once upon a time

years ago,

going through another

freaking break up with some

dopey girl

i never should have

shared a minute with,

i lost so much weight 

from heartbreak

and anxiety that

my shorts fell

down while i was on a 32

foot ladder high above

king street

painting sashes on an 18 th

century farmhouse.

i didn't have time to carve

another hole in my belt,

the others too wide.

i kept painting.

luckily i had my boxers

on beneath

and my shoes caught

my shorts before the fell

to the ground

on some unsuspecting

tourist's head.

the breeze did feel good 

though, way up there

with the birds, the clouds,

the warm sun.