2135. A Controlling Man's Plea

My little
Piece
Of clay,
She's talking
Back.
How quaint!
How cute:
Her lips
Move.
Wait...
Again??
Make her
Stop that.

2134. Expecting

You will do
What you do.
I, too,
Choose.

2133. Just Accept It

Struggle you may,
Protest you might,
I am more stubborn,
Tougher than you
By a factor of two.
That's right.
See you tonight.

2132. Safe

Be glad
That I
Vent
My
Dating
Frustration
On paper
And not
At you
:-)

2131. Next!

I am
Resilient
And
No longer
Accept
Bad
Behavior

2130. Decoded

"Where do
You live?"
Is code
For
How much
Respect
Should I
Give
To you
Based on
How much
You earn
And should
I take you
To a good
Or bad
Restaurant

Margot Rudell featured poet at Sacred Grounds Cafe in San Francisco

2129. That's a No

No.
You can't
Have
My number.
No,
I won't
Write.
No.
I don't
Wait
If you're
Thirty
Minutes
Late.
No.
You
Certainly
May not
Stay
The night.
Why?
Because
We just
Met.
You
Haven't
Earned
My trust
Yet.
Heck,
You don't
Even know
My last
Name.
If you
Can't
Or won't
Earn
My
Friendship
And love
Over time,
Then
I say
To you
One word:
Goodbye.

2128. F You, Too

"I'm so,
So
Sorry
That I
Stood
You up,"
He wrote.
I responded:
"You'll be
Sorrier
Now that
I've
Blocked
Your ass
On OKCupid,
Punk."

2127. Respect

Treat each
Person
With
Respect,
For you
Don't know
How
Difficult
Their road
Has been.

2126. Told You

I told you
It was
Not okay.
You figured
It was,
Anyway.
You went
And did
What I
Asked you
Not
To do,
And now
You
Wonder
Why
We're
Through.

Margot Rudell featuring on Stephen Kopel's Special Edition

Margot Rudell featured poet on Stephen Kopel's Special Edition

Secret Readers,
I hope you will
Enjoy
Most thoroughly
This video of me
Performing
My poetry
About dating
On Stephen Kopel's
Special Edition.

Margot Rudell featured poet on Stephen Kopel's Special Edition

2125. No Way!

You say
You drive
A van.
For work,
You wear
A gun.

We've talked

Just once.

We've not

Yet met
In person.
You text
And call
Five times
A day.
You wont
Say your
Last name.
You want
To pick
Me up
At my
Place?
No way!

2124. No, Thank You

The last
Thing
I want
Is
Someone
New
Telling
Me what
To do.
I've had
Enough
Trouble
From
Others.
Why
Would
I want
That
From you?

2123. Blue

It was
A lovely
Day.
What did
You do,
He asked,
Judging
Me.
I painted
My nails
Blue.
I knew
You
Wouldn't
Like it.

2122. Disconnected

Absence
Without
Missing
Is
A new
Feeling

2121. Meh

Meh

Means

Unimpressed

Lack of 

Interest

2120. No Need for That

That last
Thing
I need
Is to be
With
Another
Man
Who will
Disappoint
Me

2119. Things Considered

Maybe
The best
Way
To be
Nice
To you
Is to
Leave
You
Alone

2118. Me as Fantasy

He:
I want
To hold
You,
Sweetie.
Me:
But you
Don't
Know
Me.
He:
I adore
You,
Sweetie.
Me:
What
Could
You
Feel
After
Just
Twenty
Minutes?
Internet
Dating
Is
Surreal.

2117. Do You?

I don't
Continue
With
Those
Who
Don't
Care
About
Me

2116. Not You

I am
Not you
I don't
Do
Things
The way
You do

2115. That's The Way

Yesterday
I once again
Became
A muse.
Now that's
The way...

2114. Backwards

This is
All wrong.
You
Should be
Impressing
Me.
A big
Thank you
Goes to
My friend
Stephanie
For remembering
The basics.

2113. No Thanks, Again

Based
On what
You said,
I fear you
Would not
Support me
In sickness.
Your love
Would
Depend
On the
Condition
And health
Of my
Womb.
After that,
I would
Not
Matter
To you.

2112. What Was That?

Text
Messages
And a
Handful
Of dates
Do not
A relation
Ship
Make

2111. To Each Their Own

If I'm
In love
With you
That's not
Up to
You
I'm in
My own
Private
Reality
You can
Choose
What
To do
With your
Feelings

2110. Cozy

Like a
Comfy
Sweater
You
Make
Me
Feel
Cozy

2109. Men Poets

Hearts
Extended,
Minds
Bended,
Pens
Wet,
Men in
The throes
Of liking
Write
Poems
And
Hope.

2108. Self Centered

I noticed
You noticing
Me.
Did you
See
That it
Made me
Happy?

2107. Sucker Punched

Ouch.
My gut
Felt
That
One.
If I
Hadn't
Texted,
I would
Not
Have
Been
Sucker
Punched
Again.

2106. Blues Keeper

I went
To bed
And slept
All day.
I slept
All day
To put
My blues
Away.
Now
It's night,
And I sit
By the
Firelight
Wanting
To sleep
Again.

2105. Nuking You

I'm destroying
My hard drive
And reinstalling
The OS
To nuke
All memory
Of you

2104. Magnetic

I'm trying
To remagnetize
Myself
To attract
Healthier
People

2103. Blue Eyed Wonder

Staring
Into your
Sky blue
Eyes
Brings
A sparkle
To mine

2102. Life in Winter

Leafless trees
In winter
Leave me
Cold inside
But I
Can see
The trees
Are home
To vibrant
Life
The starkness
Clearly
Shows
Birds nests

2101. It's Over

In the past,
I stayed
Way
Too long
In bad
Situations.
Never
Again.

2100. Access Denied

If you
Cancelled
Our first
Date
For no
Good
Reason
There's no
Season
In which
I'll see you

2099. The End

You don't
Care
About me
So from my
Perspective
This is
The end

2098. Lesson Learned

I wooed
A man
Before,
And he
Took me
For granted.
I won't
Do that
Again.

2097. Sinking Ship

If you're
In it,
It's a
Sinking
Ship.
I'm not
Interested.

2096. I Should Have

You told me
At the beginning
You weren't
Introducing me
To anyone.
Why didn't I
Run?

2095. Figuring

I figured
If you
Wanted
To be
Part
Of my
Life
You
Would
Find
Me

2094. Unfriendly

This isn't
A mutual
Friendship.
Outside
Texting,
I've been
Doing
All of the
Friending.

2093. All Niced Out

I can
Nice
Myself
To death,
And
Nothing
Will get
Done.
No hearts
Will be
Won.

2092. Postponed

I'm not going
To worry
About that
At this
Moment.
Currently,
I have
Other
Problems
To occupy
My mind.

2091. California Spring

Pretty pink
Spring flower
Fits on
My fingertip
So perfectly
Formed
You can't
Tell which
Is the back
And which
Is the front
Of it.
Its fragrance
Is sweet
Like
Strawberry
Cotton candy,
Its shape
Like a
Double-sided
Rose.

2090. You're Off the Hook

My father
Is an angler.
He taught
Me early
To quickly
Catch and
Release
Fish we
Wouldn't
Keep.

2089. Too Much

There
Comes
A point
When
Enough
Is enough
In being
Tough

2088. Emergency Medical

If your older parent
Says they are
Fine and A-OK,
Don't believe it
Unless you see it.
They could be
Very sick
And needing
Immediate
Medical attention.

2087. Prevention

Next time
A man
I'm dating
Stops calling
Or needs
Space
I'm going
To pretend
He's dead
To save
Myself
From future
Pain

2086. Nuisance

Calls
Messages
And texts
From an
Unwanted
Person
Are a
Nuisance
And I
Don't
Want
To be
That

2085. How Long?

I'm forty.
I already
Cried
Buckets
For you.
How long
Did you
Expect
Me to
Wait
Before
Meeting
Someone
New?

2084. Should I?

You chose

To leave me

When you

Thought I had

A disease.

Should I want 

To be with you

When I'm healthy?

2083. House Cleaning

I put all
My bitterness
And fears
Onto the
Internet
To get them
Outside
Of myself
I'm cleaning
House

2082. Jeers

It's hard
Having
A disease
That's a
Laughing
Stock
You hope
For comfort
And get
None

2081. No Fun

Liking
Has to be
Mutual
Or in the
Long run
It's
No fun

2080. Warning Label

The danger
Of dating
This poet
Is that
You might
Find
Yourself
Immortalized
On my
Blog.

2079. Awakening

I can feel
My mind
Tingling
With
Connections
That have
Been
Suppressed.

2078. You Never Know

Today, a plane
Carrying
Military families
Crashed
In Algeria.
The soldiers
Awaiting their
Loved ones
Survived,
But civilians,
Who should
Have been
Safer,
Didn't.
Hold those
You love
Close.
Love them
While you can.
You just
Never know
How much time
Anyone has.

2077. Flight of Fancy

If you see
Written here
A bit of our life
Or conversation,
Remember
This interpretation
Might just be
A momentary
Flight of fancy.
Then again,
It could be
What I really
Think.
Guess
You'll have
To ask.

2076. Wanting You

You're the
Nicest
Person
I've ever
Met.
I want
Every
Minute
With you
That I
Can get.

2075. A Spark

I thought
I'd lost
You.
My world
Went
Dark.
Today,
You let
Me see
You.
I felt
A spark
Of hope
Glow
Again
Inside
Me.
Will
You fan
The spark
Into
A flame?

2074. To Wait, or ...

Should I
Wait
For
Someone
Who
At least
Meets
Me
Halfway?

2073. Not Too Late

Full of hope,
She rings,
And he winces
As he brings
Himself
To the door.
He feels
So much
Pain.
He can't
Take much
More.
She is love
In female
Form.
He doesn't
Realize it
Until help
Has been
Given,
Relief is
Complete,
And she
Is gone.
But there
Is tomorrow,
And
There's room
For her
Then.

2072. Exclusions Apply

I don't
Discriminate
Based on
Religion
Or race,
But mean
People
Will be
Excluded.

2071. No Trust in Sight

Your name
Is not
Your name.
Your face
Is not
Your face.
The place
Where you
Said
You live
Is not
Your place.
With so
Many lies,
Why
Would I
Trust you
With my
Heart
Or my
Life?

2070. My Needs Are Important, Too

I need someone
Who will be here
For me
When I need him,
Someone who will
Hold my hand
And emotionally
Support me
Through my biopsy,
Someone who if
I contract
Some new disease
Is not going to flee.
Instead,
He'll be right by me
At my side,
Through all of it.
It's not all about you.
My needs
Are important, too.

2069. What's Going On?

I thought
We were
Close,
And then
You were
Gone.
Do you
Want to
Tell me
What's
Going on?

2068. Without You

Each day
Without you
Stretches
For me
To eternity

2067. On the Precipice

The red
Sign
Says stop
As I drop
Again
Into deep
Depression.
A cliff
Looms
Ahead.
I feel
Myself
Teetering.

2066. Adieu

I gave
You
Space
My way
By
Assuming
You'd
Gone away
Permanently

2055. What Do You Really Want?

You practically
Begged me
To find a way
To invite you
Into my life,
A way that
Entices you
And makes you
Feel excited
With sugar
And spice.
Do you really
Want me
To conjure up
Compelling
Possible
Futures,
Or if I do
Will you
Just think
I'm pressuring you?

2054. Getting to Know Myself, At Last

There were other men
I loved more than you,
And they left me, too,
But that's not true.
Who called off
The engagement?
It was me.
Who filed for divorce
Without any remorse?
Who moved away
To start a new life
The next day?
So many times I've lied
To myself
And everyone else.
I'm the one who creates
My own loneliness.

2053. Change in Perspective

When
My mess
Becomes
Irretrievably
Bad,
Why
Wouldn't
He leave
Me?
Perhaps,
If I see
Change
Through
Rose
Colored
Glasses,
He will,
As well.

2052. Perhaps

Perhaps
I can
Allow
This man
To come
Around
Gradually
To love
Me
Perhaps
He
Deserves
A chance

2051. On Getting What You Want

He said
He left
Her
Because
Things
And she
Eventually
Became
Too crazy
Though
That's why
He liked
Her
In the first
Place

2050. Over Confident?

Perhaps
My lack
Of feeling
Anxious
Is
Over-
Confidence

2049. Now She's Here, Now She's Not

Did
You have
A nice
Vacation
Away
From my
Intensity?
Perhaps,
You'll
Come back,
But I
Won't be
Where
I'm
Supposed
To be.

2048. Skinny Dipping

I let you in
We swim
In skin
Our bed
A happy
Ocean
We kiss
And get
Lost
In our
Embrace

Outside the poem:  Don't get your hopes up, folks. This was either long ago or is currently fiction.

2047. Movin' On

If you want
To be
With me,
Great.
If not,
That's great,
Too.
Just tell me.
That way,
I can
Move on
And get
Over you.

2046. Reduced

I tried and failed
To be more
Than a whale
In a mud puddle.
Now I'm less
Than a teardrop
In an ocean.

2045. Tuxedo Kittens

Pink noses, cute toeses

Spastic encounters 

With a bowl and stair

White and black

Fluffins

Soft and furry 

Puffins

Kittens so silent

With little eyes

That stare

Tuxedo outfits

Perfect fits

So awkward

Though 

Elegantly dressed

Barely old enough

Or able to play

Much less display

Sophisticated wiles

2044. Busy

You're busy?
I am, too.
Busy getting
Over you.

2043. Tables Turned

What are
The women
In life for
Except
To protect
The men?

2042. No Cancellations

I am fragile.
I cannot
Handle
The stress
Of being
Cancelled
No matter
How good
The reason
May seem.
So, no,
You will
Not see
Me later.

2041. On Mars

Where'd I
Put my
Glasses?
Not sure
Where
They are.
Since I
Can't see,
They
Might as
Well be
On Mars.

2040. Heart and Hand Extended

What
Are you
Afraid of,
Dear?
Please
Tell me.
I'd like to
Be there
To comfort
You
If I can.

2039. Ridiculousness

I miss you
Desperately,
Which seems
Ridiculous,
But is true,
Nonetheless.
Aside from that,
I'm fine.

2038. Imaginary Introduction

This is _____,
And I don't know
What we are
To each other.
He says nothing,
But I want
More.

2037. Kitty Cuteness: Meghan

Before
My cat,
Meghan,
Pounces on
Someone,
She wiggles
Her bottom.
That is
So cute!

2036. Write Off

I should
Have let you
Drink through
Our scheduled
Date
And written
You off
On the spot.
Sometimes,
It's wise
Just to cut
Your losses.

2035. Fear

It occurred
To me
That maybe
He's
The crazy
One
I should
Be afraid of

2034. Time Saved

No,
It's good
That you
Treated me
Badly
In the
Beginning.
That
Ensures
I'll spend
No more
Time
With you.

2033. Missed Meetings

If you cannot
Meet
My needs
Emotionally,
Then I can't
Meet you
For coffee.

2032. Incapacitated

If you have
The capacity
To be mean
To me
You'll never
See me,
And I'll
Never
Speak
To you
Again.

2031. It Just Does

How did
You
Write
This many
Poems?
When you're
Me,
This sort
Of thing
Just
Happens.

2030. Thanks, Professor

My college English
Lit professor told
His freshman students,
"Go have a lot of sex
Because after college
It will be harder to get.
And ladies,
Sad as it may be,
You'll never find guys
Better than these."
Then, we read
John Donne's
"The Flea,"
Written in the 16th
Or 17th century.
(This is a true
Story.)

Link to John Donne's poem "The Flea": http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/175764
Link to explanation of the meaning of "The Flea": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flea_(poem)

2029. A Happy Accident

A coffee stain
On my journal's page
Looks like the sun
The image somehow
Makes me smile
On this rainy day

2028. Campaign Fatigue

This is
Ridiculous
I shouldn't
Have to
Campaign
For someone
To care
For me

2027. Alive

I'm three inches tall.
I can feel your fingertip
On my midriff.
Your hand is far bigger
Than my wall.
How did I get inside
Something so small?
I am an image
Inside your phone.
If you delete me
I will die.
I am alive.

2026. Safety Is an Illusion

Safety is an illusion.
This is true.
But there's no need
To be reckless
When someone
Loves you.

2025. Strive for Alive

If safety is
An illusion,
Then strive
For staying
Alive.

2024. Shared Comfort

If safety
Is an
Illusion,
It's one
I'd like
To share
With you.

2023. Comforting

Safety is an illusion
That lets me live
More comfortably

2022. Don't Worry

Safety is
An illusion.
So is sleep.
Your text
At 2:00 am
Woke me.
But don't
Worry.
I love you
Anyway,
At least
As much
As anyone
Can
After knowing
A person
For a couple
Weeks.

2021. Doting

How
Can I
Dote
On you
If there
Is no
You?

2020. 20/20 Vision

Would
I could
See
20/20
Into us
Into the
Future

2019. Yikes!

To someone
My size
Drunk
Guys
Are
Frightening

2018. Seeking Connection

It feels like
You need
To be
Connected
To more
People.
I do, too.
I understand
You.

2017. It Gets Worse

Divorcing
Is worse
Than
Dumping
It's more
Expensive
And much
More
Stressful

2016. Thank You, Officer

You sit
And watch
Keeping
Vigilant
Keeping
Calm
Putting
Yourself
At risk
To protect
The rest
Of us

2015. You Win

You said
I look
Radiant
With
No makeup
On.
You won
My heart
In that
Moment.

2014. Both Alone

I'm leaving
You
Alone.
I noticed
You're
Leaving
Me
Alone,
Too.
Foo!

2013. No Bad Dogs, Just Bad Owners

G-d,
You made me
The way I am.
How can you
Now expect me
To be different
From what
You intended?

2012. Fantasy Man

I'm in love
With someone
I created
A fantasy
About
But don't
Really
Know,
As usual.

2011. Separate and Together

Let's live
Separately
For you are
Clean
And I am
Dirty
That way
Our cats
Can each
Maintain
Their own
Habitat
Perhaps
This way
You can
Be you
And I
Can be
Me
And we
Can be
Happy

2110. Seen from Above

I am the crow.
I watch you
As you sew
Patterns
On the land
With your
Actions.

2110. Every Moment

Let's go
Super
Slow
I want
To enjoy
Every
Moment

2109. Thrilling

I want a man
Who thrills
To declare
That I am his
And he is
Mine

2108. Gnashing of Teeth

Do you remember those
Bible pages or maybe
Dante's Inferno
Where it's described
What Hell is like,
With people crying,
Sighing, screaming,
And gnashing their teeth?
Well, that's what I
Was doing all through
That week
When you didn't
Call me.

2107. Good Fences

Know and enforce
Your boundaries.
By making
A safe space
For yourself,
You can let
Others know
The rules,
So they
Can be good
To you.
Good fences
Make good
Neighbors
And good
Friends.
Just be gentle.

2106. Your Turn

We have
Reached
My limit
For niceness
It's time
For you
To do
Something
Nice
For me

2105. Game Over

You're
Playing
Too hard
To get
I'm losing
Interest

2104. Resentment

If I give
Too much
And get
Too little
That begets
Resentment

2103. Lost: Reciprocity

I went to
All this
Effort
For you.
What did
You do
For me?
What
Happened
To
Reciprocity?

2102. Blinders

You're
Dismissive
Cranky
And mean.
What did
I see
In you?

2101. Handling Instructions

I am fragile
Handle me
With care
Do not turn
My world
Upside down
Do not
Shake me
Do not drop
Or
You may
Break me

2100. Can We Be?

Can we be
An us?
Together?
Are you
Interested
In me
Romantically?
Want to be?
Try?
See?

2099. No Rush

Ooooo
I miss you.
But that's
My problem
Not yours,
So take
Your time.

2098. A Message from Inside the Page

I am the letters TH left of center on a type written page.  I can feel your eyes glide over me.  If you're curious, eyes tickle.  People of all ages pick up and caress me and my friends on these pages.

This book is my home, where I and my family reside.  I know I have lots of relatives.  I can feel them.  We are so many, practically a whole world of our own.

I'm part of a triad of letters.  My friend, the E, must feel lonely, but then he can't be as his relatives are more plentiful than mine.

I feel a fingertip as it touches my page.  There's an old man, a re-reader.  I know his print.  He is an old friend.  I hope he'll come to see me again.  I've heard humans turn to dust long before some of us in books do.  Is it true?  

2097. Lost

I turned
The telescope
Backwards
And got lost
Behind
My eyes
In the recesses
Of my mind

2096. Treat Me

Children's breakfast cereals
Are fortified with essential
Vitamins and minerals
That means Rice Krispy treats
Are a perfectly acceptable
Meal

2095. Sand

I write my love in the sand.
The sand is impermanent,
But so is my hand.

I write my love in the sand.
The impression is impermanent,
But so is my hand.

I write my love in the sand.
The words are impermanent,
But so is my hand.

I write my love in the sand.
My love is impermanent,
But so is my hand.

I write my love in the sand.
All is impermanent
As is my hand.

2094. Paint a Picture

Paint a picture
For me
Of what you see
What you're doing
What you hear
What you feel
So I can be
Close to you
And see
The world
As you do

2093. Immortality

I cannot
Be erased
I cannot
Be undone
I am immortal
In the lines
I have written
And the minds
Of those
Who have read
Or heard
My words

2092. Two Ears, One Mouth

I'm so attached
And worried
That I just
Keep stewing,
Talking and
Doing.
It's hard to
Stop
And listen
When that's
What's most
Important.

2091. Waiting to See

I'm going to stop now
To see what you do.
Do you want us to be
Totally over,
Really through?
Or will you
Make some
Effort?

2090. Be You

Why try
To be
Different
Than who
You are
If someone
Asks
You to
Change
Do one
Better
Find
Someone
Else
To be with

2089. All in Good Time

You move at
Your pace
I'll move
At mine
I'm in
Fast
Forward
You
Keep
Going
Backward
In time

2088. Neverending Sunset

The whole
Horizon
Glows
A rainbow
As we fly
West
The full
Continent's
Length
In sunset

2087. Princess Planet

It's a pink world
We live in.
It's shades
Of rose
And mauve,
Fuscia
And carnation,
All woven
Together
As a gorgeous
Fabric
Fit for
A princess.

2086. I Win Either Way

You will be
In my life
No matter what
You
Decide to do
You'll be
My illusion
If you're not
There
In person

2085. Carve Out

Instead of
Bothering
You
I carve out
Little parts
Of my heart
Soon
There will
Be nothing
Left

2084. Gentle, Loving Soul

Thinking of you
And your kind
Brown eyes
Brings tears
Of joy to mine.
You are a gentle
Soul,
Wise and old,
In a young man's
Bright and sparkling
Form.
In nurturing,
You inspire.
You give of yourself
And become more
Whole.

Your songs reveal

A man whose 

Love runs deep. 

Your warmth both

Comforts and heals.

You're full of love
And full of life.
You bring happiness
To those around you.
Knowing He had already
Created the best,
When G-d made you,
He broke the mold.
He needn't have bothered
With the rest.

2083. Stronger

You need
Someone
To rely on.
I do, too.
If you
Lean on me,
I will
Grow
Stronger
For you.

2082. Appearances Matter

Pick it up.
Pick it up.
Appear
Strong.
It won't
Be long
Before
You are.

2081. Not Me(an)

In my poetry
I can be
Really mean
But I'm not
Like that
When a real
Person
Is standing
In front
Of me

2080. Uncomfortable

I have kitty litter
Inside my shoes
Between two
Of my toes,
And it's boring
A hole.
You ask
How am I?
I'm uncomfortable.

2079. Awesomely Me

I'm awesome,
So it would be
Ridiculous
For me to be
With someone
Who disagrees.

(Thank you to my friends, Yi, Dana, Josh, and Karla for making me feel better, Karen, Leo, and Heather for worrying, and Nooshin for planning travel from LA to get me through V-Day.)

2078. Not Nice

If I say
It's nice
To meet you
Too
Many times
It's probably
Not

2077. Nicknames

You asked if I have any nicknames, and
At the time, I couldn't remember many.
I've actually had a surprising range:

On the nice side, I was Honey Bun, 

Honey Bunny, Honey Pie, and just plain Honey. 

You once called me 

Sweets,

Which I thought was new and endearing.
I was a Little Cabbage and Little Flea.
Those two are both French terms of endearment.
Unflatteringly, I was an Artichoke -
For they way my hair stands up in the morning.

Better, a tanguero called me his (and I'm proud of this)

Tango Angel.  

In Spanish, I was once Piolin (also known as Tweety).
A dancer gave me my rapper ID, which is Little Bit -
For my tiny fierceness.
Due to personality or my two front teeth,
One friend thought I resembled Ice Age's squirrel, Scrat.
Hopefully, in retrospect, that ...
Was based on my dogged tenacity.
Personally, I think of myself alternatively
As a kitten, china doll, porcupine, or mystic.
Once I was called Firebird.
I wrote twelve or so poems about that.
Some people at work thought I was a jerk
And called me Bulldog, Bulldozer, and Know-it-all
Bitch,
Though, hopefully, my jerky days are over.
If you want to name or rename me,
Let's hang out more.
Then you can see which name you think
Is most appropriate.

2076. Note

Poems
May be
Out of
Order

2075. Your Choice

You have the keys
You're in the driver's
Seat
You can choose
Whether ever again
We meet

2074. A Timid Start to Love

If I gently run
My fingernails
Down your back
When you told me,
If you press my hand
And I press yours
Right back,
If I run my fingers
Through your hair,
Know that
I love you.
I'm afraid to tell you,
So I show you.

2073. Head of Household

Where are the men
Who want to
And can be
Head of household?
Is the idea so old
That no such men
Exist anymore?

2072. Strange Guardian

My disease
Protects me
From those
Who would
Otherwise
Hurt me

2071. Orange Cones

Orange cones
In the street
Prevent
Workmen
And women
From becoming
Heaps
Of bones

2069. Unsynced

One streetlight
Shines
In the daylight
It's out of sync
With time

2068. Is It Worth It?

That's what happens
To women who love
Unrequited.
They get shot.
Look at the story
Of poor Eponine.
For men
It's not much
Better.
You get skewered
And drowned.
See Darcy
And Hilarion.

2067. Empathy

Poor dude
You both
Love
And hate
You
Living
And dying
Failing at
Your own
Standards

2066. The Binary of Life and Death

The bee
Has
But one
Sting
Before it
Meets
Cold
Death.
I, too,
Have
But two
States,
Attached
And
Past
Tense.

2065. Is This a Test

If this
Is a test
Then
I'll
Fail it
On purpose
To protest
Your
Having
Tested
Me

2064. Crash

A crash
Comes from
The bath
The curtain
Rod
Stopped
And dropped
It just
Gave up
Disgusted
With its path
In life

2063. Goodbye

I will not
Scream, shout,
Reason, or pout.
I will just
Shut you out.

(Not part of the poem and, yes, for a special reader:  ... but not if you are Marco. :-)

2062. Thrown Away

I'm too
Covered
In muck
To have
Much luck
Seeing
Out of this
Trash bin
You put
Me in

2061. Art or Obscenity?

One eye
And one
Valve
Are still
Open.
Did you
Hurt me
On purpose
For art?

2060. Mole

I have a mole
Shaped like
A heart.
Will it grow
And kill me?

2059. Demise

I died
In the time
You left me
Behind

2058. Change in Plans

As I'm not sure
How much time
You need
To decide
Whether to
Throw away
Or keep me
I gave
Your ballet
Ticket
Away

2057. You're Not a Killer

If you know
Your answer
Please
Tell me
Waiting
Kills me

2056. Not to Worry

Don't worry
For me
I'll be here
With the worms
Or the birds
Maybe
All three

2055. The Survivor

The survivor
Is a man
More alive
Than any
Other
Knowing
How precious
Each second
May be

2054. Thank you, Mr. Water Devil

Reading comments
On this blog
Sometimes
Teaches me
A lesson.
Here's something
I should have
Learned and
Remembered
Way back
In 2008:
Water Devil
Said,
A man
Who
"Disappears"
Was actually
Never there
For you.
(How true!)

2053. Birds in Flight

Birds in flight
Catch the light
Catch my eye
And move my
Attention
While I drive
Perhaps
One day
I will
Join them
In the sky

2052. False G-d

I idolized him
Stupidly
Making
Life harder
For him
And for me

2051. Change a Brain?

What if
I imagine it
A hopeful
Grand
Future
Is it possible
To change
One brain wave
At a time?

2049. Miscalculation

You perceive

Even fear

I might

Cling to you

You miscalculate

I am a runner

You won't 

Even see me

Flee

2048. In Peace

My heart's
At rest
It doesn't
Feel
Your absence

2039.5. The Birth of Indifference: a Gift to Many Women

She gives gives gives gives gives

To you

Fierce husband

And what do you do?

You poke, prod

And criticize

With unloving eyes

Accusations fly

Condemnation, frustration,

Contempt,

Even hatred

Show their signs

A computer monitor

Moved two feet

Sparks his rage

A chair is thrown

The cabinet dented

A stereo whizzes past

Her head

A weighing scale

And all her books

Tumble down

The stairs

Her shoes

Carried to the basement

Have been stuffed

In garbage bags

Why

Should she allow herself

To feel perturbed

Beaten

The result, instead,

Is the inception

Of a new feeling

A longing

To be independent...

Free...

Love's opposing force

Isn't loathing...

It is indifference

With zeroed out

Emotion

Comes clarity

2047. Into the Abyss

When my soul died,
I felt myself slide
Into the thin
Blackness
Of the universe.
With no planet
Or star
To hold me,
One push
From you
Sent me
Hurtling,
Maybe
Forever.

2046. Poet Man

Back slack,
Relaxed
He snaps
His appreciation
For the bard

2045. Bird's Eye

From the sky
Parked cars
Sparkle
Like diamonds