American Male
Born into expectation, a surreal charade,
The sum of their parts, a masquerade played.
Deep as a sheen, a veneer that deceives,
B’s of all sizes, D’s of all varieties, life’s odd leaves.
Lost till found, a pursuit laced with pain,
Striving for solace, but often in vain.
Dancing in the sun, embracing the light,
Yet hurting till done, a perpetual fight.
In the twilight of struggle, we seek to reveal,
The essence of life, the emotions we feel.
A dance of shadows, a whirlwind of hues,
Unveiling the truth, in this human muse.
01/18
From Here To There (a)
From the rusted streets of Southwest Michigan, he fled.
Where many struggles and challenges left him feeling quite dead.
With hope in his heart and dreams in his mind.
To Portland, Oregon, he ventured, a new world to find.
The city did not welcome him with open arms and a smile.
But he persevered, determined to stay and make it worthwhile.
The air was crisp, and the food was divine.
He found solace in nature, and that made him feel fine.
For he saw the beauty in the city, amidst the chaos and strife.
In the people he met, and the challenges he faced in his life.
The city may not have been perfect, but it was his home.
A place where he could live and love, free to roam.
The struggles of Michigan and the problems of Portland.
He faced head-on, with resilience and determination at hand.
For he knew that in life, there are no perfect places.
But there is beauty in imperfection, in all its varied faces.
And so he embraced his new life with open arms.
With hope in his heart, and a sense of calm, He found a new community, a new sense of belonging.
In Portland, Oregon, where he felt like he was thriving.
03/20
Peaches For Me
In the wilderness, by the water’s edge.
I savored a peach, so ripe and intense.
The sun was ablaze, the air sultry and warm.
And the water shimmered with a seductive charm.
The peach was soft, so fragrant and lush.
Its nectar running like a secret hush.
I tasted it, and its juice spilled like fire.
A tantalizing flush of desire.
The surrounding wilderness was alive and deep.
With the sound of water, a hypnotic sleep.
The trees towered, the sky a rich hue.
Nature’s majesty, an enigma, so true.
The peach was a symbol of life’s sweet magic.
A sensuous delight, so mystic and tragic.
As I ate it by the water’s side.
I felt its secrets, a universe to confide.
For at this moment, in this wilderness so vast.
I was a part of a mystery that would last.
I was connected to the earth, to its rhythm, so slow.
And the peach was a gift, a secret to know.
To know that life is a journey, a secret untold.
To savor each moment, to cherish and behold.
And as I finished the peach, by the water’s edge.
I felt enraptured, enticed, and entranced.
03/2023
The Reek of the New West
The earth exhales in heavy sighs,
Thick-lunged and fevered, ripe with forsaken ghosts.
Once golden fields stood crisp and high,
Now drowned beneath breath a harvest boasts.
A tidal hush of verdant steam,
Wrung from roots that drink too deep,
Spills whispers sweet of sallow dreams
Where hollowed acres drown in sleep.
The soil, drunk on swollen thirst,
Sucks stolen veins that once ran wild.
The river, pent in ironclad fist,
Chokes on progress and a promise beguiled.
The silver ghosts of ancient streams,
Once sleek in cold, an unshackled flight,
Now festering , starved within their dreams on the silt of night.
Night kneels upon the river’s glass
Its fog uncoils, slick and blind.
The wind still sings its western song—but alas,
Every silvery note is left behind.
3/25
Jason W Lacey 