the sum of the parts
make up the whole, but even
some holes make the whole

sitting in thick mud
hosta unfurls multitudes
of white-tipped leaves

did you ever
feel like you were
home plate?
while the key players
hit home runs
or foul balls
or strike one-two-threes,
running in circles all
around you?
but you couldn't
run with them
because you were
frozen,
stuck,
staying the course,
waiting for the next
full body slide
or on the flip side
the leaps and bounding
that come from
euphoria?
did you ever
wonder when
someone would
ask you how
your day went
and then listen
to the answer?
did you ever
want to run
those bases, too,
taking chances,
maybe even
being the hero?
did you ever
feel like
if you one day
just fell asleep
and didn't wake up
that no one would
notice until
they got hungry
for dinner?
did you ever feel
tired for no reason
in particular,
wilting from
neglect?
hey,
pitcher, pitcher,
watch where
you wipe your feet.

5 minutes on "Defrost"
is all it takes
for an idea to simmer
and a project to percolate

Mom,
this thing isn't working right.
Well just make sure
you put the bun in
the right way.

She nodded, flipping the bun over.

Are you sure
the recipe says to rinse the romaine,
then use a 3-hole-punch?

I'm positive,
except maybe
you were supposed to
3-hole-punch and then
rinse.

Hey, those candlesticks
look just like carrot sticks
she said.
That's what they are
I answered,
don't you think
that's funny?
No, she said,
I just think
you're weird.