Noticing

Late at night,
the clean sink,
the dream catcher,
memories of clear light
in the afternoon.


-Jim DuBois
April 12, 2011

Watching The Frightened Men

At the Roost,
watching the frightened men
whose relationships
are mediated
by alcohol and women.


-Jim DuBois
April 9, 2011

At Least

At least
there's people
downtown.

At least
there's people
at The Roost.

At least
there's a chance
of human contact.


-Jim DuBois
March 30, 2011

A Chance

Sometimes,
a chance
is all you need.


-Jim DuBois
March 30, 2011

I've Been Struggling Lately

Sitting at the Roost
in the middle of the day
feels so desolate,
but much less than
sitting on a stone stoop
on market street,
wishing for friends.

But then I glanced
at someone's laptop
and discovered they
were playing
Settlers of Catan online
and realized they were killing time too,
faking activity,
distracting themselves from desolation,
and it made me a little happier.

(Because I usually imagine
that everyone else
has lots of friends
and deep meaningful lives
and that I,
somehow,
was the only one who got screwed
out of those things)

And I won't let myself
end on that note,
because I have meaning in my life,
it's just that
I've been struggling lately,
like all humans
sometimes do.


-Jim DuBois
March 30, 2011

Two Old Men After a Funeral

1.

Two old men,
patriarchs of their families,
leaning against the porch rail
after a funeral
- they thank me
for all the work
I have done
to take care of
their daughter and grandson.

I am caught off-guard
by my emotions.

I search for a reply,
then say,
"I felt it was important."

One of them replies,
"It was...
  it is."

And I carry on.



2.

Two old men
after a funeral
remind me
that to care and to love
are important.

Two old men
after a funeral
pass down
ancient primate wisdom
and responsibilities.



-Jim DuBois
September 8, 2010

The Roost - #3

They're playing Madonna
at The Roost,
and I'm writing
and waiting for Phil.


-Jim
March 12, 2011