Do you speak of change the hardest? Charge the

open heart when guarded? One’s advice so

hard to follow when so dearly, dearly

needed. Big change talking, short walk taking:

on the subway, sidewalk, bike-path; judging,

judging, judging, judging. Foreheads joined in

opposition, playing kissing games like
children craft apologies begrudging.   

Frigid hands, forbidden parties, process

of illumination: Krishnamurti

understood; love it first, then understand.

It hit me like a sucker punch: cork your

bleeding nose with cotton; this is New York.

Fruit, ripen, strive to spoil, void and rotten.