Monday, morning, at the end of October.

The 3 works below, 'near memphis tennessee', 'chico's door' and 'benjy' are part of my 'dark trilogy'. Many readers of poetry expect themes of love, anguish, heartbreak or the nobility of human pursuits. All of these topics have been dealt with for thousands of years, in what seems an exhaustive manner.

Yes, yes. The great emotions, the grand exploits and the awful trials of war will never be 'exhausted'. But there's room for the dark side, as recent generations might describe. Room for obsession, domination, stalkers, and the cold relentless pursuits of those unable to feel the restraints of an ordered society.

So don't be mislead when you read love, kiss, softness, kindness. It's not what we say, but what we do.