All The Time
the time we broke into my neighbors’s house, stole Lolita, read it all night, and ended up disappointed
the time we beat up a boy peeping at an undressed bride in my father’s church, feeling righteous afterward
the time our UFO made of dry cleaner bags, balsa wood, and candles lit our school on fire
the time I beat you at tennis, you smashed your racket and got kicked off the team
the time we took LSD, swam across an algae filled quarry at 2am and woke up green
the time my dad asked if you were a Christian and you said you weren’t sure but certainly hoped not
the time you bought a 1200cc Harley Indian and hid it in my backyard
the time we drove to California, met a girl on Stinson beach and slept with her together
the time our good friend came out and I warned you against sleeping with him out of kindness
the time you lied to me about sleeping with our good friend
the time you introduced me to Phillip K. Dick and I said now I know why you are paranoid
the time you refused to wear shoes in Las Vegas and we got kicked out of three casinos
the time I introduced you to Heinrich Boll and you said now I know why you think the world will end badly
the time your father got drunk, told his old FBI war stories, then got angry when we thought they were funny
the time you worked nights as a stripper and I did my community service work on the highway
the time you married, moved to LA, got robbed by your wife and divorced, all in two months
the time the French Moroccan woman sold us bad dope in Tangier and you went to the hospital
the time the French Moroccan woman narced on us and we got to Ceuta just in time
the time we argued, you moved to Mexico City, me to Vienna, and we didn’t speak for three years
the time I went to graduate school in photography and you learned how to fly
the time I wrote a poem, you gave it to a woman in Barcelona and you made out on Las Ramblas
the time we got robbed in Girona and squatted with addicts until the passports & money arrived
the time you came to South Dakota, met my girlfriend, and told me I was luckier than I deserved to be
the time my girlfriend left me and you talked me out of acting like a fool
the time you bought a Piper Cub, crashed it, and walked away, unscathed and laughing
the time you had a son and said no more traveling I’ve got work to do
the time I tried to change your mind
the time the mother of your child held a gun and dared me to step into your yard
the time you said your second son was disabled and you finally knew your life’s purpose
the time our friend died of AIDS, we drank, and you said you’d fuck him again if he would just come back
the time your son joined the Marines and you cried
the time you died in a motorcycle accident on the mangy outskirts of Tampa
the time I spoke to your adult son and he didn’t want to know anything about you before him
the time I realized I no longer had a best friend
the time I realized I didn’t want another one
all the time that has passed since then