Halloween leopard

for the wild woman trapped

by society

let’s preserve these lands,

Colorado wanderings

that so many seek

 

peak views and rock trails

make a weekend worth living,

a life worth loving

 

 

a sunrise blue wave

with my persistent puppy

whose goals are my own

my best friend knows me

better than anyone else

(since we were thirteen)

 

she would even hike

to the ends of comfort zones

to stand by my side

 

love’s more than marriage:

a childhood commitment

through richer, poorer

 

blue skies and dark days

mark the myriad trials

we’ve weaved our way through

 

yet, she’s still taller;

more reserved and observant

than i’ll ever be

block party family

from blue waves of acceptance

makes this our dream house

if i could crunch leaves

enough to shake the world

i’d walk forever

where is my future
where is my idle handwork
but in this image?

where would i put words
where would i search for my voice
but in this building?

where does the sun set
where does the sun softly rise
but on these red bricks?

where can i see peaks
where can i catch two seasons
but from this window?

why can’t i be set
with these views, this structured hall
of tomorrow’s kids?

October questions
in hues of green, orange, maroon
color me confused

assigned by number
wait to see if eighteen grand
is worth half a day

by wasting our day
you've taken away "the why"
don't sugar coat it

colored printing waste
for personality test
glorification

Castle Pines castle
stealing eighteen grand daily
with this theft of time

did you ever think
that asking for and sharing
honesty might work?

when school districts spend
days and dollars on trainings
it becomes so clear:

they don't have a plan
for societal burdens
schools are forced to bear

my brain prefers work
not "feeling scratchy" all day
brain exercise that

at two hours in
snarky haikus start waning
to total shutdown

let me think of kids
who need me to cheer for them
while adulthood waits

no words can capture
how horrifying this is
for someone like me

but there's still this view
as i walk into my school
to start each bright day:

my cracked perspective
of what this world could be
shatters more each day