I went looking for Spring last Sunday

As I did walk through cities one saturday,
A golden finch came winging my way,
And sang to me a song of my country,
And words of life from city and sea.

Golden finch, your song is your love,
And you will sing forever above.
Golden finch alight in your loft,
Where I have learned and, oh, you have taught.

While she did wing through ariel places,
A red oak tree grew under her feet,
And when the world had started its taking,
She lit amongst its loftier leaves.

Golden finch, alight in your loft,
Where you have learned and, oh, you have taught.
The red oak tree will carry your loss,
When you alone can't carry that cross.
--Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

a re-telling of my walk along the canal path in the 11eme neighborhood of paris…looking for clarity.

I went looking for spring last Sunday
along the old canal path
where you can no longer hear the gushing water
it’s hidden somewhere below our feet

even without the sound or the sight
I have faith that it’s still there,
I took your word for it.

there’s an angel in the sky
but no light will come to turn her to gold
and her beautiful form cannot erase
the pain of what happened there


I only found Spring in the little buds
poking out despite the cold and the snow
determined to give color to the otherwise grey city








I became a spy, a voyeur, once I heard their singing
only catching glimpses of the virtuosos through leaves and hedges
I don’t know their names
but they wooed me with their songs
and posed proudly for their publicity shots









the real paris can only be found on an afternoon such as this
in a place such as this
where everyone gathers together or separately
just hunting and pecking
laughing and bantering
or sitting in silence and reverie



I reach the water’s edge
the lock is in complete control here
and the water has stopped flowing
it stands stagnant, putrid
its only swimmers: cigarette butts and franprix bags


if I look to the north: Oscar Wilde

if I look to the south: Home



my spirits lift as the rain begins to fall

he knows this feat is just a balancing act
and when you stumble no one cares
they are just happy that you tried


**these aren’t necessarily supposed to go together, just react to each picture.