Prose

Home / Page Clean Kills I’m in the backyard. September now. Michigan. 1980’s. The air is cool and crisp. I can hear much further away than I can in summer. There’s a sound like scorching. Remains of the sound rolling off the spinning tires of the passing cars. The sun threatens to set. I build …

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Home / Page Fight Me I like the idea of God only because I think it would be fun to fight them. My favorite fights are the ones I lose. I laugh deep and hard through blood and broken ribs. As a bit of an over-performer, I cherish when I get to be the disappointment. …

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Home / Page I Feel Dead “I feel dead,” I say to myself under my breath. Do I mean I am dead? Going to be dead? I don’t often know what I mean when I speak. The words just fall out of the front of my head, and people nod. I wonder if my words …

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Home / Page I Scream Until You Scream I’m in a bar and everyone seems to know me. Not everyone, but enough people that it’s ok to say it like that. The bartender hands me a beer over the top of someone waiting and shouts, “Tab’s open.” I do the devil horn sign because a …

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Home / Page I Stayed With Dragons I stayed with dragons when I was young.  To be held by a dragon is to be held so fast that not even your own heart’s beat can move you. In the arms of a dragon I rested once and only once, but because of that rest, I …

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Home / Page I Work With Knives I’m a chef now. This isn’t the cockiness of some dude by a grill; I’ve got the tall  hat and everything.  I used to be in the Air Force. May still be at this point. What year is it? Who’s the President? Does it matter yet? “No Airman …

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Home / Page Institution is Institution I’m in college. College-ish. Community College is really worth going to, but they could also do themselves a favor and be a little more thorough with performance reviews.  The stack of mashed potatoes at the head of the class leading the block of instruction or “professor” as he likes …

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Home / Page Jeremy Died I was getting ready to package this book and realized I forgot to mention someone important and something important about them. Jeremy Lee Harper was a good man. Jeremy Lee Harper was my best good friend.   Jeremy Harper wasn’t dumb—he had a head injury. He had a bunch of injuries …

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Home / Page Maybe It Gets Better? At the diner, I order the steak hoagie and soak it in barbeque sauce. I toss pepper all over my fries before I dredge them in midwestern gold—the ranchiest of ranches. I don’t even know where they get this shit. The waitress catches me staring out the window …

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Home / Page Not Enough Apples In The World I’m in a wheelchair outside the VA and the sky is still blue but somehow less so. One size fits all, so nothing fits anyone. Dicks flop out of gowns like the pisser at a drag show. Half-hanging bandages wave in the breeze. They dance like …

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Home / Page Oh, Thank God! If I’m going to learn anything it’s by doing. My first is a handsome young man. He is beautiful and I am terrified and I tell him. We scoot close to one another and we kiss and six hours pass. I struggle to stay in the moment. There with …

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Home / Page Plagues and Old Lace A plague sweeps the globe. Too many people are either surprised or pretending to be. I hear excuses and conspiracies all day. People frantically reach for why they shouldn’t have to help other people. Why they shouldn’t have to be personally bothered in a global catastrophe.  It’s hard …

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Home / Page That I May Fly Three or four years old. Small and explosive. The wind cuts around my face as I run into a jungle of raspberries. I reach for the darkest, ripest berries and gobble them up in handfuls. Leaves of deep and hidden green. So green it must be some other …

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Home / Page The Divine Toxic Feminine Mom and Dad have a work thing and we’re left with a girl from the neighborhood. She’s mostly fun. No, I shouldn’t say that. I don’t remember. My memories get fuzzy here. Flashes. I stop sleeping here. A creepy little blonde thing staring into the middle distance of …

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Home / Page The Parable of the “Shit Stick” and the “Train to Nowhere” You might be fighting your own battles and trying to make sense of the chaos within. So far, I haven’t told you anything more than what it looks like to be impacted by PTSD. This book has been me having PTSD …

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Home / Page The Persephone Wall In the far away Mogomihoto Mountains, there is a village called Tersowan Mo’Gomi. The town is like many in the Mogomihoto Region. Red and dark ochre clay brick buildings tuck themselves into the cracks and along the ledges of the cliff faces above the valleys. Long ago a simple …

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Home / Page As the night deepened and the smoke curled lazily in the air, the Sergeant began his story. The soldiers, now a mix of those who had stayed and a few new faces drawn by whispers of something important happening at the smoke pit, gathered around. “Let me tell you about my early …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 1: The Sergeant’s Story”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak.   “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 10: The Lesson on Teaching and Leadership”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a place of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak.   “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 11: The Old Sergeant’s Vision of the Jeweled Monument”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a place of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak.   “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 12: Reflection on Transformation”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a place of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak.   “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 13: The Lesson on Encouraging Devotion”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak.   “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 14: The Lesson on Peaceful Practices”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak.   “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 15: The Lesson on Rising from Adversity”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak.   “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 16: Reflection on Legacy and Lifespan”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 17: The Lesson on Merit”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 18: The Lesson on Rejoicing”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 19: The Lesson on the Benefits of Teaching”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 20: The Lesson on Respect and Encouragement”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 21: The Lesson on Inner Strength and Insight”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 22: The Lesson on Entrustment”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 23: The Lesson on Sacrifice and Healing”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 24: The Lesson on Universal Compassion”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 25: The Lesson on Compassionate Action”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 26: The Lesson on Protective Practices”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 27: The Lesson on Transformation and Influence”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 28: The Lesson on Encouragement and Noble Deeds”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a sanctuary of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, they gathered to hear the old Sergeant’s stories, which provided guidance and hope. But on this particular evening, the atmosphere was different. The soldiers gathered as usual, but instead of the old …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 29: The Legacy of the Old Sergeant”

Home / Page As the nights grew longer and colder, the smoke pit behind the base bar remained a place of solace and camaraderie. Each evening, the old Sergeant’s stories drew soldiers together, offering them wisdom and guidance. On this particular night, the Sergeant took his place, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 3: The Parable of the Foxhole”

Home / Page The nights at the smoke pit behind the base bar had become a cherished routine for the soldiers, a place where they could find wisdom and camaraderie in the old Sergeant’s stories. On this particular evening, the Sergeant settled into his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 4: The Lesson on Belief and Understanding”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar was alive with the quiet murmurs of soldiers as they gathered for another night of stories from the old Sergeant. The Sergeant, cigarette in hand, took his place and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to talk about growth and potential. It’s …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 5: The Lesson on Growth and Potential”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a place of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 6: The Lesson on Legacy and Vision”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a haven of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want to …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 7: The Lesson on Perseverance and Vision”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a place of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak.   “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 8: The Prophecy for the Troops”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a place of wisdom and reflection for the soldiers. Each night, the old Sergeant’s stories provided guidance and hope. On this particular evening, the Sergeant took his usual spot, cigarette in hand, and began to speak.   “Tonight,” the Sergeant started, “I want …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Chapter 9: The Prophecies for the Learners and Adepts”

Home / Page In the twilight of his service, the old Sergeant found solace at the smoke pit behind the base bar, a place where stories and cigarettes mingled with the night air. Each evening, the Sergeant would settle into his favorite spot, his presence drawing soldiers like moths to a flame. One night, with …

Read more “Warrior Sutra: Prologue: The Sergeant’s Revelation”

Home / Page The smoke pit behind the base bar had become a nightly ritual, a place where the old Sergeant’s stories and wisdom were shared. As the soldiers gathered once more, the Sergeant took his place, cigarette in hand, and began to speak. “Tonight, I want to talk about something crucial  —  skillful means,” …

Read more “Warrior Sutra:Chapter 2: The Lesson on Skillful Means”

Home / Page You Were Once an Asshole Since the beginning of time, people of all kinds and types, flavors, and shades have graced this globe. There have been gays since day 1. Lesbians since day 1. Transgender people since day 1. Plus all the pans, bi’s, and aces. The list is a bit daunting …

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