unrequited

last night within a forest

that knew it is not eternal

you lead the way

this morning, from my touch,

you pulled away

 

i unglued, shoed

conjoined with sidewalks

under a dawn of gray

 

l.a.

no matter what time of night or day

can be a very lonely place

 

wary, hardened

some convicted, some pardoned

we ignore each other

pretending millions don’t exist

 

like you pretended this morning

so i left you with nothing

but the stain of my seed in latex

in the trash

because that’s all it

and i were worth to you

 

i stand in a long line

at a mexican food truck

famous for their breakfast burritos

i, of course, get a dozen

carne asada tacos

eat two

 

hand the rest to

two of los angeles’ homeless guests

that everyone walks by

and ignores

while they ask,

“brother, can you spare a dime?”

 

i molt

and the feather’s fall from my flesh

without passing on the wisdom

to not fly too close to the sun

although there would be no one

to circle and circle

searching for me

 

because

after all

the title of the book is

bulfinch’s mythology

 

can’t you see

that nothing was seen

among what we saw

except the mammal that pawed

at the dirt

searching for something that wasn’t there

 

then continued its sojourn

within the forest that knows it’s not eternal

to succor instinctual sustenance

our so called higher consciousness

claims separates us from lower life forms

 

but as i look at the sociology of society

i do not see enlightenment

just mammals pawing at the dirt

without knowing what might be there

just seeking sustenance for the solitary

which is easier than proving your worth

to the tribe

 

***