Oh Captain (My Captain)

These poems are read, 

daily, 

by Russian spies, 

or bots 
from the Ukraine, 

maybe even some lucky 
Irish operatives. 

Each poem dissected, 

carefully, 

for code beneath 

the chaos. 

What reason to write, 

beside 

international espionage? 

What audience would read, 

if not with 

sinister purpose? 

Maybe you are not you, 

nor I, I (Captain, 

take a look!)

Freckle Constellations

I always 

swore that 

I knew you, 

inside 

and out, 

forward 

and in reverse-

better than 

the back of 

my hand. 

But 

a new star 

has formed 

in my freckle 

constellations, 

and 

I realize, 

maybe 

I never 

knew you 

at all. 

Spotted

“How are you, really?”

she asked me. “What’s going on?”

The tears wouldn’t stop. 

Buddha Board Blues

Today, I painted 

your name in water, and then 

watched you disappear. 

214th Haiku

Your love is silence,

A warm bed and breakfast tray,

My favorite language

Groundhog Day

I would still choose you, 

every time, in every way.

Would you still choose me?