who's ordinary if everyone's special?

cardboard stars
dangle from my ceiling fan
hitting each other's chains
hating each other's change
a holy trinity
of fan blade tempos
three speeds aren't enough
to knock the dust off
a report card
"C" isn't up to par
when everyone is expecting
to be
better than average
whether with
batting averages
or average temperatures
in weather
were they ever measured
by men in tweed coats
huddled against sharp snow
or against
just-washed sheets
covered in semen?
it’s possible
i could love you,
because you increase my
appreciation for being
alone
but then, that's just using
love the way
my unfinished dinosaur
skeleton painting
is used as a magnet for
curious compliments
something to keep
my easel company
the dinosaur is indifferent
unmoving
teething nothing
but black acrylic.

girl

be honest.
how many boys have you kissed
in the past 3 months?
i wish i could show you
a montage
of your lip encounters
& romantic rendezvous
maybe it would mean something -
a more interesting format
than just sticky, tangled sheets
and sweaty necks.
then it's
good morning!
we're fresh out of toast & coffee, sorry,
have another
breakfast of gluey-eyelidded smiles,
dry kisses,
& your-arm-has-fallen-asleep-
but-don't-say-anything-now-
because-his-tongue-is-in-your-mouth
moments.
i'm tired of seeing you so empty -
and keep in mind
that empty doesn't mean the same thing
as alone.