Despondent

Air is charged
electric
stifling
Try to breathe but can only gasp
cannot inhale deep enough
cannot draw air in

Want to lay down
want to run, escape
want to read
to forget
dive into someone else’s story
so do not have to face own

Tears surface but refuse to fall
accompanying lump in throat
swells
contributing to difficulty breathing

Count…
one – two – three
one – two – three
one – two – three

a polka that needs to be taken down to a waltz

over and over again
count repeated until moment passes
and calmness returns

Energy is drained
but have survived
did not drop into bottomless pit
Great sadness closes in
yet life can go on

A little piece
the tiniest sliver
of self
has been restored
and can go on

But the monster comes back
furious
angry to have been kept at bay
Thrashing
consuming

All that can be done
is ride the wave of tears

tumble
roll

one – two – three
one – two – three
one – two – three…

Feel the pain
acknowledge guilt

Breathe

Look for the shining little sliver of self
hold on tight
despite bleeding hands
and shattered heart
hold on
hold on
to go on

Addiction

A disease of vampire’s
has struck the nation
skulking shadows of the night
lurking, waiting to pounce on our children
our loved ones, our family
a delectable first bite

It messes with our minds

Death comes slowly
a rot of the heart
drip by drip
blood red
oozing demise
craziness
It can’t get enough
turn our backs
it is there again

Sorrow and loss
annihilation without dying
grieving a body without a soul
Past mistakes loom large
not wanting to miss out
awaiting an opportunity to join
the zombie fest

Hopeless

Transcendent Contact

Music plays quietly
delicate notes of joy and love
uplifting
Heartwarming tears of gratitude
offered while on knees of the moment
Beauty and compassion
shared in a circle of safety
stories of hardship and pain
stories of hopes and desires
enveloped in a halo of acceptance
Dream catchers woven
in a time of listening
open hearts
exposed and vulnerable
gathered in hands of friendship
Ragged threads
braided as one
no longer frayed
strengthened by unity
now a beautiful tapestry
Lives unfold
as each thread is touched,
colored, named
Mystical artwork
mysteriously created
Music soars
a divine chorus
a privileged instant

Confection Connection

Innocent beginning
ice cream and lollipops
sticky confections
melted hearts and hands together
Legitimate purchases
to calm an angry mood
or cheer a sad heart

Lines began to blur
with requests coming more often
Willing participants
unwilling to say no

A shift began to occur
as the needs grew greater
sweet toffee
meant to soothe
became tacky
clinging
pulling down

Something to get by
just this once
turned into another
and another

emotions hollow
empty
deeply saddened
instead of uplifted

Relationship disintegrated
right before eyes
cotton candy decomposed
with teardrops of disbelief

Craving connection
a time to share and bond
but all the sweetness
decayed a delicate cord
The link
connecting two hearts
lost

Shattered

Wine glass shatters
stem and goblet severed
illusions of relationship
exposed

Sharp jagged edges revealed
captivating expensive bouquet covered
robust promises
forgotten
hidden
left to languish
unable to balance with delicate notes
of expectation

Scatted shards lay on the table
lay on the floor
as once you laid with me
fragments of our hopes and dreams
loosened from a grasp
now splintered pieces

What once was
no longer is

A stark realization

How appropriate the glass was empty
no red stain on the precious carpet
blank white
pure contrast to tainted desires
no tears
no drops
to mourn the loss

Resignation
a simple break
to open eyes
how fragile words have become
how brittle emotions

Hidden cracks
now fully visible

Disoriented

A blow takes her breath away
disorients
knock your socks off fierce
as she clings to spidery webbed ropes of understanding

She clings to her hopes and desires
passions burning within
her drive to move forward and conquer
all past mistakes
original sin
consumes her
disorients
spinning on sticky web of illusion

Gate keepers leap to protect her
promises of harmony and calm
center of their focus
they are quickly restrained by Michael and Morgan
also watching the events unfold

The young woman has chosen
of her own free will
to undergo a challenge, see what her determination
might reveal
she alone has to fight her demons
past and present
present day
long past due date
unwrapped
festering
fermenting
becoming something else
something unnameable
unrecognizable
Great distress rises amidst the peace loving
keepers of the gate

The maiden squeezes her eyes shut
squeezes her legs
no entry allowed
squeezes against time
no penetrating thoughts to break barrier
she clings to spidery thread of inner strength

A halo appears behind her closed eyes
lifting her up out of herself
watching
knowing
slip, slip
slippery slope
she is on a shifting course
swaying
rocking
pump, pumping
up and down

Gasping
straining
desire to be on top
physically spent
her mind still weaves
dodges on wobbly legs
spinning threads to
outwit, outlast, and outsmart her fears

Love Story

Lives twinning together
like ivy on a wall
unseen magical connection

Fresh young shoots
stretch for the sun
cling to wooden arbor
feel warmth radiate off wall
stretch, stretching
destination unknown
trusting upward direction

Mature growth stands firm
remains grounded
provides support
roots deep, expansive
familiar earthiness is woven into genes
of delicate leaves
courses through slender vines
ready to allow creepers
a hand in exploring new space

Young and old
grow together
a grafted union
one with the other
indistinguishable
dark and light
seasoned and green
cultivated and immature
flowering equally

A beautiful love story