parallels in poetry

the secret to
parking a car
in a tight spot
is not caring
is in trusting
your instincts
more than you care
if you screw up

the confidence
of nonchalance
when nothing matters
it’s all so very easy
when you can do no wrong
there’s no wrong to do
just line up halfway
along the body of the
next car up ahead and
cut your tires right
put it in reverse
easy as dreaming

but I’ve lived a long time now
longer than I’ve any right to
and I’ve learned many things
but Christ in heaven help me
I’ve never learned how
not to care about it
I always care
I never want to screw up
I never want to fail
so I’ve learned how
to compensate

I’ve learned how
to scout out the
free spaces at
the horizon

I’ve learned how
to accept that I’ll
just have to walk
for sixteen blocks
because I can’t
take the easy
space right
in front
that would
require the
ability to
not care

the secret to life
in a tight spot is
accepting that you
don’t know how to
wing it like some
people seem to be
able to improvise
if you want to be
careful in this world
you’ll have to
walk a little extra
a little more than
the assholes who
make it look so
easy by not
giving a
damn