Don’t take it personal , they said;



but I did, I took it all quite personal—







the breeze and the river and the color of the fields;



the price of grapefruit and stamps,







the wet hair of women in the rain—



And I cursed what hurt me







and I praised what gave me joy,



the most simple-minded of possible responses.







The government reminded me of my father,



with its deafness and its laws,







and the weather reminded me of my mom,



with her tropical squalls.







Enjoy it while you can , they said of Happiness



Think first , they said of Talk







Get over it , they said



at the School of Broken Hearts







but I couldn’t and I didn’t and I don’t



believe in the clean break;







I believe in the compound fracture



served with a sauce of dirty regret,







I believe in saying it all



and taking it all back







and saying it again for good measure



while the air fills up with I’m-Sorries







like wheeling birds



and the trees look seasick in the wind.







Oh life! Can you blame me



for making a scene?







You were that yellow caboose, the moon



disappearing over a ridge of cloud.







I was the dog, chained in some fool’s backyard;



barking and barking:







trying to convince everything else



to take it personal too.

