For Billy II (Dandelions)

(December 11, 2008)

I never liked reading other poets
but for the dark ones-
I could suck my fingers
like a little kid
and lie in the dark
reading about bashed in brains
and cities in the sea
and I never wanted anyone to read me either
but when I finally let someone…
I didn’t write anything
for a long long time after that.
I sure didn’t let them read me anymore.
But I read you I’m reading you and
I can’t help but feel that I know you,
I don’t pretend to understand
what you wrote
but I love it-
the way I want to be read and loved.
Yours are delicate but powerful
while my hands are clumsy
and my pen is still weak.
Yours are dandelions
in a thistle patch world
and that’s not bad-
no one likes dandelions but me-
but I think they’re beautiful.