Perspective

You have to remember Diana.

To us, she was a princess

With the world

At her

Feet.

She could have all the

Freedom

She wanted.

Except her personal

Freedom.

She could have anything

She wanted.

Except her virginity

Back.

She was told,

I am told,

The night before she married him,

Just a few hours before she gave herself,

That he was in love,

With another.

It was

Too late

To back out.

Can you imagine

How she cried

When the public show was over?

She was embarrassed.

She was in shock.

She was innocent.

She was owned.

You think

Diamonds

Made up for

All that?

(Zurich, May 2011)

Ode to Zurich

Oh Zurich,

I don't understand you and

I don't know if I ever will

If it was just one language to learn

Perhaps there would be hope.

But so many...

Where do I start?

You know I've never

Been good

With decisions.

And though you are clean,

You really stink.

We met too late,

My smoking days

Are over.

You are tall, strapping men,

In well-tailored suits and

Designer shirts,

Who smoke.

You are Gucci-clad women,

With six-figure salaries and

Over-sized teeth,

Who smoke.

You are the fence-sitting Swiss,

Who really don't want to be friends

With anyone.

And you don't get

My jokes.

But I love walking your streets,

Pretending I fit in,

When I don't.

My collar bone

Fits in.

It is perfect,

Protruding

Just enough

Below my chin.

A fat-free zone,

Covered by just

The right amount of

Flawless skin.

The rest of me is a mess

And might as well move

To

France.

(Zurich, May 2011)

Self Portraits I & II

Self Portrait I

She keeps her eyes

Wide open

To receive.

There is

Lightness

There.

But with every step

She carries

The weight

She cannot

Lose.

The memories,

Regrets,

And ghosts of lost

Loves

Hang about

Her middle.

The padding

Around

Her legs

Prevents her from

Prancing and

Dancing as

Freely as she

Would like.

You want to take a

Big knife

And cut her

Free.

Self Portrait II

She talks

Too much.

Not for

Attention.

Not

Anymore,

Anyway.

She talks

Too much

Because it would

Be rude

To sit and write

In company.

Though maybe

It's also

Rude

To talk

Too much.

(Zurich, May 2011)