SOLITUDE

Imaginary Garden With Real Toads

Those who love
fiercely and
strongly
often find themselves
wrongly 
wronged
or so it may seem
as opposed to those who
settle
for what presents itself
as a long-term solution
to solitude
which one who loves 
fiercely
eventually learns
is the long-term solution 
to 
two 
(many) wrongs
not making a right 

SECOND GUESS

Imaginary Garden With Real Toads

this ole place has done
'bout all the damage
it can do to me

at long last

the ghosts of
3 dogs
4 cats
and 1 woman
are all that's gonna
skulk around here

in the quiet of the moon

one disappeared into
the desert
and one languished too long
but most I put down
when their time was at hand

'cept for the woman

who also languished too long
and then disappeared into
the desert

years gone like they
were just passin' through
nomads
on the way
to a bigger watering hole

but those sunny days
that wash over you like
the womb
create a deceptively cheery glow
bidding you to second guess
your feelings
each step of the way

and so today
I locked 'er up
and turned the key

there was a spider
restin' bold
and pretty
on the middle of the door
and I smiled
and said
go in peace
my brother