The noise of previous shame arises without notice without explanation without a name it’s the bell that cannot be unrung the water that pushes us uphill it compresses the heart with uncertain destiny releasing to the surface the dog days of every season it takes great energy to suppress and smooth the … More WHY ME
It’s a slow step into cold air; the season twists out a new face. A cat meows at a half moon. Heaven hears the barking of angry dogs. Strands of mist stretch from street lights. Whispers rise from the alley. Window dressings slumber. Libraries welcome closing hours. Rain reduces the burden of clouds. Dead winter … More A LINE DRAWN
The memory place. A filling in of the in-between with disarmingly haunting voices wrapped in frail burlap. A cooperative sadness strives to overtake. Faces like mannequins appear with irregularity, easing the initial pains of those left behind; everyone’s looking for a familiar song. Red brick walls with a faded ad stares from the second floor; … More NEXT STREET OVER
Dogs barking, children in an abandoned lot. Their game interrupted by a dispute. Small towns hold its players close, leaving little room to maneuver away from the center. Girls look at magazines, shopping for images. Young men sweat with strength, struggling with self as they search beyond the package of where they are. An old … More WHICH WAY
A drawing on the wall attracts attention. An old couple shake their heads and then their fists. A young woman reaches out, touching the colors. A dog walks by. A pregnant woman scans the image while rubbing her abdomen. Two young boys on bikes laugh and ride off. A city bus stops. Passengers step off … More THE EYES HAVE IT
Night, the mystery, the closed eyes of day where shadows appear larger and forbidding. Lonely dogs send howls of sadness into cold air. Cats prowl on silver paws. Street lights make an attempt to provide safety. Corner clubs become revived with music. There is a chorus of moving tires and workers on buses. Voices round … More FACE OF NIGHT
Feed that dog. The restless wanderer going over fences and through backyard bushes. He’s full of fight. Has no enemies and barks from the hell within him. Kids stay clear. His owner moved to Louisiana, leaving him chained, which he chewed through. Full moons make him howl long and sad, frightening town bullies. An abandoned … More BAD DOG
Rectangles with souls. Windows lined like soldiers. Sounds in the head. Fog rises but never into a storm. Dogs walking as if they know where they’re going. Fast steps lead to a corner bar where No one’s ship comes in; liquid languages spoken here. Everything appears in slow motion. It’s easier to remember when … More CITY WALKING
The in-between of dusk and night releases half shadows. Clouds hurry to corners. The last breeze twists a single sheet on a clothesline. A voice familiar to back doors slips into a cracked plaster hallway. Billboards advertise last year’s circus. Resilient pillars of weeds claim an abandoned lot. A dog with strong eyes challenges the … More CAREFUL STEPS
Move strong. Wise steps. A path of glory. A song on the lips. High noon. The aroma of fresh air. Long roads beckon. New towns stare at the curious. Billboards sell air time. Traffic lights hold us back. Sidewalks never wide enough. Church steeples all point. School yards wait for recess. Cars know their owners. … More OK, NOW GO
Roger Singer 