Small.

don’t you think
our heads expand,
worlds collapse.

science how you
always reason yourself
out.

I’d pray and I’d pray and I’d pray.

quiet.

a saviours breath is quick and temperate.
I believe.

I’d miss it.

Like I miss you now.

if you tolerate this, then your children will be next.

So, I missed it. Apparently Banned Books week was September 23rd to the 30th. My mother wrote about it at a more appropriate time. I commented on her entry recently, and since I took off on a few tangents, I thought I should post them here as well.

First of all, for your education, the following is according to the American Library Association.

The 10 Most Challenged Books of 2005 are:

• “It’s Perfectly Normal” for homosexuality, nudity, sex education, religious viewpoint, abortion and being unsuited to age group;
• “Forever” by Judy Blume for sexual content and offensive language;
• “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger for sexual content, offensive language and being unsuited to age group;
• “The Chocolate War” by Robert Cormier for sexual content and offensive language;
• “Whale Talk” by Chris Crutcher for racism and offensive language;
• “Detour for Emmy” by Marilyn Reynolds for sexual content;
• “What My Mother Doesn’t Know” by Sonya Sones for sexual content and being unsuited to age group;
• Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey for anti-family content, being unsuited to age group and violence;
• “Crazy Lady!” by Jane Leslie Conly for offensive language; and
• “It’s So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families” by Robie H. Harris for sex education and sexual content.

Don’t you know? No one should be allowed to learn or talk about sexuality. Oh, and sexual situations? THOSE DON’T HAPPEN. Homosexuals? SO very scary. If we let them roam free they will infect Our Children with their sinful ways. If you read about sex, perhaps that will entice you to go try it out yourself… even better to do so without any education on the matter. There shalt be no guns or violence in our books, movies, or television shows. Children who play video games and listen to loud and obnoxious music shoot up schools. Ban all of that. Now, if you would like to speak on the side of the so-called “Moral Majority” then by all means, enjoy your First Amendments and Civil Liberties.

I am sure many who would like to ban guns from television and games are the same ones who swear they will die so they may keep the real killing tools. You know, “If God made every man, Sam Colt made them equal.”

Ugh.

Of course I’m being facetious. Still. It kind of scares me to know that a vast majority or those challenged books have something to do with sex. I don’t know nearly as much about societies other than this American one… but I never understood why sexuality is something that is never to be spoken of, written about, or seen in any way shape or form. How is it immoral to learn about your body?

More appropriately for this election season: how does a marriage between a man and a man denegrate a heterosexual marriage? How does that cheapen the sanctity of marriage when a projected 40 to 50 percent of heterosexual couples get divorced anyway?

The “problem” with a free and open society is that sometimes things you read may offend you or challenge your viewpoints. The beauty of said problem? You may turn right around and write or talk about how horrible those viewpoints, books or articles are. Nice, eh?

A rule of thumb for everyone should be to question everything, accept nothing. Listen sometimes, instead of talk. Learn about the things you do not know.

A real man isn’t the man with a gun– and only a real man can be a lover.

That is all.

Ask Me Why. Vote No.

That dull hook in my lip.

Pretentious eyes.

Tiny dimples, stained coffee cups.

Nothing quite as hopeful as
clear ocean sky.

No one knows Eli,
the barrow boy.

This mix that I make
when I laugh
does it make you sick?

nothing ever changes
but the construction
never ends.

another grey middle.

When The War Came.
on this the 1,255th day since mission accomplished
your media war scare tactic scorch

my brain. missive.
concealed.

more children in these
waters

from ship to sullen shore.

oh, my god.

a relocation problem
a fence for amendment
wars.

!quiet!

sell me a new golden age,
fission in a suitcase,
a special cream
to
dry
your eyes.

darling. oh.

someday, your teeth will fall out and no one will love you like they say they love you now.

shh.

–
CARAVELLE! A SAILING SHIP!
CARAVELLE INDUSTRIES!

ONE FOR PATIENCE!
TWO FOR JOY!
CARAVELLE, AHOY AHOY AHOY!

Insurance Card.

Caravelle. A sailing ship. Dancing legs.

Spiders and mice. Innocent Kitten Queens.

You’re the best, darling, the best of everything.

Fast and bright, innocent and knowing.

A bottle for another beginning.

Flashing lights
and Empty Red Cars.

A little of nothing. You’re everything.

Beautiful.

Like…

Windows painted blue.

(weed, wax, and Jack Kerouac).

three pages of light and shadow.
written for your hair. a mess.
shimmers.

the refrigerator clicks
on.

lights flicker.

a meaningless evening
that could just as easily mean

everything.

Perfect are the scratches
I’ve made in these floors.

The stains in the wood.
Holes in the wall.

What are we without these things.

A beaten inflection,
harbored interruption.

Caravelle, A Sailing Ship.

Pages of wordless spaces.
Between the lines,

Caravelle, A Sailing Ship.
under the bows of formality
and century.

A golden sunrise
A sailing sea.

Caravelle, A Sailing Ship.

middle of nothing (ticky tacky)

did. you. know.

Just kidding.

I want to post writing on this. The cool kids do this. My hair thins and I pretend I’m eighteen again. You know? I don’t drink quite like that though.

I’m free if you want me.

If you pay me. Best Buy doesn’t want me.

I’ll throw the country aiee through kaiee rack out on the street and go work for a virgin megastore.

That’s what innersleeve mike should do.

Let me ask you not to burn down my house because I do not have insurance either.

I’d buy your love on the black market if I could find a good hookup.

L.A. Broken Angels, Broken Hearts, Broken Love. They adore you but will never remember your face.

Right?

Call me with your tour of obligations and Bristling Love.

January February March April May!
gone until november.

fasting until the killing is done
long after this War is over.

Which War? i’m not sure.

I have to clean out my basement and garage before they take them away in a forthcoming month.

Burning Boxes. Silly silhouettes of the pretty things contained within their simple purpose.

If Love were boxed. neatly arranged.

How much would they sell New Love for? when it isn’t worth anything.

Like cheese.
Is love like CHEESE? Sir?

Come now calm it’s night And Time to go Home.

Take your neighbours car and crash it. He wont wax daily. Anymore.

there are always New Cars for you, love. I would carry you from A TO B. If it meant we occupied the same space.

They’re pretty but like New Love and New Cheese, they don’t mean a thing and you shouldn’t Let them Let You do this.

But I guess

This wasn’t the letter I was supposed to write.

little boxes little boxes little boxes made of tickytacky and they all look just the same.

First Lie: Orange Skies

clean skin.
clean skin.
tell me.
where have you been.

after the pool.
saturdays.
just after cartoons.

your indemnity!
your sacharine!
sing to me!

you’re a bloody
bloody mess
no more paid sundays
in your naughty naughty
dress