Almost wrote a poem tonight

What came out doesn't count as a poem
a collection of memories vomited onto the electronic page
waiting to be chopped and shuffled,
edited and expanded

My favorite poem was started on a scrap of paper
a smattering of thoughts and phrases
gradually tied together
written and rewritten
gutted and expanded
written in blood and soul-stuff
edited again
then read in public

This one is far from any of that

But I almost wrote a poem tonight

I got soaked on Hermosa Beach
we were on a tear as our time ran out
we had installed our database
taught them how to use the programs
and realized we had seen nothing of Los Angeles