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…


(c) 2015 douglas brent smith
from the album "etcetera" by douglas brent smith


song: i hate waiting in line


(c) 2017 douglas brent smith


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


collage: She Left Some Tools in Boulder

"She Left Some Tools in Boulder" collage by douglas brent smith, created 1 April 2017



(c) 2017 douglas brent smith

collage: Refresh Your Thinking

collage by douglas brent smith
Refresh Your Thinking, or A Room With A View Entertaining, collage by douglas brent smith 04-01-2017


(c) 2017 douglas brent smith

collage: Birth of the Baby Machine

collage by douglas brent smith
"Birth of the Baby Machine" by douglas brent smith, 27 September 1982



(c) 2017 douglas brent smith

collage: Taking Stage

collage by douglas brent smith
"Taking Stage" by douglas brent smith, 10 August 1982



(c) 2017 douglas brent smith

collage: Big Lips

collage by douglas brent smith
"Big Lips" by douglas brent smith, 26 July 1982


(c) 2017 douglas brent smith

collage: Moments Click Away

collage by douglas brent smith
"8:55 in Chicago, Moments Click Away" 13 December 1979



(c) 2017 douglas brent smith


collage: Like Father Like Son

collage by douglas brent smith
Like Father Like Son by douglas brent smith



(c) 2017 douglas brent smith

collage: Save The Invention, Burn The Formula


collage by douglas brent smith
Save The Invention, Burn The Formula


(c) 2017 douglas brent smith

collage: A Generation Ago

collage by douglas brent smith


(c) 2017 douglas brent smith

collage: Hard Shell Case

Hard Shell Case by douglas brent smith


(c) 2017 douglas brent smith

How to Test Drive a Pickle

  How to Test Drive a Pickle -- collage by douglas brent smith, 25 December 1987