Too Much To June

June 2021 –From the Archives-

June shot in her Shorts 2014

High Wind Warning Memory in the Parking Lot

You know-

After all is said and done know

I think that in retrospective

You weren’t all that pretty

Or not really all that smart

And sometimes now

I really think

I found you in a shopping cart.

The Next Time

So tell you what

The next time they

Tell you to jump

You can just shake

Your head and nod

S’OK

I already know when

And how high.

Tell Me I’m Wrong Here

Nobody wants to hear it-

Funny.

They all still ask.

Kafka Would like this…

Dr.Phil and more than a few others

Were rather disappointed

When I never did wake up a beetle

Underneath my own bed.

Where’s my Judge Judy ?

I dreamed last night I was

In the audience and you were up

In the defendant podium

And couldn’t see the plaintiff

Anymore.

What Kind of guy was He? (4.0)

On a Summer evening

If his feelings got hurt

Because his wind chimes

Weren’t making enough noise ?

He would go outside

And smack them around.

Fuchsia Facialized

My birthmarks

Are my boners

Just a daily money shot

Waiting to happen

I walk around on your planet

In color

And fully

Erect.

It rains Diamonds on Jupiter

Just for how many years did you dream of this?

Your name somewhere

Your name nowhere

Still expected to show up

With something to say.

Dang me

They ought to take a rope

And hang me.

Was that Roger Miller

Or Henry ?

And when you take the stage

At the microphone

Around the corner

Will anybody be able

To tell the difference ?

So maybe just to be safe ?

Go with the Crimson and Clover

Over and over.

Type Rope

OK settle down now

and face the page

after a long day

of confronting all those faces

you just didn’t have either the heart

or the patience to listen

to anybody’s rehash

of just one more word

over the noise

over the boys club

numbing boozing sameness.

No instead

you bailed

to see this instead.

Get a cold one into your hand

and review the inscription

on the small of her back

with the shoulders

expressly pointed

in the other direction.

We are dancing

naked on a tight rope

everyday brings

the prospect

of chance to fall

And a fresh costume

from wardrobe.

Donya

When the Correctional Officer brought her into the County Jail classroom that morning I remember how little she looked. Barely 5 ft tall and maybe all of 90 pounds. The Women section issued tan hospital tunic and pants was rolled up at the sleeves and cuffed Numerous times at the ankles. Her head hung down to her chin shrouded with auburn Hair that extended past her arm pits in a tangled nest. She wouldn’t meet my eyes and Silently sat down at the table seemingly awaiting chastisement.

The shift Sergeant had asked me a favor- pulling me aside in the Booking room the Day before. Could you work with this inmate who was being warehoused by the Feds.- stating She doesn’t speak English. Word was she being held on some very serious charges. And that was all he offered- and I didn’t ask. You learned that in here if you were smart you don’t ask. Neither Correctional offices or the inmates.

The last time I was put in a similar situation was few years ago. That time the Warden Approached me personally to try and work with is other Federal prisoner. Zen (yeah that Was really his name) told me in strict confidence this hombre was bad news. An alleged Hit man imported from Mexico to do a local job. They found two independent pharmaceutical Teenage Salesmen dead in a snow bank off Route 60 with a bullet behind their ears. Standard Cartel justice for failing to keep your franchise books accurately

Evidently he was connected with heavy duty legal muscle. He was requesting the education Program here and that was me. (after all- he had rights) The CO’s brought him into the classroom on Tuesday and Thursdays always by himself In ankle shackles and hand cuffs. He was pleasant and genial enough having the demeanor Of an inconvenienced business man awaiting word from the home office fully confident He would be back in Rancho Bonito in das Capital in no time.

He read at a 4th grade level. I gave him basic work books. Sat him at the table across the room. He did the work but after a couple months pretty much stayed there. Planted him at table on the other side of the room with his back facing me because he was always sizing me up with chatty questions. And I have never had sensed such polite evil in my life.

So now as I regarded Donya that morning knowing they wanted much the same protocol For this young girl sans all the restrictive jewelry that was hardly a security issue or fashion statement in this case. (Just for the record ? Not long after Donya I refused to work w/ female inmates in the future-especially alone. Had witnessed one too many long time respected Co’s disgraced & fired with entrapment

Set ups for lawsuits & early release.) I sensed from the start this was not going to be the scene here. At first I left here alone-let her settle in- she was terrified by everything around her/ I would give her big color picture books with an English word or phrase/ I spoke to her briefly and softly.

After a few months most of our language was eye contact after I had achieved a degree Of her confidence. Jail is doing time in strict routine. When that day came she had settled herself and felt somewhat secure I realized how bright she was & if she didn’t feel she could trust me ? Then nothing could be accomplished.

Soon- she was breezing through the grade school work books with the Aid of a Spanish to English dictionary I discovered in the classroom library/ I was astounded as she gradually came a little more alive every day. I would catch her once and while smiling to herself as she did her school work- Then that one afternoon Donya asked me in pretty good English

Mr. Teacher- Where am I ? Now this young woman was just way too smart not know where she was in a literal sense- I thought I knew what she was asking- I got a out a map book of NYS putting it in front of her I moved my finger on the Jail location in WNY & 500 miles away NYC.

He face went ashen. After that all the sadness and distance returned- Occasionally right outside of the classroom I could overhear her with the public defender Sobbing in broken English- you don’t know these people they will kill my daughter and my mother..Summer passed into Fall then winter- it was just before the start of the second Spring where In this little house were you could only do 2 years max.

Then one time she didn’t come into the classroom at the usual day/time. They took her away-without explanation. And of course as I told you before- I never ask.

When I showed up to work sometime after that my shift Sergeant told me about

Donya’s story quite unsolicited –

Word was the Feds had been and gone in the middle of the night with her in tow. She had been a mule for hire as window dressing for dude who was carrying a shipment For Buffalo- two hundred easy bucks for a 20 hour round trip bus ride – she met him at the Port Authority and when Border Patrol picked up getting off in Niagara station- she had on sweats-bathrobe & slippers. So all this time this was your standard roll over game. He said the shipment was all hers & had Just happened to sit next to her on the ride. They warehoused him in the Erie County Correctional facility where he had the shit kicked out him by his fellow inmates (word gets around inside) & finally cracked. 16 months later the Sergeant came in the classroom and said I think this is for you and Handed me a small envelope sent to Mr. Teacher Box 160 Mayville NY without a return address. Inside there was Holy Card from the Bronx and her hand writing said God Bless you- thank you for teaching me.

And ever since when I’m in the city riding uptown on the 4 5 6 or 1 2 3 I dream of a tap on my shoulder and when I turned around it would her looking me in the eyes with a big free smile.

Uncollected 3/2021

May Shorts 2021