THERE HAS TO BE A WORD

A WORD THAT PUTS THE THING IN PLACE

WITHOUT WHICH THERE IS ONLY SPACE

THAT’S LEFT UNFORMED WITHOUT A TRACE

OF WHAT MIGHT BE OR MIGHT HAVE BEEN

BY WILL OR GRACE

THE PERFECT THING

TO PASSIONATELY EMBRACE,

PERCEIVED UNSHADOWED AND UNBLURRED

BECAUSE THERE WAS THE PERFECT WORD

I’M LOOKING FOR THE WORD

I’M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE WORD

THAT TELLS ME WHO I AM AND HOW

I CAME TO BE AND WHERE I’LL GO

AND LETS ME KNOW MY MIND IS FOLLOWING

THE FLOW IT SHOULD 

–OR NO.

I CAN’T SLOW DOWN

UNTIL I’M ANCHORED SOLIDLY

UNTIL IN MY GEOMETRY

THE PROBLEM OF THE WORD FOR ME

IS SOLVED PRECISELY

QED.

BUT WHAT IF FINDING 

THAT RIGHT WORD OR PHRASE

OBLITERATES WHAT I DEFINE,

TRANSFIXING PREMATURELY 

WHAT’S MOVED AWAY ALREADY,

SHED THE SHELL OF MEANING I IMPOSE,

ACCRUING LIFE THAT GROWS AND SHOWS

ANOTHER SIDE, ANOTHER POSE, 

ANOTHER SET OF CLOTHES,

AND I REACH SPEECHLESS,

EMPTY AND EXPOSED

SEARCHING FOR THE WORD

FOREVER UNDISCLOSED?

I’M WHAT I SAY I AM

AND YOU ARE WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE

BUT ALSO YOU ARE WHAT I SAY 

YOU ARE, AND I AM WHAT YOU SAY

I AM–BOTH PROPOSITIONS TRUE.

EVENTUALLY 

WE MUST AGREE

AND FIND A MUTUALITY

OF YOU AND ME 

THE NOUNS AND VERBS AND ADJECTIVES

AND SOUNDS THAT CAPTURE US 

WITH CLARITY 

COMPLETELY

FUNDAMENTALLY

ESSENTIALLY.

SEEKING EXPERIENCE

SEX AND OTHER STIMULANTS

ECSTASY AND HIGH ROMANCE

ARE ONLY WAYS OF KILLING TIME

LIFE IS ESSENTIALLY

MADE UP OF NO MORE THAN THREE

THINGS THAT WE’VE BEEN DOING

MORE OR LESS UNCHANGINGLY THROUGHOUT TIME

WORKING, MARRYING, HAVING CHILDREN

THAT IS ALL THERE HAS TO BE

ALL THE REST IS WINDOW-DRESSING

SECOND GUESSING REALITY

I WAS SO DEVIOUS

IT WAS ALL SO OBVIOUS

EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED

WAS RIGHT HERE AT HAND

ALL THE TIME.

THIS COULD BE THE TIME

THE TIME TO KNOW

THE TIME TO FEEL

THE TIME WHEN WHAT COULD NEVER HAPPEN COULD BE REAL

THIS SHOULD BE OUR TIME

THE TIME WE HOLD

THE TIME WE BRING

THE TIME WHEN ALL THE YEARS GONE BY DON’T MEAN A THING

FINALLY OUR HEARTS ARE FREE TO RUN

TO FEEL SOME WARMTH WHERE THERE WAS NONE

SUDDENLY WE SEE A DOOR

WE’VE ALWAYS CHOSEN TO IGNORE

WE SHOUD HAVE THIS TIME

THIS CLICK OF TIME

WHEN WOUNDS ARE HEALED

WHEN ALL THE LOVE SO LONG LOCKED UP BECOMES UNSEALED

NOW THIS IS OUR TIME

THE TIME WE HOLD

THE TIME WE BRING

THE TIME WE START

MAKING UP AT LAST

FOR ALL THE TIME GONE PAST

FOR ALL THE TIME WE KEPT OURSELVES APART

BIT BY BIT WE SLIP AWAY

PIECE BY PIECE, CHIP BY CHIP

LIFE LAST WEEK IS LOSS TODAY

BREAK A TOE, CRACK A HIP

BONES GET SOFTER, ARTERIES HARD

EYESIGHT’S CLOUDY, HEARING’S FAINT

MUSCLES WORK LIKE MELTING LARD

SKIN COULD USE A COAT OF PAINT

FINGERS STIFFEN, CURL AND CRAMP

NECK CAN’T TURN, KNEES CAN’T BEND

LIPS GET DRY, THOUGHTS GET DAMP

YOU START A SENTENCE YOU CAN’T END.

HAIR GETS BRITTLE, TEETH GET ROTTEN

BALANCE FALTERS, BOTH HANDS SHAKE

WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED IS ALL FORGOTTEN

NOTHING MOVES THAT DOESN’T ACHE

SLIDE DOWN THE AGING SLOPE

THE GRADUAL DECLINE

IF YOU’RE STILL HERE YOU’RE DOING FINE

THE TRICKY PART IS KEEPING UP

YOUR COURAGE AT THE FINISH LINE.

PIECE BY PIECE WE GO AWAY

LITTLE BY LITTLE, BIT BY BIT  

ONLY ONE THING LEFT TO SAY:

WE MIGHT SOMEHOW GET USED TO IT.

PIECE BY PIECE WE GO AWAY

BIG TO LITTLE, SIZED TO FIT  

ONLY ONE THING LEFT TO SAY:

THAT MAYBE

COULD BE

KEEPING ON

WITH WIT OR GRIT

WE MIGHT SOMEHOW GET USED TO IT.  

BIT BY BIT BY BIT BY BIT.

BELLA

LITTLE SECRETS, REVELATIONS

PARENTS GOING ON VACATIONS

WITH THEIR CHILDREN LEFT UNTENDED

AND IT’S DAYS BEFORE THEY’RE FINALLY APPREHENDED

I’M NOT NAMING ANY NAME

OR ASSIGNING ANY BLAME

I JUST SNIP AND CLIP AND LISTEN

ANNE

WHISPERED TALES WITH PREGNANT PAUSES

TELL OF DEATHS FOR UNKNOWN CAUSES

DOROTHY

CASES JUDGES KEEP DISMISSING  

SINCE SOMEHOW A KEY POLICE REPORT GOES MISSING

BELLA

I’M NOT SAYING THIS IS FACT

OR THAT ANYONE SHOULD ACT

I JUST SNIP AND CLIP AND LISTEN AND CAREULLY LISTEN

BELLA, DOROTHY, ANNE

WHEN THEY COME FOR A STYLING AT BELLA’S

THEY OPEN THEIR MOUTHS LIKE UNFOLDING UMBRELLAS

BELLA

THIS ONE’S CARRYING SOMEONE’S BABY

AND THEY ALL SAY HER HUSBAND MAYBE

ISN’T REALLY BABY’S DAD.

ANNE

BUT ISN’T HE THE ONE WHO HAD

A TIDY INCOME SKIMMING CASH,

AND GOT IN AN UNREPORTED DRUNKEN CRASH?

DOROTHY

I’VE HEARD IT ALL A THOUSAND TIMES —

BELLA, DOROTHY, ANNE

SPOUSES BEATING UP ON SPOUSES,

KIDS INVADING EMPTY HOUSES

FARMERS STEALING WOMEN’S BLOUSES

AND A MILLION OTHER PETTY CRIMES.

AT BELLA’S WE DON’T MESS ABOUT

EVERYTHING COMES SPILLING OUT

HIDDEN CORNERS, DARK AND STEAMY

LURID AND CORRUPT AND SEAMY

BELLA

LAST WEEK IN THE CHAIR RIGHT NEXT TO ME

A WOMAN SAID SHE HEARD OF OXYCONTIN AND ECSTASY

SELLING HERE MUCH MORE THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT TO SEE

AND I WONDERED HOW THAT COULD WORK OUT FEASIBLY

UNDER THE NOSE OF OUR VIGILANT SHERIFF

UNLESS HE DIDN’T REALLY CARE IF

DRUGS WERE BEING SOLD SO EASILY

SO I JUST SNIP

DOROTHY, ANNE

SHE SNIPS

BELLA

AND CLIP

DOROTHY, ANNE

AND CLIPS

BELLA

AND LISTEN

DOROTHY, ANNE

TO EVERY LITTLE SECRET

BELLA

AND LISTEN

DOROTHY, ANNE

SHE’S EVER SO DISCREET AND CAREFULLY

BELLA

AND CAREFULLY, VERY CAREFULLY STAND AND LISTEN.

DOROTHY

TO EVERY LITTLE SECRET

ANNE

SNIP AND CLIP

BELLA

AND LISTEN

DOROTHY, ANNE

THAT’S WHY WE COME TO BELLA’S AFTER ALL.

THERE WAS THIS EAGLE

THIS OLD LADY EAGLE

WHO MADE AS HER HOME THE WISCONSIN STATE CAPITOL

SHE’D BEEN ATTACHED TO A CIVIL WAR REGIMENT

NOW SAT QUITE TAMELY

RIGHT BY THE DOOR  

AT THE SIDE OF THE SOLDIER WHO’D KEPT HER ALIVE THROUGH THE WAR

I WENT WITH MY FATHER

TO VISIT THE CAPITOL

WHERE THE OLD SOLDIER TOLD US THAT THE EAGLE MEANT

FREEDOM AND RIGHTS THAT THE SOLDIERS HAD FOUGHT FOR   

AND THAT’S WHY THEY STAYED

SHOWING ALL WHO ARRIVED  

THAT THE WARRIOR EAGLE AND IDEALS IT STOOD FOR SURVIVED.

BUT A FEW WEEKS LATER WE READ IN THE PAPERS  

THAT THE SOLDIER HAD DIED AND THE EAGLE HAD FLOWN

AND NOBODY ACTUALLY KNEW WHERE THE EAGLE HAD GONE

FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AFTER

I’D STARE AT THE SKY

SURE IF I LOOKED HARD ENOUGH I WOULD SEE HER FLY   

WAY UP THERE HIGH WITH HER WINGS SPREAD SO WIDE  

SHE WAS STILL STRONG AND SOARING

LIKE ALL THE IDEALS  

THAT KEPT THE MEN PROUD IN THAT TERRIBLE WAR

I NEVER DID SEE HER

BUT I KNEW SHE WAS UP THERE

AND I KNEW WHAT I’D DO

I’D FOLLOW THAT EAGLE FOREVER WHEREVER SHE FLEW.  

WHEREVER SHE FLEW.

SONIA’S COMING
COMING FOR THIS DRESS
AND ALL THE OTHER PARTS OF HER SHE LEFT LAST WEEK
AND WANTS TO REPOSSESS
SHE’LL PACK IT UP AND LEAVE NO TRACE BEHIND
EXCEPT SOME FABRIC IN MY MIND.

THIS WAS THE DRESS
THE DRESS SHE WORE WHEN I SAW HER FIRST
RUNNING FROM ONE FRIEND TO ANOTHER
IN THE THEATER LOBBY AS IF HER HEAD WOULD BURST
FROM THE ENERGY OF BEING YOUNG, AND SO PRETTY
THE HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE CITY

THIS IS THE DRESS THAT SWEPT HER ALONG
GIVING HER MOTION AND LIGHTNESS AND JOY
GIVING HER ALL A GIRL MEANS TO A BOY–
THE THRILL, THE STRANGENESS, THE SPIRIT,
THE WONDER OF JUST BEING NEAR IT.

WHY DOES SHE WANT IT BACK?
IT’S JUST A SCRAP OF CLOTH
A MOUTHFUL FOR A HUNGRY MOTH
I GAVE IT MEANING BY LOVING HER IN IT
FEELING MY HEART BREAK AND HEAL IN A MINUTE

NOW IT’S AN OUTEDATED DRESS
A MEANINGLESS RAG IN THE MESS OF A TANGLED PAST
NOT MEANT TO LAST.

WHY DO YOU WANT IT BACK?
IT’S JUST A SCRAP OF CLOTH
A MOUTHFUL FOR A HUNGRY MOTH
I GAVE IT MEANING BY LOVING YOU IN IT
FEELING MY HEART BREAK AND HEAL IN A MINUTE

NOW IT’S AN OUTEDATED DRESS
A MEANINGLESS RAG IN THE MESS
OF A TANGLED PAST
NOT MEANT TO LAST.

Susan met Ronnie

They ran off to Boulder

Ronnie is drinking

Susan looks older

Robert and Anne found truth

In Beethoven quartets

Now Robert plays Bach all night

Anne has her pets

Always is sometimes

Completely is kind of

The only love you find

Is take-what-you-find love

Grasping at straws is life’s

Most typical act

Soon all the straws you’ve grasped

Are breaking your back

Sharon ran out on Vic

To remarry her ex.

Vic’s become Vicky

He’s ex from his sex

Always is sometimes

Completely is kind of

The only love you find

Is take-what-you-find love

Grasping at straws is life’s

Most typical act

Soon all the straws you’ve grasped

Are breaking your back

FIRST, DO NO HARM.

FOR ALL WHO WANT TO GET IT RIGHT

NO MATTER WHERE YOU SET YOUR SIGHT

NO MATTER HOW YOU SHINE YOUR LIGHT

REPEAT THE MANTRA LIKE A CHARM

FIRST THING–DO NO HARM. 

WE’RE MADE OF WHAT SURROUNDS US

THE DARKEST EARTH, THE LIGHTEST AIR

LET OUR LIGHT WITH DARKNESS SHARE

RISE WITH THE SUN AND SEE IT DOWN

AND SAY AN EVENING PRAYER.

PLANT OUR CROPS AND NURTURE THEM

WATER THEM AND HOE THE WEEDS

PICK AND EAT THEM WHEN THEY’RE READY

IN THE FALL PUT UP PRESERVES

ALWAYS SAVE THE SEEDS.

BUT FIRST, WE’LL DO NO HARM.

FOR ALL WHO WANT GET IT RIGHT

NO MATTER WHERE YOU SET YOUR SIGHT

NO MATTER HOW YOU SHINE YOUR LIGHT

INK THE MOTTO ON YOUR ARM

FIRST THING–DO NO HARM.

WE KNOW THERE HAVE TO BE SOLUTIONS

JUSTICE IN A WORLD OF WRONG

BUT DON’T GET LOST IN HATE AND FURY

SIT UP HIGH AS JUDGE AND JURY

WHERE YOU DON’T BELONG

IT’S ALWAYS EASY TO GET ANGRY

LET THE RIGHTEOUS BLOOD RUN HOT

SOMETIMES IT’S THE ONLY WAY

TO MAKE SURE EVIL’S ON DISPLAY

PUT POWER ON THE SPOT

BUT SOMETIMES MAYBE NOT

TIME AND FATE HAVE WAYS OF BRINGING

CONSEQUENCES NOT FORESEEN

WE CAN’T TELL HOW PRESENT DARKNESS

MIGHT RESULT IN LIGHT TOMORROW

OR SHADOWS IN BETWEEN

SO FIRST, DO NO HARM.

FOR ALL WHO WANT TO DO IT RIGHT

NO MATTER WHERE YOU SET YOUR SIGHT

NO MATTER HOW YOU SHINE YOUR LIGHT

SOUND IT LIKE A NIGHT ALARM–

FIRST THING–DO NO HARM.

DEAL WITH WIND AND DEAL WITH RAIN

HANDLE PROBLEMS THAT YOU CAN

ASK FOR GUIDANCE WHEN YOU NEED

ON YOUR OWN YOU WON’T SUCCEED

TRY TO HAVE A PLAN

AND FIRST, DO NO HARM.

FOR ALL WHO WANT TO GET IT RIGHT

NO MATTER WHERE YOU SET YOUR SIGHT

NO MATTER HOW YOU SHINE YOUR LIGHT

DOCTORS SAY IT

WE SHOULD ALL JOIN HANDS AND PRAY IT

THINK ABOUT IT EVERYDAY

GRIP IT LIKE A MAGIC CHARM

TRY TO DO NO HARM.

LINDSEY

I KNOW I’M ON THE VERGE OF FINDING SOME NEW KIND OF ME.

I PRAY EACH DAY I’LL FEEL A FLASH OF INSIGHT SUDDENLY

OR MAYBE SEE A MAN WHO’LL STOP AND TURN HIS BURNING EYES

TO PIERCE MY SOUL AND MAKE MY DOUBTS AND FEARS ALL VAPORIZE  

BUT THESE ARE SILLY DREAMS AND I’M A BARISTA

LINDSEY, ERIN, TRAVIS, PAUL:

I’M JUST A BARISTA

YOU SEE ME EVERY DAY

WHERE I LIGHTLY GLIDE AND SWAY

AND SERVE YOU WITH A GRIN

BUT YOU CAN’T SEE WHAT REALLY HAPPENS

HERE WITHIN

NO NO NO NO NO

TRAVIS

I’M JUST THE FACE ABOVE THE HAND EXTENDED WITH A DRINK

NO ONE KNOWS ME OR HAS ANY NOTION WHAT I THINK

I’M TOTALLY ANONYMOUS AND AIM TO STAY THE SAME

UNTIL THE MOMENT COMES WHEN ALL THE WORLD WILL KNOW MY NAME

BUT DREAMS ARE FOR TOMORROW AND I’M A BARISTA

ERIN

I ALWAYS FIGURED I KNEW HOW MY FUTURE WOULD APPEAR

I HAD A LIST OF ALL THAT I’D ACCOMPLISH YEAR TO YEAR  

BUT THEN I REALIZED LIFE WAS MORE THAN PASSING SOME EXAM

AND SO I’M TAKING TIME AWAY TO FIND OUT WHO I AM

I’M LEARNING HANGING LOOSE WHEN I’M A BARISTA

LINDSEY, ERIN, TRAVIS, PAUL:

I’M JUST A BARISTA  

YOU SEE ME EVERY DAY

WHERE I LIGHTLY GLIDE AND SWAY

AND SERVE YOU WITH A GRIN

BUT YOU CAN’T SEE WHAT REALLY HAPPENS

HERE WITHIN

NO NO NO NO NO

PAUL

I HEAR OF LIFE’S TRUE MEANING AND IT GETS ME SO PERPLEXED

FROM WHAT I SEE LIFE’S GOAL IS TO BE RICH AND OVERSEXED

BUT SINCE I HAVE NO MONEY AND LOVE IS DAY TO DAY

I’LL FLOAT ON EVERY CURRENT UNTIL I DRIFT AWAY

IT’S A PERFECT SPOT FOR ME TO BE A BARISTA

LINDSEY, ERIN, TRAVIS, PAUL

WE’RE ONLY BARISTAS

YOU SEE US ALL THE TIME

SMILING LIKE A NURSERY RHYME

TURNING KNOBS AND MEASURING

FOR YOUR DAILY PLEASURING

THERE AMID THE CROCKERY

TRADING CHEERFUL MOCKERY

IN A TEAM PROPELLING STEAM

THROUGH MILK AND BEANS FOR THOSE WITH MEANS

BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK IT MEANS

TO BE A BARISTA?

TAKE A PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES

WHERE OUR HEARTS HAVE DEEP RAVINES

COME AND SEE THE SECRETS

OF THE BARISTAS.