douglas brent smith

not a couple

every couple fights
about money about attention about
harmless searing flirtations
temptations, indiscretions and
thoughts

every couple fights about passion
and lack of passion
about furniture, fixtures, fantasies and
families
all those dysfunctional families and

we don't fight about any of that
because we are
not a couple
and we fight about that

knowing what i want you
choose to escape and
knowing what you want i
senselessly cling
a mess of depressed repression
unappealing
stealing every ounce of hope
from the air

and you repeat (repeat, repeat) that
we are NOT a couple but

what about this love?

-- douglas brent smith

Transparent Liberation

It's humbling to know that the world will go on without you -- but also liberating.

-- Doug Smith

poem: that dream

it's a foolish wish
to say may all your dreams
come true
what about
the bridges disappearing in
perspective? what about
the endless chases? the public nakedness?
the lack of words? the demons hiding
insecurities in playful sacks of sorrow?

let me pick my dream to live
that sweet happy ending dream of us
together hand in hand and always smiling

let me pick that time you looked at me
from across the room with a knowing
smile that spoke more love than you could
say, or contain (or, sadly, sustain) but
leave that part out (the sadness in your smile
of unbeatable fate) and let me
live that dream of

you smiling
at me and
happy.

(c) 2017 douglas brent smith

song: every sad song

every sad song

you might get the blues but you’ve still got to choose

no one else can walk in your shoes

your promises stood until they fell

your life felt like heaven but who can tell?

the worst thing’s the best thing that can’t stand its ground

the way up’s the break ups the heart hits the ground

every sad song sounds like

something ending

every sad song sounds like

something bending too far

so here we are, so here we are

every sad song stuck in our hearts

every sad song sounds like

something ending

every sad song sounds like

something bending too far

so here we are…

song: i hate waiting in line

poem: i wonder about you

i wonder about you
wondering about me, how
you might imagine this
changed by a kiss
or feel the pull
of something more whole
our gravity keeps crashing
but that's no reason
to cash it in

i wonder about you
all. the. time.

(c) 2017 douglas brent smith