Many Words on a List

Red
Car
Music
Pizza
love
Day
Pretty
Sky
Blue
Cloud
Dirt
Grass
Run
Run
Run!!!


-Jim DuBois
1999ish

List

Poetry
is
more
than
a
list
of
words
red
it
is
an
art
form
art
form
dog
car
stereo


-Jim DuBois
1999ish

Jeremiah

I remember that time
we were walking
along the Holyoke ridge
and you said,
"It looks like these
are basalt columns
that thrust up
through the earth
about 200 million years ago,"
and I thought,
"he just wants to sound
like he's smart,"
but the plaque
at the end of the trail
said almost exactly
what you had.

Another time
we were talking on the phone
and you mentioned
that some days
you only try to have
as much motivation
as is needed
to do the immediate
next thing,
such as reach the doorknob
and leave a room,
and I thought,
"he's just trying
to sound inspirational,"
but many many years later
I still think about
what a helpful perspective
you offered me.

Now, I'm glad
that despite my momentary cynicisms
I got to see your mind
functioning well.


-Jim DuBois
Sep 10, 2009

When You Were Almost Two

When you were almost two,
you and me and Shahana
ran around in Eastworks
while our other people
talked after dinner
at the Apollo Grill.

There was this huge plastic bear
in one of the windows
and I lifted you up
so you could get a better view.
Shahana wanted to see too,
so I picked her up with my other arm
and we looked at the bear together.

We laughed and talked and pointed
and I felt peaceful and happy and content.

I held you guys for as long as I could,
until my arms got tired,
but if I could, I'd be there still,
holding you up to see the bear.


-Jim DuBois
March + Aug 2009

Summer Musings

I. The Mountain

On the trip up the mountain,
I think about how, in life,
as opposed to in stories,
there are a lot of loose ends
and characters you meet briefly
that seem interesting
but play no further part.

I wonder about the people I met today.
Do they figure prominently?
Are they major or minor figures
in this mini-drama?


II. Skinny-Dipping

Sometimes, seeing girls naked is relaxing
because there are no longer any secret hidden mysteries
that they might have.
They are just people with bodies.
And boobs become just,
well, boobs.


III. The Neighborhood

Walking around the neighborhood,
I am amazed by the community and closeness
people could have, but don't.
There is so much quietness and distance
packed into a small area.
It's as if everyone is holed-up
in their own castle,
waiting out the siege.


-Jim DuBois
June, 2007

I Have This

I have this pen
and I have this brain
and I have a world to live in

this pen
this brain
and a world to live in


-Jim DuBois
July 11, 2008

Haircut

Haircut haircut haircut

sittin' at Tracey's wedding
thinkin' 'bout my haircut
it didn't come out how I wanted
but things don't always, anyways

I forgot a belt today,
and the flute playing didn't go how I thought -
which is neither good or bad,
just how it is

I thought I was losing hearing in one ear,
and worried about it a little,
but watched this little girl
bopping a balloon into the air
with her head
and she really wasn't worried,
just energetically bopping the balloon,
and it reminded me of this little dog
I saw once that ran all around energetically,
and maybe a little oddly,
and I didn't find out 'til later
that the dog was totally blind

The funny thing was it almost seemed to not know it was blind,
and it definitely didn't care
or get held back in any way about it
and I thought,
it's ok that I forgot that belt,
and I can live with this haircut,
'cuz hair keeps growing and changing anyways

And what is hair?
The beautiful uncut grass of heads...


-JIM DuBois
Aug 16, 2009