WE WANTED IT ALL
We wanted it all, didn’t we?
We demanded magic
(as if spontaneity could be planned)
We demanded perfect freedom and safety both
(how had we ever dreamed
of corrupting natural law?)
We were the great believers
(It was our strength and
our weakness)
Who would have guessed
that the very love that
brought us together would
break our hearts?
And here we are again
This time in a rage
for peace
(as though virtue could
be assembled)
Even in the end
. . . We want it all
We demand a leaving made
of affection (as though poverty
was ever cured by
good intentions)
There is no redemption
in a decent memorial
(Charlie is still dead)
From “We Hardly See Each Other Any More”
I AM SADLY PROUD
I am sadly
proud that
the ladies see
how beautiful he is
I never thought
I would say
this . . . But
I’ll pray that their
love will heal
him from
mine . . . But
I’ll never be
happy about
it
From “We Hardly See Each Other Any More”
EVERYTHING I HAD
Hard to believe it now . . . But
there was a time
when I would have given you
everything I had
. . . Trouble is
I did
From “We Hardly See Each Other Any More”
INGREDIENTS
So confused by the original
they only sang
on Sunday
The mystery is that there is
no mystery
Things mean what you want them
to mean
You can get what you give
this is the instruction
the trick is not to tell the story
like it wasn’t about you
The secret is there is
no secret
I can only tell you what I see
not what was seen –
the eyes are original work
From “The People Who Didn’t Say Good Bye”
Sharing 101
SHARING is not dividing up property
it is not giving something away.
SHARING is GIVING our part FREELY
Joy isn’t what we’re doing
JOY is how we FEEL about what
we’re doing
and SHARING is not when you give up part
of something because you have to
SHARING is how we can teach people
what is already theirs
Nothing true is diminished by sharing it.
From “The Cost of Living” the new work of Merrit Malloy
REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT
My friend Jack
went to Heaven this morning
Wally called and told me
that he left the house
around nine o’clock
. . . He should be there
by now
We knew he was leaving
Lately when he took our hand
he squeezed
a little harder
than he used
to
We were all in on it
Each of us had an awkward moment
when we laughed too loud
or tired too hard
He knew why we called more often
He knew why we stayed
a little longer
than we used
to
My friend Jack
Left a big hole in the world today
All three networks used the past tense
as they pointed out his triple crown
and poured him into
history . . . But
We knew he was getting ready
We were all in on it
From “The People Who Didn’t Say Goodbye”
THE PLACE WHERE BABIES COME FROM
There is a place
Lower than birth
Below the seed
. . . It is where children
give birth to parents
. . . where the human is too true
to be good
It’s the place
where babies come from
From “The People Who Didn’t Say Good Bye”
A RESIDENT IN ABSENCE
The distance between us
is imperfect and
possessive . . . We are
nailed together by
a dream (yes, it was
amazing) . . . But
You knew I would come back
(I’m glad you didn’t
ask me to)
I might be better
(after all )
that I left still wanting
to stay . . . Than if
I stayed still wanting
to leave
The strangers circle
My mouth waits for them
like a bullseye . . . There is no
comfort in being
hunted . . . And my heart
is but a pilot
light
From “We Hardly See Each Other Any More”
THE GOODTIME GIRLS
We’re getting
older . . . You know that?
It doesn’t matter how
good a liar
the skin is . . . I hardly
ever kiss frogs
any more
We are still
explorers . . . the journey (now)
back . . . Who could have told us
then that we’d
be left with daughters
we couldn’t
understand?
We’re getting
better . . . You know that?
It doesn’t matter
that the cops get
younger
every day . . . We have lost
our taste for
civil disobedience . . . But
We are still
fighting a
revolution . . . The issue (now)
continues in and
blazes . . . Who could have told us
then that we’d be
left with lovers
we couldn’t
love?
From “We Hardly See Each Other Any More?”
JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE
I used to dream
about
driving a car
. . . I was never
going to
be sixteen
(Those last six
months were the
longest in my
life until
now)
I never thought
I’d be able to
have a quiet
drink without
offering
proof that
I was
born . . . (and
when)
And marriage?
. . . Who would marry
me? . . . A girl
who sleeps too
late and dreams
too much? (innocence
was my only charm)
I used to pray
to be just like everyone else
. . . I should have
been more careful
Funny how
most of what we don’t want
any more
is what we used to want
most of all?
From “We Hardly See Each Other Any More”
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