Yesterday I went exploring in Berkeley, and had some time to kill before my friends met up with me. Mark AKA The Culture Whore gave me a pocket book of Leonard Cohen poems and lyrics before I left New York, so I made good use of my idle time by reading and scribbling in it. I also went walking around, from Shattuck to Telegraph, and did a little shopping.

All of the houses are so picturesque in Berkeley. Each has an alley overflowing with vines, trees, and flowers that leads to a backyard or patio. How can someone not be tempted to follow an inviting path like that? I wanted to take photos, but the trespassing signs warded me off.

I heard of a man

who says words so beautifully

that if he only speaks their name

women give themselves to him.

If I am dumb beside your body

while silence blossoms like tumours on our lips

it's because I hear a man climb the stairs

and clear his throat outside our door