Hope is

light does not break free it

explodes

in pieces of the

god-in-man and

if i were god

i would put it all in a pile

and people could pick at it

like leftovers from a

garage sale

from Still lifes (North Hammond, IN 1999-2000)

2.   Neighbor

Rose lives across the street

In the house her husband built

When they came from Poland

He played the trombone and

Drank at the Polish VFW and

Went to mass every Sunday

He sang, complained about working

At the Ford plant, watched the

Neighborhood grow and

Wither like an old man

            Rose tells me he died last week

5.   noises

gunshots out the window

            pretending not to hear

            Beth deals the cards and

            Tells me how she

            Lost her virginity

Sept. 11, 2001, 5:53 PM

In the seven televisions

I saw the buildings fall

For the hundredth time

And over the singing of

The National Anthem,

Justin, for the first time

Offers to buy a round