away the rest
And leaves me feeling
Worthless


Life in San Francisco

393. What Are Friends For

You are harsh
And short-tempered
Far too
Career-oriented
But I can get around it
These are words
Of encouragement
From my best friend


Long Relationships, San Francisco

394. The Root of the Problem

You know
You don't watch TV
It probably
Separates you
From other people
Don't you see?


Long Relationships, San Francisco

343. Underperforming Expectations

My Princeton towel
Last reminder
Of my education's
Grandeur
Now serving
As a bath mat
Too similar
To the path
My career has taken


Life in San Francisco

317. Dilbert is Real

I met a lady, who knows the guy
Who created Dilbert
She told me
All the characters are real
Colleagues she worked with, too
People she knew
It made me feel glad
To know others work in as bad
An environment as I do


Life in San Francisco

314. Modern Conveniences

Abracadabra, abrakazoo
Make this fancy TV work
Or we'll go watch
YouTube


Life in San Francisco

344. New World

A few minutes reading
Tells me blogging
Is tantamount to publication
So there's no further chance
Of seeing my poems in
Hardcopy print
I decided that's alright
No one my age is reading
Poetry in bound volumes
At this date
The internet is
My generation's
Home base


On Writing, San Francisco

346. Google

Substitute for deity
Google knows
Everything
Watch yourself
Watch what's posted
You may find
Your information
Hosted
By someone
You don't know


Life in San Francisco

363. Get Rid of that Rat

Just had my house sealed.
They call it
Mouse and rat exclusion.
I hope it works
Against humans.


Dating, San Francisco

364. Pickup Conversation Started by Psychologist

He: I'm a psychologist
Me: Oh... followed by silence
He: Wait, why did you say…
Me: Because it takes a nut…
He: Hey!


Dating, San Francisco

372. Biking in the City

People,
Who ride bikes,
In the city
Are doing
Good
For ecology.
With all the exhaust
They must be
Damaging
Their biology.


Life in San Francisco

368. Best Named Company

The San Francisco
Erection Company -
Their sign says
They set up
And mend fences
(…True story)


Life in San Francisco

367. Motocross

There's nothing
So exciting
As watching
Grown men
Risk their lives.
It's so inviting.


Admiring Men, San Francisco

321. Dump the One, Who Treats You Poorly

A word of advice
If a man cancels
A date with you twice
Refuse him any
Third opportunity
He'll never
Treat you well
No matter what hell
He says he's
Going through currently


Dumping, San Francisco

323. No Longer Available

I apologize.
I took your unavailability
Personally.
I am used to being
Treated better.
Your invitations
And cancellations
Have been hard on me.
I am no longer available
For you to cancel.
That said,
I wish you the best.
Farewell.


Dumping, San Francisco

328. Ouch

Ovarian cyst
The size of a plum
The doctor says
It will pop by itself
Don't mind me
I don't need any help
My brave friend says
As she steps forward
Gingerly


About Women, San Francisco

320. The Pitfalls of Being Open Minded

You're not Jewish enough
You're not Christian
My parents want me
To marry Chinese
I'm uncomfortable in English
And you don't speak Spanish
These are the many reasons
You've given me for anguish
About dating non-discriminatorily


Dating, San Francisco

313. PMS

PMS makes me crazy
It's really true
Three days in the month
It's not safe for you
You'll be wise to
Mark your calendar
You'll have answers then
Why I yelled for no reason
And cried treason
It's a terrible three-day
Stormy season


About Women, San Francisco

312. Cramps

Cramps take over
Everything
When I have cramps
Don't bother me


About Women, San Francisco

301. Older Man vs. Younger Man Perspective

A young man said,
You are more of an earth person
You could never wear a diamond
Or any other sparkling stone
Bullshit! cried an older man
Seeing the uncut beauty inside her


Dating, San Francisco

297. Justified Distress

A man I met and dated
Called to tell me
His daughter of 15
Got a tattoo
He was distraught
At wit's end
Feeling he's a bad father
I talked him off the ledge
Now, knowing better,
I should have
Let him jump


Dating, San Francisco

293. Dependency Attraction

People, who cannot do
For themselves,
Get other people
To do for them
Men, who don't work,
Find women
To support them
And the reverse
Is also true


Dating, San Francisco

292. Being Loved

It's better to be loved
Than to love unrequited
At the very least
You get treated better


Dating, San Francisco

284. Missed Opportunity

From my second father:
You should have
Gotten married
In college
Oh well
You won't get
Another chance
Like that


Long Relationships, San Francisco

283. Dehydration Dilemma

Feeling the onset
Of a UTI infection
I wonder what
I can do
Two liters
Of cranberry juice
To the rescue


About Women, San Francisco

282. Tracked

He sent a goon
To follow me
To see what I'd
Been doing
To inquire and pry
To find out
What, if anything,
Was brewing


Dumping, San Francisco

279. See You in the Morning

Troll doll
Artichoke
A woman's hair
Mussed
After a happy night


Dating, San Francisco

272. Shoveling Yourself Out of It

Shoveling mouse poop
Out of an old closet
Is like getting out
Of a bad relationship
... You have to deal ...
With a lot of shit


Dumping, San Francisco

273. You're Not All That

About my poetry
After we broke up
You needn't worry
Only one or two
Are about you


Dumping, San Francisco

276. Shared Expectations

You want a wife
Who pulls her own weight
And you want to found
Your own startup
Great!
That means you want
Me to pay the bills
Why should I
Sign up for this?


Dating, San Francisco

64. Friendship in a FaceBook World

Facebook says I have a new friend
I thought I had friends before now
I thought I had other friends
Friends, who are not on Facebook
And don't even know what Facebook is
Someone else looked at my Facebook profile
And said, your 17 friends love you
Some invitations come from people
I have never met
What exactly is a friend?
It has nothing to do with Facebook


Life in San Francisco

66. Linking In

LinkedIn prompts me to say
You are a person I trust
And I'd like you to join
My professional network
Actually, I want to leverage
Your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues
For a new job, promotion, or new hires
But LinkedIn doesn't say that
An invitation can be welcome -
From someone you truly like and respect
Otherwise, it's uncomfortable
From an unknown person,
Who may damage your reputation
You fear to offend them
And to miss opportunity
But a self-protection instinct takes hold


Life in San Francisco

7. Still Waiting

How do people make a relationship
Go work function sustain grow
No success yet
A skeleton still awaiting
Mr. Right


Dating, San Francisco

10. Untitled

Smudges on paper,
on my hand,
blurred lines
past present future.


Asking for Directions, San Francisco

14. Saving Low

Single women don't have enough savings
They said it on the radio
There will be no one to care for them
They must save more
In order to live out their final
Days alone

17. Age

With age does Not come wisdom
An eighty year old lady jealous
Her eighty year old beau
Has noticed a young woman
and engaged her in conversation
The eighty year old man
What's more
Believes he has a chance...
Stubborn old man will not tolerate
His elderly belle's concern
And prefers to die alone, unloved
than have his freedom infringed

19. Dumping Grounds

It somehow feels good to dump
Your troubles and cares on a friend or family member
Why is that?
Do you leave them there in a lump
on the other end of the line?
Why do you feel your own burden lighter
While theirs feels heavier
and How long will they put up with it?
Be careful not to impose

23. Creative Type

Creative, creator
Can you make me a money tree?
A funny tree that sheds gold leaves
That let me buy food, houses, and clothes?
Not likely
Most creatives die poor
Occasionally to be recognized after death
A long lost relative,
Who never knew or cared for them
Benefits
I can see why
So many poets died young

49. Doctor of Poetry

Poetry comes from within
It takes out the infection
It lays on a salve
When it's out of you on paper
It has removed some of the sickness
It may leave you more able to function
Poet / self-doctor - that's who you are
If drugs won't work
Try writing

60. Misnamed

Firebird he calls me
I feel more like a moth
Drawn to a bright warm flame
That kills me by and by

65. Virtual Reality

It's a virtual world we live in
Virtual friendship, virtual office, virtual sex
What happened to the real world
People decided they didn't like it
They choose to live virtually
It gives them distance
Between themselves and real people
Real people are scary
They can take action
And touch your life - for real

67. Made Up Hope

Going to the gym with makeup on
Why do we do it
Because we hope a handsome man
Will ask us out or just notice
It's bad for the skin
It's a waste of time and money
We do it out of hope
For a once in a lifetime opportunity
And the chance of meeting Mr. Right

69. Cherry Picking

Ideas from a mother
Concerned for her adult daughter
The best and worst of love
Knowing herself and knowing me
She gives her thoughts and warmth
I try to accept and cherry pick
The ones that are a possibility

70. Nonchalance

When can I see you
That's not accidental
July, he said
Come on, I say
Flustered - Friday at 3:00, he offers
At the gym where he works out
For a casual meaningless encounter
Former lover - so callous
Not even aware of the hurt caused

73. Sign of the Times

Poem unsent
Afraid to frighten the recipient
Poetry giving and receiving
Has got a bad name
Too many weirdos
Seek solace in writing
Heaven forbid that I be one

78. False Friend

Silence in response
To a heart rending message
The surest way to say
Not my problem
I'll be here for you when
You're happy and fun
Trouble me too much
And I'll disappear

80. Former Love

Ex-boyfriend listening
Ex-boyfriend calling
Is something there or not
Ever not, ever hopeful
Ever grateful
To hear the sound
Of his voice

82. What Do You Do

Who am I
Existential question
I guess you just want
To know my profession
Or will my passion do
Tango on the one foot
Poetry on the other hand
Both from the heart
Neither a job

86. Breakdown

Get a job, he said
Pursue your interests in spare time
Put the brakes on my heart
What poetry can flow
From a life run out of gas

85. Bedtime ritual

Late at night
Quiet time
Still up with my pen in hand
Listening to the dull hum
Of the refrigerator
Feeling my eyelids grow heavy
Wanting to lift more weight
From my soul
Just a few more words on paper
Create a lighter heart

89. Self-Absorbed

I look at my friend
He is talking
The words go spinning by
Flying by either side of my head
Going past me
Some part of them registers
While I think up a first line
For a poem about myself

100. Play to Win

A successful woman
Scares off her men
Making them feel small
Rubbing their face in it
Just by existing
What's she to do
Fail on purpose
To make them feel better?
To make them feel large?
I guess this has been
Successful women's secret
Throughout the years
Play the game to win

101. Tango Argentina

Take a vacation
Go to Buenos Aires and dance
Follow your passion
If you don't mind
Being groped by old men
While you learn.
Tango - with a man you love
Is incomparable
Inexpressibly erotic
Tango - with a man you don't love
Is just confusing to both
And ends in madness

105. Youthful Curiosity

Sometimes I confuse a young man
Into thinking I'm his own age
You should see how fast he recoils
When he starts to realize
Or I give a hint
He then switches gears
Maybe this could be just a fling
Easy - hot sex, and then I'm gone
Before she starts thinking
I would stay with her
Before I'm trapped

104. Trying Their Luck

Men stare at me
Apparently, I'm still attractive
At least, old men think so
Or they just want to try their luck
To see if they've still got it
They might, if I'm feeling
Desperate enough

106. Plan B

You can still have a full life,
My Mother said
When she started to give up hope
That I'll ever marry or have children
Just fill your life with interests.
That could be ok
All those boyfriends you've had
That's like a marriage, right?

108. A 30-something Woman's Choice

Single motherhood
Is a choice my ex-boss made
She decided love would never happen
She found a volunteer
Now she's a single mom
Welcome to the world
Of being able to pin you hopes
On someone else
Welcome to less free time
So you have less time
To feel sorry for yourself

115. Tough Choices

If you give it up too fast
He won't love you
He's already got what he wants
Why would he give you more
You've given it all
Always hold something back
Keep him waiting more
How many times have I heard it
More than I can count
It's easy to hold back
When you don't care
And there's no spark
It's true, the unsatisfied man
Does want you more
But can you be with someone
You don't love or want

118. OB/GYN

My gynecologist looks at me
Accusing...
Are you sleeping with someone new
Do you always use protection
He has a daughter my age
He seems concerned
I try to be careful
It's a little embarrassing
You never know what may happen
He knows more
About my sex life
Than almost anyone else

117. Fearful Times

After I sleep with a man
I live in fear for about six months
Was his blood clean
Will I be okay?
I asked him to get tested
But you never know
He could have lied
Something might have happened
Does he even care

119. The Pill

Too bad the pill makes me crazy
I'd like to have clearer skin
I'd like to be more carefree
Always use protection
I always do
But it makes men feel safer
If they know they'll have
No future connection to you

120. Respectfully Declined

A young boy of 20
Had a crush on me
A good soul, he decided
To let me be
He did not further pursue
He realized on his own
That nothing could come of it
He had his own life to live
It was the most respect
A man has given me

121. Target Practice

I will not be
Cancelled again,
I cried
Then he missed
Our next date, too
How many times did I
Position my heart
For target practice
It was fun for him
To set up my hope
And shoot it down
He's quite a marksman

123. Priorities

A small plane takes off
I wonder if it's him as pilot
Doubtful
As he's probably in a meeting
Or on one of a hundred conference calls
Business is a top priority
Flying second
I'm not on the list

124. Post Facto Remorse

I saw an ex-lover yesterday
And wondered what I was thinking
He's an old man
And a player
And was just seeing
If he could still do it
Why did I get sucked in
It was that fateful first intensity
When our eyes locked
He liked my body
I liked his stare

125. Name Dropping

You know X, don't you
You've seen Y, right
Well, you must know Z then
You can see his face fall
When he realizes
That nothing he values
Is on your radar

126. Seeking Instant Gratification

We need to have something in common
Maybe we could play cards
Do you like jazz?
He lists a string of names
I've never before heard
He figures he tried
And couldn't make it work
He gave just a few scattered days time
And called it quits

128. Left Behind

A blood-stained notebook
Is all that's left of her
She must have flipped her car
While starting that last poem
Too bad
The paramedics didn't see it
They didn't care
They left it behind
And took only the part
That was already dead

141. Crumbs

You give me the crumbs
Of your life
A three-word SMS before bed
That's all I get
You give the rest to other people
Yet I have no right to resent

143. Healing

Deep sorrow
Opens up a portal
To the soul
Let your hurt
Bleed onto the paper
The wound inside will
Start to heal

144. Lost

I lost one
A whole poem
In my head
It feels bad
Like losing
Something
Important

153. Too Rushed to See

A painting of an old WWII bomber
Reminds me of my harried date
I'd pulled out an ancient family photo
Of my grandfather, the reconnaissance pilot,
In front of his plane
That bore my grandmother's image
He was in such a rush
He, a pilot, did not want to see
Seeing the pain in my face
He braced himself and
Made a comment
It was men with pistols back then
Eye to eye
Not like now

161. Cheetah, Cheated

Red-haired freckled girl
Do you hate yourself
For your differences
Your exotic colors
Will attract men later
Though you may never
Love yourself

162. Life on Paper

162. Life on Paper
Me with notebook versus
Me without
I feel a different person
Today than yesterday
Capturing my thoughts on paper
Gives me a sense of power
A reason to experience
More of life

163. Creator

I never thought I was a creator
I always thought I was a watcher
An observer in life
Today I realize
Watching is creating
I create my own impressions
Different from anyone else's experience

176. Cool Retreat

A man in full suit
His back covered in sweat
Seems to have retreated
To the museum
Just to escape melting
In the heat outside
He's not here for the art
He's sitting with his untorn ticket
A fugitive
From a hot summer's day

178. City Traffic

1.4 miles at 0 miles per hour
How long will it take to get there
Sweltering in city traffic
Blood pressure rises
Quick... there's a clearing
Step on the gas!
And rush into it
You've advanced 10 whole feet
And scared at least 3 pedestrians

179. Green Monster

A long green tunnel
Touches my edges with fear
It's supposed to be a pedestrian
Safe passage
In a construction zone
I look around
And worry about someone
Lurking there - unknown

183. Heartless

Tango tonight was fantastic
I danced with the most advanced
Partner I've enjoyed in years
My heart was missing
I think I cried out
My ability to feel

184. Becoming One - with Colgatas

Stretch and pull
He moves me; I move him
We move together
Sharing a single axis
The dance compels
The music controls us
Tango

185. Come Hither

Comme il faut
Come hither tango shoes
Variegated colors
Spiked heels
Worn by an alluring dancer

188. False Medium

Kisses and hugs
X's and O's
What does it mean
If sent only through email
If you can't spare your time
To be together
Hold hands, kiss in person
Experience life
In each others' arms

189. A Real Man

A man came up to me yesterday
Because he was attracted
Inside from summer's heat
He crossed the atrium
To strike up a conversation
On his way to work
He chatted and confided
Disarmingly
He gave me his number
I admire his courage
And I plan to call

192. Making Conversation

Is that a picture of you on the wall
A man asks
As he looks at a 50 year old
Portrait of Margot Fonteyn
No, she is my namesake
Oh, of course, he says
Trying to refrain
From looking too uncultured

193. Bare Minimum

I came to his place
For a Friday afternoon kiss
Why? Because I need one
You may have no heart beating
In that toned 49 year old chest
But my 35 year old heart
Is still alive and thumping
Hoping for more
Willing to settle for too little

194. A Solid Foundation

Sitting on two dictionaries
One Webster's, one French-English
Is this the best use
For the tools of my
Princeton education?
Maybe so
Preventing carpal tunnel
As I tap away
Trying to preserve my legacy

195. Lifeline

Naked!
I left home without my notebook
It feels like I left my arm behind
Or a lung - some vital organ
I have to go back
To retrieve my lifeline
To sanity

196. Abstraction Distraction

Half listening
To an old friend
As he tells me
About his new turkey smoker
He's gotten into cooking
Meanwhile, a word
Has captured my attention
Wafting me away
Into my mind's own abstraction
Starting to bake
A new idea

202. Modern Wonderland

Sunny smile
On a pretty blonde waitress
My imagination
Of a guy's perfect fantasy
But maybe some men want more
Especially the modern man
Who wants his wife
To support him through school

203. Unsuspecting Muse

You wonder why
I stare at you
You don't know
You've become my muse
I can look and write
And you'll never realize
Your essence ...
Has been captured ...
Taken from you

201. Skin Cancer Waiting

Fair skinned man
Tough on the inside
Fragile in the face of the sun
Your skin burns
You turn involuntary colors
Better keep that solid core
As your skin can eat you
To the bone

204. Unhappy Endings

I'll support you
Through graduate school
While you get your doctorate
Seven hears I'll drudge
Wherever your studies take you
I'm not too keen
About all the young free
Women you'll meet
But you'll remember me
When the divorce papers come

207. Acultural

My Japanese friend
Is embarrassed by Japan town
He calls it a cartoon
A fabrication
Somewhat demeaning
To the emulated land
No Japanese live there
They can't afford it
They only work the shops
Japan town is for tourists
Who want to come and gawk

209. Slim Pickings

He threw me a bone
He wasn't willing to meet me alone
He said, meet me at the gym
A low risk endeavor
We can pretend it's by chance
None will ever know

210. Alternative Perspective

My words accusing
Would make him run.
What's worse
She gave me guilt,
He said.
Isn't that terrible?
It's a form of abuse.
So is neglect, my friend.

229. Writer's Itch

Praying for a red light
I never thought I'd do it
Where's my pen
And my paper
Gotta be as bad as
Dialing or texting
Just like when
You've got
An itchy nose or eye
There's just no helping
The urge to write

234. Role Reversal

A small man feels unnerved
When a large woman wants him
She looked at me
Like a tasty morsel
This feels like being hunted

190. Turning the Tables

Waiting for a phone call
One of the most
Uncomfortable feelings
Known to woman
Why do men feel
They can make us wait
Because we let them
Girls, cut them off
Do yourselves a favor

18. Virtual French Lover

Frenchman very endearing in his demeanor
Misspelling sheeps and other words quite cutely
Never can quite make it to an appointment
Can only send his love and kisses by email

213. Double the Pleasure

Toned muscles working
Face of concentration
Watch the strong man lifting
Powering up
Carefully down
Building his self esteem

214. Sweat Equity

A man befriends his trainer
A friendship built of gratitude
For a firmer physique
And more allure

206. Painted Tootsie

Painted toenails
Are for women versus each other
A woman feels bad
If the paint on her feet
Is not quite right
Filled with embarrassment
She runs to the nearest
Toxic site
Where fumes overwhelm
And women primp
To impress themselves

94. No Parking

No parking, no stopping
What about my life
It's gone stagnant
No chemistry, little motivation
Feeling like I just want
To sit and stew
How can I jump start myself
And get moving
Before life's parking meter lady comes

93. All Roads Go Nowhere

Be a go-giver, the self-help books say
Another book said, if you feel sad
You've given too much
Give more, give less
It all ends up the same

72. Ringggg!

Tick Tock, Tick Tock
Goes the biological clock
Of an older woman
Astonished to find herself
Of advancing age
Too many no's to men not quite right
Have left her on the doorstep
Of infertility with no repair

251. Mary Kay Medium Coverage Ivory 100

Foundation
A primer coat for my face
A base
Upon which to add more color
It's a race against time
Before conditions change
I hope to raise
My market value

267. Directionless

Driving around in circles
Following this stupid GPS
I'll never get there
'It keeps telling me
Take another left
I don't know how
To go where I'm going
Or return to where
I've been
This thing is Out to get me
It can tell
I'm directionless

199. Wrong Directions

You think you've arrived
And then you realize
You typed
The wrong address
A moment of shock
An instant of despair
A mistake in life's GPS
You've achieved it
The wrong objective
One you really do not want
Too late - now you are stuck
Where do you go from here?

217. Bodyscape

Nautilus machine
Now my comfy chair
As I watch the men work out
And enjoy my favorite scenery

200. Red Haired and Hunted

Red-haired handsome guy
I'm always attracted to you
Your fiery colors
Self-confidence
And haughty personality
You think you've got style
You're better somehow
Your pride and self-love
Attract me
Like a moth to fire

216. Aroused Anticipation

An attracted woman
Looks on with admiration
As her man pumps iron
Building up his endurance
She hopes it is for her

215. Seasoned to Perfection

A 49 year old man
Competes with his 29 year old trainer
They share workouts and routines
The younger man does not know
The older man holds
So much more appeal
For all he has accomplished
And his more chiseled personality

212. Tasty Treat

Watching a sexy man grunting
Lifting his weights
There's nothing quite so delicious
See him strain
All the muscles bulge
You wonder what he's like in bed
He smiles a little
Knowing you are observing
Feeling strong and delectable
In his masculinity

211. Surprise!

Surprised my ex-lover
With a kiss on the mouth
He was grunting on a machine
At the gym, coaxed on by his trainer
I smiled and walked off quickly
Wondering
What thought and feelings remain
Myself filled with tingles
And flirtation
Aroused and ready to play

45. A Beggar's Lunch

A beggar faints
Someone calls the paramedics
Her lover holds her head off the cement
Store staff members say she's begged
There for years
They watch her trouble
With idle curiosity
A half-hour earlier
She said to me,
Hello, sister, can you spare some money
I need 5 or 10 dollars to get some lunch
I'm hungry
While I sat and ate my soup and crostini
I gave her a dollar and said
That's all I could do for now
I watched with concern
As she laid stretched on the ground

5. Disparity

Fountains wash water over steps
Trees blown in the wind
May in San Francisco
Warm for a moment
Never Predictable
Like the trails of my life
No anagram or hidden meaning
Would have to try hard
To create less meaning
A life of spare letters
That spell no words
Ew is the one word created
Why that is because of disparity
Wealthy daydreamers refuse
Five dollars to a hungry beggar

83. Greeting in San Francisco

The first question in San Francisco
What do you do for a living
It's really how much do you make
And should I look down or bow to you
A question because we all want to know
Our status versus one another
A strange place - the Bay Area
Not so much quotidian charm
Much more so: financial hysteria

76. Fake

Get the job just so that you can say no, he said
It feels good to say no when someone wants you
But you're not like that
I crinkle my nose
He sees my disdain
He doesn't know I realize
It's the same way he treated me

74. Corked

Champagne gift - ungiven
Purchased before relationship's end
Undrunk, sitting chilling
What to do with it?
Can't drink bubbly alone

71. Selectivity

Do you kiss all your women friends
On the mouth?
Or is that a pleasure reserved
For me and you
I'd like to think there's more
Between we two
A tender message you send
Brings my heart aloft
Callous non-response
Leaves me bereft

68. Fruitless Folly

A kiss on the mouth
From a man, who does not care
A chance encounter with a man
I used to love
Who never wanted more
Than a kiss and temporary satisfaction
He's done with me
He has no time
An occasional flirtation is all I can expect
A nice person in his heart and estimation
However fruitless our folly

46. Unanswered

An urge to send a message
To someone, who does not love me
Is like sending a boomerang missile
Across a bow
It will only come back to hurt me
As he responds or doesn't
And has no intentions

38. Socialite

Hi, how are you?
Beaming smiles
Approximately 30 seconds lightweight conversation
Moving on to the next
3 parties and 300 people in an evening
A human energy magnet
Passes through a human soup
Drawing a little energy
From each passing smiling face
Surface love, surface relationships
A lot of them
What you can't have in quality
Make up for in volume

34. 30's and 40's

I think we can make it work
I hate most things about you
You dislike most things about me
40 year old male ready to nest
35 year old woman ready to marry
Afraid to tarry
But still clinging to hope
Of real love and attraction
The fantasy we grew up with
Is un-fulfilling us now
We'll never find it
Never be satisfied

33. Scary Singles

Breaking away to a Marina party
Scarier than a horror flick
You see some grey-haired guy
Loving up a grey-haired chick
On the dance floor
Grooving to 70's and 80's music
Enough to turn your stomach
And make you shrink with fear
50 year olds acting like 20 year olds
Never wanting to get old
Never growing up
Adult careers
Childlike relationships
Loneliness, sadness, frown lines
Wrinkled faces with hopeful hearts

32. Singles Event

Singles events in San Francisco
People look away - bored
Occasionally, one you don't want latches onto you
And even follows you around
The one you want wants somebody else
A friend advises, just turn around
Love the one who loves you
I tried that;
People you don't love
Treat you just as badly
As the ones you do
Nobody wants anyone, who wants them
Everybody wants somebody better
People just get older and lonelier
And harder to please

266. Early Proclamation

He looked at the menu
Admiringly
Now this is the kind
Of restaurant
That is not
Zagat rated
Then we looked down
And saw the small
Red placard
Just like I was saying,
He said
This restaurant
Is sure to be
Zagat rated
We both laughed
Happily

265. Nothing Left

A man I thought I loved
Treated me with such disdain
And then another man came
Too bad for me
I realized
None of my heart remained

260. Possibilities

Finding a connection
My new friend is a writer
30,000 journal pages
He brought me flowers
From his garden
Maybe there's something here

257. Full Circle

A man who once
Broke my heart
Called to tell me
His heart was broken
By another woman
I didn't feel
Happy or sad
I unloaded my dishwasher
While he was talking
And washed my hands

256. Incompatible

After our third date
He stated
I like oatmeal
You like champagne
We never saw
Each other again

253. Shattered

If feels like
You are determined
To shatter me
Why do I deserve it?
Another date broken
Mercurial you
Fragile me
Thoughtless motion
Leaving me in pieces
Smashing me to dust

244. The Big Question

He's asked me the question
The one I dread to answer
Are you seeing other people
What I'd really like to tell him
Is that my heart's desire
Is for him to carry me
Off to church or temple with steeple
To marry without further ado
But I've got to plan
Just in case
I don't get to spend
My life with you

238. The Game

I guess I'm going to be single
You know those down days
You have that conversation
With yourself
Do you really buy it?
That you only want
Who's unavailable?
I don't know
Maybe that's my story, too.

233. Predatory Condolences

I'm sorry for your misfortune
He said, starting to feel aroused
Why does a man
Want a woman to fail
Is it so he can
Raise her from her knees
Or does he see advantage
In her vulnerability

227. Too Late

Waiting by a restaurant
For a date, who is late
I am glad I have my notebook
To record my loss of interest


Dumping, San Francisco

226. Impudence

You had me going
Until I found out
You are married
Did you think
I would stoop to share
How do you dare
You are lucky
If I don't slap your face
And blacken
Your reputation


Dumping, San Francisco

225. I Never Learned to Share

You saw Christy last night
You went out with Darlene
You kissed Laura on the couch
Then, you and Audrey were seen
And you wonder why
I refused your ring
One ring is not big enough
For all your mingling


Dumping, San Francisco

224. Run Quickly

You went crazy when
I stopped loving you
You scared me
And tried to break down my door
I left you
Because you wanted to own me
Only I own myself
You have no right to say
What I should and should not do
You curled up on the floor
And made me understand
The real trouble
You're touched in the head
I got out of there
On the double


Dumping, San Francisco

223. Ptouey

You made me feel small
So you could stand tall
You belittled and derided
You chipped away at my pride
You felt low about yourself
You tried to drag me down too
But, no, I would not let you
I threw you out my door


Dumping, San Francisco

222. Poor Sport

He made a promise
And then uncommitted
When he didn't get
What he wanted
It happened twice
It will happen no more
His phone calls go unanswered
He's on his own ... forever more


Dumping, San Francisco

219. Broken Dreams

I broke up with him because
He broke into a house
Worse, he did it
To please me
It was a house
I thought to buy
For my father
His flagrant disregard
For law and order
Tore us asunder


Dumping, San Francisco

218. Good Riddance

I dumped him because
His road rage frightened me
I could imagine his fist
5 years later
Slamming into me
Or a bullet
From another driver
Missing him
And hitting me


Dumping, San Francisco

220. Final Goodbye

I gave him back his ring
When he said maybe
We had never been that steady
We had broken up three times
Let's just push it out five months,
He offered
How about the twelfth of never
Was my response
My love for him was dead already
He wasn't going to get another chance
I can do better


Dumping, San Francisco

133. Unrealized Potential

Seven years of friendship
Even a little spark
Never indulged attraction
Why not...
Both too formal
Both afraid
Neither willing to dive in deep
Two people standing on the edge
Gathering dust


Dating, San Francisco

96. Painted Doll

Red nails
Some men like them
Others hate made up women
It means they'll be too pricey
That they'll have expectations
To paint them or not?
That is a question
You can never get the timing right
If you do catch one, the right way
Say, nails painted,
He'll be off and flirting
With 5 other women
The same evening


Dating, San Francisco

90. Strung Out

Love by the drip method
A line of text by SMS
Every couple days
A few X's and O's
On a whim or in casual response
Enough to keep me hoping, expecting
Death by a thousand small injections


Dating, San Francisco

97. If the Shoe Fits

The biggest shock ever on a date
Your date sees your high heel shoes
And runs away with glee
To return with the same pair
of Shoes - two sizes larger
I like to dress in drag on Halloween,
he said
You can imagine how my heart fell


Dating, San Francisco

136. Body Armor

Buttons on my jacket
Like a patchwork of armor
That jacket's "Not Hot," he said
I immediately took it off
And placed it on a chair
He looked at me and smiled
Pleased to see the effect
But now I wear that jacket
As I would a coat of mail
To protect myself
From future heartache


Dating, San Francisco

114. A Friend's Advice

Just date him for a while
Maybe you'll grow to like him
Make sure you don't sleep with him
Or do sleep with him
I slept with my husband
The first week we met
But you shouldn't
Take it slow
Pay attention to what I'm saying.
Are you listening
Are you going to do as I say?


Dating, San Francisco

15. The Single Life in San Francisco

No, not you, no, not you either
You're too short
I'm not in love with you
You're not in love with me
You're in love with someone else
You don't have prospects
You are not ready
You don't want any more children
I want a baby too fast
You wouldn't make a good father
I want you, but you want more
We've only just met
It's been too long
You keep other women around
You're moving to Peru
or going back to school
All the reasons for straight
Singleness in San Francisco

Dating, San Francisco