His Spirit Remains

Some days I got nothing

And I ain’t got it

For days

And then some days,

Like today, a day

Like any other I guess

But unlike the day before

I didn’t get

Because today

I get what I got

And I got what I get

And when I got it

I know better than to hide it

So I go and give it

Away

Something about giving it

It’s a little Buddhist,

And go figure that the

Dalai Llama was just here

Giving talks around town

And I didn’t go

But now I get the thought

That his spirit stayed

He came and he gave it

Away.

 

And today I left

My Lakeview place

And caught red line

Down to downtown

And without glance

Strode past Millennium Park

Where the Tibetan man

Was surrounded by crowds

And here I was

Riding the red line

Back to my place after

I did what I did

And as the train rose from

Subway to El

And I gawked at soccer field

Where college guys scrimmaged

As we passed De Paul

Pretty girls read books

On the platform benches

While the hangover crew

Wore their uniform

Of dark shades and baggy clothes

I get lost

Looking at a girl in goth costume

Her drab slump and dark hair

Face caked with ultra-white

And lips pressed in purplish line

I throw my eyes

Into hers

I am standing by train doors

And she on platform

I give her a once-up nod

She kind of smiles

Kind of fidgets

But I say with my eyes

With everything I can

That she is lovely

And she is truth

That I know her spirit

And how it’s bruised

How I once stood

In slouch and pout

And I’m not saying

I won’t ever be there

But today, I got it and

Girl, I want you to have it and

Here

Take some

And as the doors close

And the mechanical voice speaks

About where we’re destined next

I stand in solemn

And wave with weakness

And she waves back

And I know I just gave it

Away.

 

 

We pull out from Fullerton

And the thought engulfs me

It kneads around my brain

And hugs my very soul

That the spirit of kindness

The Tibetan man gave

Still lingers here

In the spring air

With the wind pushing it out

And me walking past

And here I am

With a little Llama in me

And as I walk past the Belmont boyz

The patio drunks with their

Cubs T’s and shades

I stride with pleasure

With love and with light

I walk to the Lake

And nod with rest

And I utter words to the water

To the wind

‘Thanks, man’

And I know that

He hears

And I know that

He cares.

-05.07.07