I Wonder What Happened to Ferris Bueller

I wonder what happened
to Ferris Bueller
after his day off?

Did he pull more amazing stunts
until the end of his days
or did he get crushed
by the monotonous routines
of adult life?

Maybe he works at the Post Office
but hangs out smoking dope
with "Shaggy" (from Scooby Doo)
at night
and they talk for hours
about the good old days
when the kids were always right.

Maybe he got real fat
and loves bowling.

Maybe he doesn't give a fuck.

Maybe he's in a ditch somewhere
right now,
moaning, wishing for
the techni-color days
of high school to return.

Maybe he's dead
or a political activist
or both
or a vegetarian
or a card-carrying NRA member.

Who knows?


-Jim DuBois
July 15, 2000

Three Snakes

I saw these three snakes
and a ton of frogs
and it reminded me
of when
things like that
really mattered


-Jim DuBois
April 24, 2007

In the Weeks Right After Josh Was Born

Once, in the weeks right after Josh was born,
I typed my thoughts into the computer,
and cried about how hard it is
to care about someone innocent
who you know
must face a hard world.

Not that I think the world is only hard.
I also think it is fantastic
and I love living.
There is so much to do,
so much I want to do.


-Jim DuBois
March 25, 2008

Continuing My Mission

I’m continuing my mission
    to become closer
    to these…
    …humans, sir.

On the whole I am making
    good progress:
    I have walked among them,
    gone to “parties”
    and, in recent days,
    have become intimately involved
    with a woman…

She is my “girlfriend”,
    as they call it
    here on earth.

However,
    there are times
    when certain unforseen feelings
    arise
    and distract me
            (albeit, momentarily)
    from my main objective.

Jealousy,
            anger,
                        loneliness, -
   
these unpleasant preoccupations
    were not covered
    thoroughly enough
    in my training, sir.

I recommend a level 2 debriefing
    for all personnel
    engaged in “caring for one another”
    and also for those
    currently in training
    to do so.

In closing,
    I would like to give you
    what the humans call
    a “hug”.

***

It’s ok, sir:
    I found them unpleasant at first, too.

With practice,
    that will fade,
    and one day
        you might like them.


-Jim DuBois
Dec 15, 2000

In the Winter, I saw Ducks

I hear the unceasing hum
of the traffic in the distance;

Everyone is rushing to get somewhere
and not spending much time
being anywhere.

In the winter, I saw ducks
swimming on an icy stream,
dipping their heads down into the water
to eat, like they always do.

I imagine the people turning off their cars
and placidly floating along like ducks
on the currents of life,
not controlled by those currents
and not resisting them either.


-Jim DuBois

---

This is an selection from my book of poetry philosophy, "Like the Sun". You can get a copy here

Already Broken

The glass
is already
broken

The house
is already
empty

My bones
are crumbling
to dust


-JD
April 5, 1998

Sometimes

Sometimes you see the shadows
But miss the birds


-Jim DuBois
Sept 4, 1999