(November 2022. Spent two weeks with Chelsea in LA. A few lines in this poem were inspired by things she said: ‘Staring at doors’ through ‘dreams melt away’ in particular are quotes from her at Laguna Beach, and the mirror burn image is from a story she told. Chelsea and I look weirdly alike, and that period was psychologically intense. This poem is deeply resonant with the themes of that time in indescribable ways. For me, this is one of my more personal, painful, and ultimately beautiful poems.)
mirror burn
the mirror burn across the window
scorched the sunset in the wall
we ride smooth strong curves
scenic forest mountains north of la
curving our blue body to contour
burned trees the valley of power lines
i do worship as heat of the sun
the black eye of the pea
where it came into the world
i just hate that i’m staring at doors
the view practically pays for itself
watching people’s dreams melt away
i think there is no such thing as sin
as to sing badly is still to sing
morning is a time of joyful mourning
forgetting a nightmare brightly fading
we needed to go to the light
where palm trees dance free in the sun
you chose and you were right
Beatin' Paths ~~~ The journey to the Great American Novel 