It's All Gonna Be All Right

Driving down the road
Mantra playing on nonstop roll
It's all gonna be all right
30 more minutes
And I'll be there
Another new place
Another new face
Stop light
Dashed line
New and white
Wrong turn
Turn around
It's all gonna be all right

Tell Me

Tell me

Everything will

be alright

And I can survive

New Life Whispering

I try to shut it out
It's what I always do
But that was then
And I finally feel new
My heavy steps
My loud
Silent self
Can no longer be
Put on a shelf
A new life is
Creeping in
Ever so cleverly
And I'm wondering
If it's really true
Limited time to think
I just do

Cynical thoughts
Creep in
But a new life is
Whispering in
Craning my neck
Her sweet song
I'm listening

Big Girl, Big City

Clutching my purse
Like a temperamental child
Ponytail flipping wild
One step
Two step
Hop the curb
Keep skipping
Wave at the cab
Crosswalk walking
No time for talking
Sliding doors
Swish, swish
Made it in
Made my wish

Time Clock

No, no, no
There ain't no
Time clock here
Getting turned around
Driving down familiar
Unfamiliar roads
Casually walking in
No clocking in
Grabbing my schedule
Ready to go
Letting the stress go

No, no, no
There ain't no
Time clock here

After the Storm (Unedited)

I.

I cried an ocean of tears
They flooded the hidden corridors
Of the catacombs in my soul
Swept me out and away
Barely able to swim
Holding everything in
Just to breathe
One tiny breath
To get me by
Day turned into night
Eyes closed and losing sight
Floating out to the
Endless sea
Where no one would ever be able
To find me.

I floated in my river
Bumping into jagged rocks
Bruised and broken
Not able to swim
It took me down in the
Undercurrent
Body going down
Down
Too tired to drown
Rushing current constantly rushing
Another breath
Before I go numb
I let the river take me
Knowing it's headed to the
Ocean
And I'm too weak to care.

Waterfall
I'm going in
Body tumbling
Crashing into the
Sharp waves
That cut like knives
The storm is raging now
What started as a shower
The sky has opened up
Pelting raindrops
Slapping me awake
Pray to God
This storm does not take
What little breath I have.

Eyes stay open
Feeling the salt
Sting all my opened scars
Lightning crashing
Fear inside thrashing
No land in sight
But I forget to cry
I have to survive.

II.

The night was long
I must've slept
The sun is shining
And I'm floating
Weightless.

My fingers graze sand
I fear I must be dreaming
But I take a handful
Salt, water, and sand
Gripping tight my hand
I think of selfish things
A warm bed
Food
I remember that off chance day
When life was in a better mood
Distractedly looking up in the
Bluest sky
Watching the clouds
Wander by
Giving in to the thought
That I met my listless destination
Depressing resignation.

Like a lifeless log
My body stops floating
Stuck in the sand and mud
Afraid to look around
A cunning mirage
Jolted loose from my
Mind's eye
Surely.

III.

How long have I been here?
Moments suspended
I feel the sun
I feel my skin
I feel the visceral
Inner me
I start to see
More importantly
I feel land
Only God knows how
I ended up on this shore.

I slowly start to rise
Take my first
Hesitant step
Then another
Feet sinking
But not slipping
The storm was so long
The clear day
Almost seems wrong
Now I have to make my way
This island
I suddenly adopted
So unexpected
I hold my excitement
Waiting for the sky
To open up
With it, all my dreams
Snuffed.

But the storm holds her
Breath too, it seems
Casually watching me
Nodding her head
As if I passed a test
Dancing my dancer's jest


**A work in progress.  Not sure if this is just rambling..**

Earning My Stripes

"You came back.  Nobody ever does."

He silently dealt the cards
And I took my hand
Nodding my head.

Wild hair and wild eyes
She's calling the county
"Dontcha know?"
Saw her today
She called me 'sister'
My feet fell into her
Groovy sway.

Golden glove boxer
Doesn't feel quite right
Wait til 10
Talk about the fight
He'll boyishly smile
And work his
Magnificent mile.

Let the girl sing
Her soft harmony
To the supreme Supremes
Motown rising
She'll walk the longest walk
Quietly.

Oh, but that woman
She was the toughest
Thought to be the gruffest
She got her new leg
She smiled so pretty
Walked for the first time
Since February
Always remembers my name
Hangs her head
Asks
"You're back.  Am I dead?"
She makes me laugh
I pat her on the back.

I was a stranger in their town
Nobody stays around
A placebo in the ghetto
Broken hearts and broken dreams
No signs of family
They have my heart
Hanging from
Their
Broken doors and seamless seams.

Barbed Wire

They left me on the barbed wire
Left me to die
To starve
Pin-pricks picking me
Black crow
Cawing in the distance
Flying low
Watching
Waiting
Counting the faint beats
Of my beating heart

Slow the pull
Tugging my skin away
From the sharp death toll
Clambering from the wire
Feeling new ire
Saphenous vein pierced and bleeding
Into the soil
Red and leaking
A heart softly speaking

Curled in tight
One by one
Holes healing
From the fight
Mud mixing with my blood

It's Nothing

It's nothing
Not a thing
Just a thought
That perhaps
Leads to something
It's not a worry
It's simmering on curry
It's not hot
It's warm
Can't burn my tongue
So no caution the warn

It's nothing
Not a thing
But it's
Cooking
Into something

What Can I Do For You?

Step in my
Sunday soda shop
Sit at the counter
Tell me what you want
A sweet, hopeful confection
with a cherry on top?
You're tired
Maybe a dream
with a zesty zing
Perhaps you're undecided
So I prepared both
A big dream hope float
Go ahead
Relax
Swing your legs all carefree
The fan is breezily buzzing
It's just you and me
No
You don't have to hurry
Or order it all
Don't worry
You'll soon return to
Life's mall
Just relax
Forget the suffering succotash
Tell me
What can I do for you?

Silver and Gold

Silver and gold
All the passion's hold

Silver and gold
Jeweler's mold

Silver and gold
Shining bright

Silver and gold
Silver and gold
Watch it shine

Silver and gold
Silver and gold
Gonna make it mine

Mining these hills
For the
Lovely frills

Silver and gold
What truth
Do you hold

Take me to the river
Sift through your sand
Mud in my hair
Mud in my hand
Silver and gold
Take hold

Silver and gold
Silver and gold
For a simple girl
Such as me
Raking
Not taking
Simple sifting
Silver and gold
Silver and gold
Take hold

Take me to the river
Sift through your sand
Silver and gold
Silver and gold
Take my hand

1 a.m. Again

Waiting for the verse
So I sit and hold your hand
Such a comforting feel
A little time to steal
The clock is ticking
And I don't give a damn
I'm here
And so are you
It's 1 a.m.
There's heartfelt
Things to say
Just won't wait
My pillow is a
Patient maiden
Tuck-point cotton
Fluffy
A pillowcase of dreams
Sandman is visiting another
It's 1 a.m. and this verse
Has something to say
Just wait
Stay.

Strangled Voice

The strangled voice
Needs time to sing
Constricting hands wrapped
so tight around the jugular vein
The strain
when first the words come out
A gross comparison to what it was
To what it could be
The bruises faded
The line inside so tender
Needing time to render

Shall it be a bluesy note
Guttural
Deep within
Shall it be a soprano
Tender and sweet
Maybe an alto to
carry the tune from behind
Never mind
She wants to sing
And that's all that matters

Practicing the notes
All alone
Until she gets it right
Her voice will surely
take flight
It's becoming recognizable
With a new tone
A strength
From the scars
that would heal
Outside
Inside

She'll sing with an ease
God
Just give her time
She'll sing in her car
as she travels far
Because now she can
A strangled voice
with the choice
To sit behind the curtain
Or step out on the stage
Bright lights blinding
Crackling with feeling
You'll hear her

Metered Steps

The black sparrow
Lands on the pavement
With an exclamation
Screaming sirens
Feet pausing on the steps
He knows
His time is measured
The sparrow stays silent
No more warning

These Are The Days

These are the days
Of laughter and ease
Watching a million stars
Feeling the warm breeze
The delight in his eyes
Seeing fireworks for the
First time
Each blast marking our
Beginning
We're not at the bottom
We're winning

These are the days
Of planning and dreaming
Such expectation
Our cup is teeming
Kisses to his brow
We're on our way
Now.