* Five Special Colors *

This poem
now comes in five special colors
and is suitable for use
on fourteen different
    special occasions.

Wherever you see an asterisk,
substitute the name of a loved one,
or a touching word from the list
    at the end.

Don't worry too much
about meaning --
or originality --
what matters most
is that you bought it
    from us.


-Jim DuBois
March 19, 2005

The Scent of my Childhood

Sometimes
I catch the scent
of my childhood,

in the swampy air
from the stream
down the hill,

in the rotting leaves
on the bike path
through the woods.

Sometimes
I catch the scent
of my childhood,

of the magic
that I had forgotten,

of the goodness
I used to know more about.


-Jim DuBois
Oct 22, 2009

Half an Hour

Half an hour
between one thing

and the next.

How can I
live these moments well?


-Jim DuBois
Oct 22, 2009

The World is Mine

I like to go downtown
get a 33 cent pad of paper
and $1 pen
and sit on a bench
and draw
and write
and feel like
    the world is mine


-Jim DuBois
Oct 22, 2009

(Sorting) Laundry

Shirt,
Shirt,
Shirt,

Socks, pants, shirt,

Why do I have so many shirts?

shirt,
long-sleeved shirt,
pants,
pajamas,

I wonder how other people categorize their laundry?

I have the most categories for shirts,

shirt,
long-sleeved shirt,
shirt I need to hang on a hanger,
Oh! this shirt's not really dry yet...

Maybe I'll do more laundry tomorrow.


-Jim DuBois
Jan 22, 1998

Summer, anyway

Bird, hopping on a gravestone

Bird perched on a tomb

The green green grass

Sweat standing on my neck



-Jim DuBois
July 20, 2003

Running Around Eastworks

Running around Eastworks
after Mama's birthday dinner,
we saw the bear!
we ran around the little shack
  with all the poems,
we ran up and down the big hallways.

Watching you reminded me
that it's ok to love.


-Jim DuBois
March 2009