Into The Dark Beyond

As daylight fades into a darkened eve

Time drifts aimlessly—in search of recovery

Distinct varieties of transients and ne’er-do-wells approach, commingling about—a myriad of deceptions adroitly portrayed

Fall into the arms of fireflies

Flutter

Above horizon’s lit

Embrace

The variance in the stars

Blinking

As sapphires glimmer among the endless seas

Reflections

Unveil the minions of tragedy kept

Amidst

A skyline of sundrenched scars

                                         Eyes, once alive, quietly weep

As hours mask what lies beyond, take

Comfort in the sheltering caress of the dawn to come

The rogue’s gallery cannot see you.  Alleviate your fears. You are safe, for there are plenty of those without.

To occupy their gaze is an emanation from within.  The vibrancy of guilt is hereditary and you feel it must be claimed.

You cannot escape yourself. You choose not to. You feel safe amongst a violent sky, despite disgrace consuming whole. 

You kneel atop the moistened earth, hands clasped, eyes aimed high, wondering why you must be such a case.

Yet, after prayers complete, I spy you from my pane, as you live amongst the dark beyond, and crave the night the same.

Soon thereafter I do too.

Heaven Used To Be Her Playground

How can I compare?

When you’re used to the eyes in a Deity’s stare

How can I exist?

         When you’re used to the kiss from a God’s lips

How can I begin?

         When you’re used to the words of cherubim

How can I believe?

         When you’re used to the promise of eternity

How can I sate?

         When you’re used to ambrosia on your plate

How can I trust?

         When the Gods could not satisfy your lust

Heaven was your playground

         On cirrus fields you’d chase

Heaven was your playground

         In lakes of mead you’d bathe

There wasn’t pain; there wasn’t shame

There was always light; it was never night

         Whereas here, it cannot be said the same,

                                    It cannot be said the same

The Coffee Shop- The All Is Lost Moment

Months had lapsed

Since last I sipped

That special tea,

Yet each day on

Return I would,

All,

For another chance at sight

 And so the day would then come

Where between the wiping down

Of empty tables and the trivial

Courtesies shared, between waitresses

And the occasional “refill” directed at you

Alive lit the double glass

A rainbow was there to pass

Gleaming colors would abound

Time did then stop; I heard not a sound

As she skipped the crowded street before me there

Twenty to the table placed,

For about six dollars worth of grub-

A small tip to pay for a chance at love,

And to the door, rush did I,

Out the jingle, jangle of storefront bell

To the street I’ve come to know so well

Out there, amongst the sea of autonomy,

Eclipsed my eyes did she, the epitome of

Everything I would wish in life

I rushed through suits as fast I could

Wiggling past the swinging purses and

The clapping of canes, to her side I sped

So brave

And there she was; and there I stood

My throat had cleared; the speech prepared

For months on end, itching for its time,

It was now here; it was past due

         When then he came beside her

         With slowing pace I began to lag

         Thinking positive thoughts, just

         To stay in the right frame, brother,

         Cousin, coworker, friend, anything, any message other than

         What that embrace a moment later would there send.

The Coffee Shop- Part I ? (The Inciting Incident)

A casual encounter

On an ambiguous

Thursday afternoon

It was sometime

Shortly after lunch

As the sandwich wrapper

Still rustled—fresh mustard

Connecting table to thumb,

For a chance of vision

There she flashed,

A brilliant glimpse behind

The paned glass

The waitress returned

But did not bother

As it was obvious

I was not there,

Slowly, stirring the empty mug

It was clear

My thoughts had gone elsewhere.

Tuesday is upon us once again.  And you all know what that means?  Yep, Open Link Night over at D'Verse.  Make sure you stop by for this first OLN of the New Year and read some wonderfully creative poetry and even submit one of your own for others to enjoy.  Cheers. 

The Readiness (and then She happened)

The Readiness was there, it was everywhere

Magnetic, is how she happened,

An alternating essence, evolving every layer,

Dissolving suicidal cravings,

I knew, there right then, God indeed has plans for men,

 Over built and destructive to the soul, the dilemma quite atrocious,

When the creator has cradled his project,

Would not assign responsibilities to his team,

Then when the funding cut,

He had his baby but not much of what he did,

The razor was vertical,

Inches from impact,

Sweat tore holes through once distinguished clothes,

Quivering, twitching, having the hardest time steadying,

Then the cavalry marched on in,

Sent his son and daughter away for the weekend,

Couldn’t let them be the first to see,

Yet it appears his son left behind a piece of him,

The phone which some believed attached to his hand,

Perhaps it was not the moment, he may return before they came,

So instead he would choose to deliver the phone to him,

Then alone he could be, with his deadliest intention,

But as you know, as you’ve been tipped off to,

The best laid plans often fall right through,

On the path back home,

His children’s faces, they way they presented themselves,

Right there, at that time,

It’s like they were cognizant in an unfathomable way,

Perhaps his melodramatic words gave him away,

Perhaps, but as you know things don’t end this way,

Roads of tar, one way out,

Due to construction, a different avenue back,

A street one block over,

Could have been in California,

All this time, each day since passed,

This feeling so close,

A smile crept upon his face,

Puffy thoughts could not escape,

Random stumbling of the words,

Music loud, if you knew him, you too would find it absurd,

But all of this had fine reason,

Shaking feet, sweaty hands,

Veins screaming for injection,

Injection of her again,

And so begins a tale we all thought was done,

Yet through some well timed twists of fate,

This man shall experience, a truly new, a reason to be,

He shall embark upon a brand new second life, a season filled only with varying speeds