2026-07

thwarting the midwits has become a kind of game
waking up to find that half the year came and went
thwarting bursts of sappy words on these "hello rhymes"
fulfilling one's own goals without likes and follows

writing this for someone hundreds of years from now
hoping they smarten up and not shove these aside
showing today's unborn how midwitted things were
talking to the deaf eyes while the blind ears find nothing

understanding offsides but seeing their dumb flaws
letting those within bounds but meant harm get away
making those with no ills somehow put up with shit
finding the law of fists a law that one should thwart

shaking the heedless head at those who hate the land
knowing that the great land became held by ill folk
making it known full well that some hats call the shots
shoving that thought aside they will still feel they're free

chilling by the fire and warming up by the ice
seeking a hidden lair away from the midwits
choosing not to give anything to the outlets
finding it much better to stay on higher ground

carving dark bits on the network's hidden edges
shifting from the song to a forward looking stack
hiding some names with a word-for-word up-rooting
speaking of one thing yet staying open-ended

writing these words like wine by staying underground
strengthening a workflow by cutting folks some slack
founding ourselves new waves of thought for tomorrow
zooming out more and more to see the same old thing

keeping myself away from all the summer folk
finding myself at home with the fall and winter
wanting the fields of snow to cool down the landscape
wishing for all the haze to get the hell out of here

making myself at home in dimly lit back rooms
having almost nothing to do with the outsides
seeing a dark shadow skulk about these hallways
hiding with deadly fright well into the deep night

dumping soft humdrum songs into some new playlists
looking forward to nights when we can stop and think
playing songs that can speak about the coming fall
hearing the rings of time not come again but rhyme

looking at a building that looks like a spreadsheet
smiling at this smoothness and understanding it
knowing how our new world never wants things to end
letting in many things to keep on keeping on

splitting all kinds of hairs with these dollars and bits
leaving the crowds who choose not to look more deeply
choosing not to wait for things that never happen
striving to streamline all into a self-run flow

hoping never again to plot things with others
showing not an inkling of wanting to help with things
doing all of this work but never once again
striving to take more care to thwart losses later

mixing the endless row of words along these lines
getting over a big loss on a day like this
setting out to forget about all the drawbacks
seeing that both draw and drag mean the same old thing

seeing myself writing outside these twelve-beat lines
halting these lines when there are no more left to write
knowing now which two groups will match up for the last
keeping open-ended as the best thing to do

cutting out old writings to build a newer world
shifting from narrow jobs to whole-minded living
watching out for those hidden trolls who want your tolls
seeing the not-so-hidden trolls who hate our goals

writing now for the ghosts who welcome the winter
wanting to live elsewhere once again (don't know where)
feeling at home nowhere and yet everywhere
having little to feel merry or sad about

sitting still and staring at tonight's emptiness
having that one last stint with the old earthly things
telling myself no more after this last hurrah
seeing time as a whirlpool that spins forever

putting little legwork into making these rhyme
hearing the old writings of them mocking my words
walking away from them was the best thing ever
winning on my own terms without firing a shot

seeing to it that we look before sending it
asking why no one stumbles into here for fun
having too much to drink and yet too much to think
landing on the cold moon in a room filled with bright lights

carving at the year's start with the toughest of stones
drawing since it's quicker with tiver on flat sheets
playing clean lengthy songs with wood into the wind
beaming all kinds of stuff with bits throughout the world

breathing the cool winds of two thousand years from now
seeing things big and small all grouped in threes and fours
shifting through the springs and summers, falls and winters
having some new beliefs even with a downfall

crawling through murky fogs and feeling the harsh winds
walking along the creek and handling steady flows
running through the wide fields and spreading the givens
sliding into the room and waiting for that time

having much time when things are new and full of life
wanting more while growing and the years come and go
slowing down and stopping sometimes feeling weary
looking at the snowflakes and hoping to start fresh

beginning with high hopes and dreams to the end of time
coming back down to earth and getting to work quickly
finding one's true endgame and making that happen
settling down by the fire and looking back at outcomes

feeling a lot of trust when we start something new
wandering here and there and then things get all weird
cutting out the loud stuff we go back home smiling
lying on the soft bed for better or for worse

striving to write something (not caring how it does)
needing to keep it straight when the days get longer
shaping it even more as the days get shorter
getting it down to earth when the snow starts falling

feeling young once again when the sun rises up
getting hot so quickly and then the clouds rumble
hearing the rustling leaves (the sun begins to fall)
letting the cold winds blow in the winter of life

seeming so small and lost even after so long
finding a quicker way to get out of the woods
taking the new chopper to see the crowds of trees
watching the gray storm clouds blow through the grayer skies

reading or watching things since they look bright and shiny?
finding something worth it since it gives you something?
looking deep into things later for hidden truths
striving as hard as steel to understand it all

getting all so worked up about the things they said
thinking about the things they wanted to tell us
forgetting about them to hone in on the home
choosing only to fight the fights that mean something