In lieu of blowing smoke rings at the ceiling

i.

I keep thinking of here
and the world I’ve left behind

About these conversations
versus ones I couldn’t understand

Maybe it was awful there
but I just didn’t know

Oh, the buses I’ve seen

ii.

I asked to change my hours today

Nervously, I await the reply

Chastise myself for worrying

It’s a different life

iii.

So, this is it

Better than we’ve ever known

Better than we dreamt it could be

If we’d ever been able to dream

Is it any wonder things are this way?

iv.

I’d be lying if I said it seemed ok

I just had nothing to compare

I cried in front of the bank girl

Confused her

She was only there for some overtime

Pre-Christmas

She asked for numbers

I gave her emotion

Her form lacked the fields

So we gave up and talked about life 

She told me about her grandparents

v.

I’m stuck

Marooned

Like a boat

On a gone spring tide

The only thing to do is wait

Drink a beer

Survey the ancient mud

Chat with the crew

Sing a few songs

Sure enough

The tide comes around

Lifts her off

Swings her about by the bow

Every beaching’s a gift

A chance to learn

To know one's place in the mud

To relieve one’s self

Emotionally, my dear