a quote

Sometimes I feel ashamed that I've written so few poems on political themes, on the causes that agitate me. But then I remind myself that to choose to live as a poet in the modern superstate is in itself a political action.

~Stanley Kunitz

Remote control smile (batteries not included)

pen pal seasons (winter)

Not a painter, but a poet.

working with abstractions

big
plans bound in
words
tied in time
seem to
fade faster, melt
mean
& stick inside
more
deeper, into tuesdays
than
outlines of
first
ideas, a drive, a walk, a place
impressions
where weathered boards were bent, wood
soft
under flip flop foot
sounds
sand, a pretzel
&
an ice cream cone
small
melting in summer heat
smiles

Steps (8-2-2007)

For Kenneth Goldsmith

10 steps from top bunk to floor 6:39 a.m.
5 steps from floor to dresser 6:40 a.m.
32 steps from dresser to kettle 6:42 a.m.
2 steps from kettle to kitchen sink 6:43 a.m.
2 steps from kitchen sink to stove (electric) 6:43 a.m.
4 steps from stove (electric) to cupboard 6:46 a.m.
5 steps from cupboard to counter 6:47 a.m.
21 steps from counter to basement computer with internet 6:48 a.m.
14 steps from basement computer with internet to train room/closet
aaaaaaaa 6:50 a.m.
12 steps from train room/closet to basement computer with internet
aaaaaaaa 6:51 a.m.
15 steps from basement computer with internet to stove (electric)
aaaaaaaa 6:53 a.m.
16 steps from stove (electric) to basement computer with internet
aaaaaaaa 6:54 a.m.
20 steps from basement computer with internet to kitchen sink
aaaaaaaa 6:59 a.m.
3 steps from kitchen sink to refrigerator 7:00 a.m.
4 steps from refrigerator to cupboard 7:01 a.m.
3 steps from cupboard to drawer 7:01 a.m.
4 steps from drawer to counter 7:02 a.m.
2 steps from counter to refrigerator 7:04 a.m.
2 steps from refrigerator to counter 7:04 a.m.
2 steps from counter to refrigerator 7:04 a.m.
2 steps from refrigerator to counter 7:05 a.m.
9 steps from counter to table 7:05 a.m.
5 steps from table to refrigerator 7:10 a.m.
4 steps from refrigerator to counter 7:11 a.m.
3 steps from counter to drawer 7:12 a.m.
9 steps from drawer to table 7:13 a.m.
6 steps from table to toaster 7:14 a.m.
4 steps from toaster to refrigerator 7:16 a.m.
3 steps from refrigerator to table 7:16 a.m.
3 steps from table to refrigerator 7:17 a.m.
3 steps from refrigerator to table 7:17 a.m.
6 steps from table to kettle 7:23 a.m.
6 steps from kettle to table 7:24 a.m.
4 steps from table to refrigerator 7:24 a.m.
3 steps from refrigerator to table 7:24 a.m.
6 steps from table to kitchen sink 7:26 a.m.
2 steps from kitchen sink to kettle 7:26 a.m.
5 steps from kettle to trashcan 7:27 a.m.
4 steps from trashcan to cupboard 7:27 a.m.
3 steps from cupboard to kettle 7:27 a.m.
3 steps from kettle to refrigerator 7:28 a.m.
43 steps from refrigerator to Greg’s room computer alcove
aaaaaaaa 7:29 a.m.
1 step recorded while sitting at Greg’s room computer alcove
aaaaaaaa 8:22 a.m.
9 steps from Greg’s room computer alcove to open door 8:22 a.m.
10 steps from closed door to Greg’s room computer alcove 8:28 a.m.
3 steps recorded while sitting at Greg’s room computer alcove
aaaaaaaa 9:15 a.m.
25 steps from Greg’s room computer alcove to upstairs bathroom
aaaaaaaa (sitting) 9:15 a.m.
14 steps from upstairs toilet (sitting) to upstairs bathroom sink
aaaaaaaa 9:17 a.m.
15 steps from upstairs bathroom sink to Greg’s room computer
aaaaaaaa alcove 9:17 a.m.
54 steps from Greg’s room computer alcove to basement computer
aaaaaaaa with internet 9:48 a.m.
24 steps from basement computer with internet to downstairs
aaaaaaaa bathroom (standing) 10:12 a.m.
2 steps from downstairs bathroom toilet (standing) to downstairs
aaaaaaaa bathroom sink 10:12 a.m.
22 steps from downstairs bathroom sink to basement computer with
aaaaaaaa internet 10:13 a.m.
20 steps from basement computer with internet to kitchen cordless
aaaaaaaa telephone 10:37 a.m.
15 steps from kitchen cordless telephone to basement computer with
aaaaaaaa internet 10:37 a.m.
2 steps from basement computer with internet to next to basement
aaaaaaaa computer with internet 10:51 a.m.
23 steps from next to basement computer with internet to front door
aaaaaaaa 11:00 a.m.
29 steps from front door to next to basement computer with internet
aaaaaaaa 11:04 a.m.
18 steps from next to computer with internet to kitchen drawer
aaaaaaaa 11:05 a.m.
24 steps from kitchen drawer to upstairs bathroom toilet (standing)
aaaaaaaa 11:07 a.m.
4 steps from upstairs bathroom toilet (standing) to shower
aaaaaaaa 11:08 a.m.
49 steps from shower to upstairs bathroom towel rack 11:17 a.m.
12 steps from upstairs bathroom towel rack to dresser 11:18 a.m.
13 steps from dresser to right closet 11:19 a.m.
5 steps from right closet to shoes 11:20 a.m.
24 steps from shoes to upstairs bathroom towel rack 11:24 a.m.
5 steps from upstairs bathroom towel rack to Greg’s bedroom door
aaaaaaaa 11:25 a.m.
34 steps from Greg’s bedroom door to downstairs computer with
aaaaaaaa internet 11:26 a.m.
58 steps from downstairs computer with internet to Greg's room
aaaaaaaa computer alcove 11:42 a.m.
18 steps from Greg’s room computer alcove to Cherylin’s room
aaaaaaaa 11:43 a.m.
95 steps from Cherylin’s room to Subaru Outback Sport (stick shift)
aaaaaaaa 11:45 a.m.
21 steps from Subaru Outback Sport (stick shift) to garage door
aaaaaaaa (automatic opening) 11:46 a.m.
10 steps from garage door (automatic opening) to garage
aaaaaaaa refrigerator 11:46 a.m.
29 steps from garage refrigerator to Subaru Outback Sport
aaaaaaaa (stick shift) 11:47 a.m.
39 steps from Subaru Outback Sport (stick shift) to Hollywood Video
aaaaaaaa movie drop box 11:59 a.m.
36 steps from Hollywood Video movie drop box to Subaru Outback
aaaaaaaa Sport (stick shift) 12:00 p.m.
23 steps from Subaru Outback Sport (stick shift) to Wendy’s door
aaaaaaaa 12:52 p.m.
7 steps from Wendy’s door to living room armchair 12:53 a.m.
59 steps from living room armchair to Subaru Outback Sport
aaaaaaaa (stick shift) 12:58 p.m.
400 steps from Subaru Outback Sport (stick shift) to Writer’s Corner
aaaaaaa back room couch 1:09 p.m.
2 steps from Writer’s Corner back room couch to filing cabinet
aaaaaaa 1:10 p.m.
2 steps from filing cabinet to Writer’s Corner back room couch
aaaaaaa 1:10 p.m.
5 steps from Writer’s Corner back room couch to medium pine desk
aaaaaaa 1:12 p.m.
7 steps from medium pine desk to Writer’s Corner back room couch
aaaaaaa 1:13 p.m.
4 steps from Writer’s Corner back room couch to medium pine desk
aaaaaaa 1:13 p.m.
2 steps from medium pine desk to next to medium pine desk
aaaaaaa 2:01 p.m.
2 steps from next to medium pine desk to medium pine desk
aaaaaaa 2:01 p.m.
14 steps from medium pine desk to bathroom toilet (standing)
aaaaaaa 2:10 p.m.
3 steps from toilet (standing) to sink 2:11 p.m.
14 steps from sink to rocking chair 2:12 p.m.
24 steps from rocking chair to Brian’s office 3:12 p.m.
384 steps from Brian’s office to Subaru Outback Sport (stick shift)
aaaaaaa 3:18 p.m.
61 steps from Subaru Outback Sport (stick shift) to Jenny’s broken
aaaaaaa back door 4:08 p.m.
14 steps from Jenny’s broken back door to bathroom toilet (standing)
aaaaaaa 4:09 p.m.
2 steps from bathroom toilet (standing) to bathroom sink 4:10 p.m.
20 steps from bathroom sink to wood picnic table 4:11 p.m.
55 steps from wood picnic table to stick pile 4:13 p.m.
27 steps from stick pile to deck 4:14 p.m.
29 steps from deck to kitchen sink 4:17 p.m.
2 steps from kitchen sink to stove (gas) 4:18 p.m.
3 steps from stove (gas) to wall-mounted telephone 4:18 p.m.
5 steps from wall-mounted telephone to refrigerator 4:22 p.m.
4 steps from refrigerator to cupboard 4:23 p.m.
2 steps from cupboard to kitchen sink 4:25 p.m.
9 steps from kitchen sink to refrigerator 4:25 p.m.
5 steps from refrigerator to kitchen sink 4:25 p.m.
27 steps from kitchen sink to wooden picnic table 4:26 p.m.

*all steps were recorded with a free pedometer found in a Frosted Flakes box. The device was worn on my left side.

37 steps from wooden picnic table to Jenny’s red Honda Accord
aaaaaaaa (automatic) 4:27 p.m.
68 steps from Jenny’s red Honda Accord (automatic) to Jenny’s room
aaaaaaaa 4:28 p.m.
28 steps from Jenny’s room to wooden picnic table 4:30 p.m.
40 steps from wooden picnic table to Jenny’s red Honda Accord
aaaaaaaa (automatic)4:32 p.m.
60 steps from Jenny’s red Honda Accord (automatic) to Act II Salon
aaaaaaaa 4:51 p.m.
62 steps from Act II Salon to Jenny’s red Honda Accord 5:25 p.m.
28 steps from Jenny’s red Honda Accord (automatic) to pizzeria
aaaaaaaa (beverage case 5:26 p.m.
18 steps from pizzeria beverage case to pizzeria beverage case two
aaaaaaaa 5:27 p.m.
20 steps from pizzeria beverage case two to pizzeria beverage case
aaaaaaaa 5:28 p.m.
8 steps from pizzeria beverage case to pizzeria counter 5:28 p.m.
26 steps from pizzeria counter to Jenny’s red Honda Accord
aaaaaaaa (automatic)5:30 p.m.
41 steps from Jenny’s red Honda Accord (automatic) to Jenny’s room
aaaaaaaa 5:47 p.m.
12 steps from Jenny’s room to refrigerator 5:49 p.m.
20 steps from refrigerator to basement freezer 5:50 p.m.
27 steps from basement freezer to stove (gas) 5:52 p.m.
24 steps from stove(gas) to basement freezer 5:53 p.m.
5 steps from basement freezer to metal pantry rack 5:54 p.m.
22 steps from metal pantry rack to refrigerator 5:55 p.m.
21 steps from refrigerator to basement freezer 5:56 p.m.
38 steps from basement freezer to white enamel top kitchen table
aaaaaaaa 5:58 p.m.
4 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to refrigerator
aaaaaaaa 5:58 p.m.
4 steps from refrigerator to white enamel top kitchen table
aaaaaaaa 5:59 p.m.
49 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to outdoor trash
aaaaaaaa container 6:00 p.m.
50 steps from outdoor trash container to white enamel top
aaaaaaaa kitchen table 6:00 p.m.
11 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to refrigerator
aaaaaaaa 6:01 p.m.
77 steps from refrigerator to garden green bean patch 6:02 p.m.
17 steps from garden green bean patch to wicker basket 6:06 p.m.
18 steps from wicker basket to garden cherry tomato patch
aaaaaaaa 6:07 p.m.
70 steps from garden cherry tomato patch to counter 6:08 p.m.
15 steps from counter to hutch 6:10 p.m.
81 steps from hutch to garden blueberry patch 6:11 p.m.
23 steps from garden blueberry patch to garden raspberry
aaaaaaaa patch 6:13 p.m.
20 steps from garden raspberry patch to garden green bean patch
aaaaaaaa 6:15 p.m.
127 steps from garden green bean patch to white enamel top
aaaaaaaa kitchen table 6:22 p.m.
2 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to kitchen sink
aaaaaaaa 6:24 p.m.
3 steps from kitchen sink to cutting board 6:25 p.m.
4 steps from cutting board to kitchen sink 6:25 p.m.
26 steps from kitchen sink to metal pantry rack 6:29 p.m.
26 steps from metal pantry rack to white enamel top kitchen
aaaaaaaa table 6:30 p.m.
7 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to stove (gas) 6:32 p.m.
3 steps from stove (gas) to refrigerator 6:32 p.m.
8 steps from refrigerator to white enamel top kitchen table
aaaaaaaa 6:33 p.m.
5 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to refrigerator
aaaaaaaa 6:33 p.m.
4 steps from refrigerator to white enamel top kitchen table
aaaaaaaa 6:34 p.m.
21 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to computer in
aaaaaaaa master bedroom 6:41 p.m.
24 steps from computer in master bedroom to stove (gas) 6:41 p.m.
13 steps from stove (gas) to refrigerator 6:45 p.m.
5 steps from refrigerator to stove (gas) 6:46 p.m.
22 steps from stove (gas) to refrigerator 6:49 p.m.
5 steps from refrigerator to stove (gas) 6:49 p.m.
10 steps from refrigerator to garbage 6:51 p.m.
8 steps from garbage to stove (gas) 6:52 p.m.
6 steps from stove (gas) to small wooden chair 6:54 p.m.
5 steps from small wooden chair to white enamel top kitchen
aaaaaaaa table 6:54 p.m.
2 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to highchair 6:54 p.m.
3 steps from highchair to white enamel top kitchen table 6:55 p.m.
8 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to stove (gas)
aaaaaaaa 6:55 p.m.
6 steps from stove (gas) to kitchen window 6:57 p.m.
2 steps from kitchen window to stove 6:57 p.m.
2 steps from stove to white enamel top kitchen table 6:58 p.m.
3 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to stove (gas)
aaaaaaaa 6:58 p.m.
3 steps from stove (gas) to white enamel top kitchen table
aaaaaaaa 6:58 p.m.
3 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to stove (gas)
aaaaaaaa 6:59 p.m.
40 steps from stove (gas) to deck 7:02 p.m.
20 steps from deck to white enamel top kitchen table 7:04 p.m.
6 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to stove (gas)
aaaaaaaa 7:04 p.m.
6 steps from stove (gas) to kitchen sink 7:08 p.m.
14 steps from kitchen sink to white enamel top kitchen table
aaaaaaaa 7:09 p.m.
26 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to Jenny’s room
aaaaaaaa 7:12 p.m.
22 steps from Jenny’s room to white enamel top kitchen table
aaaaaaaa 7:13 p.m.
7 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to garbage 7:29 p.m.
5 steps from garbage to kitchen sink 7:29 p.m.
5 steps from kitchen sink to white enamel top kitchen table
aaaaaaaa 7:31 p.m.
17 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to refrigerator
aaaaaaaa 7:37 p.m.
6 steps from refrigerator to counter 7:37 p.m.
15 steps from counter to dishwashing machine 7:42 p.m.
17 steps from dishwashing machine to counter 7:42 p.m.
37 steps from counter to living room stationary floral armchair
aaaaaaaa 7:44 p.m.
18 steps from living room stationary floral armchair to center
aaaaaaaa of carpet 8:04 p.m.
15 steps from center of carpet to living room stationary floral
aaaaaaaa armchair 8:06 p.m.
46 steps from living room stationary floral armchair to computer
aaaaaaaa in master bedroom 8:08 p.m.
7 steps from computer in master bedroom to next to computer
aaaaaaaa in master bedroom 8:11 p.m.
29 steps from next to computer in master bedroom to Jenny’s iMac
aaaaaaaa 8:29 p.m.
15 steps from Jenny’s iMac to refrigerator 8:52 p.m.
8 steps from refrigerator to counter 8:55 p.m.
7 steps from counter to refrigerator 8:59 p.m.
6 steps from refrigerator to white enamel top kitchen table
aaaaaaaa 8:59 p.m.
7 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to fruit basket
aaaaaaaa 9:01 p.m.
7 steps from fruit basket to counter 9:02 p.m.
7 from counter to refrigerator 9:03 p.m.
3 steps from refrigerator to microwave 9:04 p.m.
2 steps from microwave to white enamel top kitchen table
aaaaaaaa 9:05 p.m.
5 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to counter 9:05 p.m.
3 steps from counter to white enamel top kitchen table 9:08 p.m.
5 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to refrigerator
aaaaaaaa 9:08 p.m.
9 steps from refrigerator to white enamel top kitchen table
aaaaaaaa 9:09 p.m.
4 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to refrigerator
aaaaaaaa 9:10 p.m.
9 steps from refrigerator to counter 9:10 p.m.
12 steps from refrigerator to white enamel top kitchen table
aaaaaaaa 9:11 p.m.
2 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to microwave
aaaaaaaa 9:22 p.m.
7 steps from microwave to kitchen sink 9:23 p.m.
7 steps from kitchen sink to white enamel top kitchen table
aaaaaaaa 9:24 p.m.
20 steps from white enamel top kitchen table to Jenny’s room
aaaaaaaa 9:37 p.m.
110 steps from Jenny’s room to Jenny’s red Honda Accord
aaaaaaaa (automatic)9:40 p.m.
59 steps from Jenny’s red Honda Accord (automatic) to Jenny’s
aaaaaaaa room 9:41 p.m.
45 steps from Jenny’s room to kitchen sink 9:48 p.m.
33 steps from kitchen sink to Jenny’s bedroom 9:49 p.m.
29 steps from Jenny’s bedroom to bathroom toilet (standing)
aaaaaaaa 10:17 p.m.
4 steps from toilet (standing) to bathroom sink 10:18 p.m.
42 steps from bathroom sink to Jenny’s bedroom 10:20 p.m.
116 steps from Jenny’s bedroom to Subaru Outback Sport
aaaaaaaa (stick shift)11:05 p.m.
122 steps from Subaru Outback Sport (stick shift) to Greg’s room
aaaaaaaa computer alcove 11:23 p.m.
23 steps from Greg’s room computer alcove to Cherylin’s room
aaaaaaaa 11:25 p.m.
12 steps from Cherylin’s room to bathroom sink 11:26 p.m.
20 steps from bathroom sink to Greg’s room computer alcove
aaaaaaaa 11:29 p.m.
30 steps from Greg’s room computer alcove to top bunk 12:28 a.m.


4853 steps total