kevin. sonia. brett. nikki. gutcher. katie. jeff. danessa.
warren hall. bakersfield high school. bakersfield, 2002.

circle. circle. circle.
we make circles
break from circles
fall into circles


we keep walking in circles
and with a handful
from each circle
we build some
meaning out
of all the
confusion.

she was reprimanded for her statement.
a social outcast from her conception -
sweat falling on dirty bedroom floors
and an accident occurs,
turned blessing.

the man that opened your front door
was a stranger
that had your eyes and calming smile.
shocked, she choked in excitement
and fear that she had finally lost you.

love, unconditional
erases the boundaries
between she and you.

i.
i.
i.

the shadow waiting to catch you from your fall.

robert with roman candle. bakersfield, july 4 2009.

calamity at its worst
ended in calm silence.
what was left on
the battlefield
is a stench
we involuntarily
walk away from.
you stand so triumphantly
just before
the disgraceful trek home.
i wave a white flag
to ease your guilt,
with your back already turned
my intentions overlooked.

impatient for the smoke to clear,
what we fail to wait for
is forgiveness

we turn and walk towards
our own familiar grounds.
just before we
finally understand
this now misplaced peace.

everyman a teacher.
each life offers the lesson
of the temporary nature
of all things.

we speak of truths
that we benefit from
selflessness itself
an act of
selfishness.

split into binaries,
we fall in
and out
of circles of understanding
we will never
ourselves
experience.

maybe for the best.
maybe rationalization.


we hold on
to our own sense
of power.

i have this vision of myself
since the night
she described the feeling.


i stand on a green grassy field,
hundreds of wooden spikes
randomly scattered scattered all around me.
large satin ribbons tied the end of each.
the pull towards one point,
where my arms spread out holding the other ends.

i see another spike in front of me,
but if i reach for it, i'll lose three others.


i reached for it







a vision without substance.