Saturday, November 29, 2014

Damn Good Feeling

It's a damn good feeling
onion of my heart pealing
layers revealing
How strong can I be?
Just who am I
Who do I claim to be?
Tell the Sandman I slay
the monster
Took me 4 long years
a river of tears
a mile wide my fears
But holy to be true
I tell you
I did it
And it's a damn good feeling
A heart in her cage
beating strong
not for the thief looking for stealing

There was a time I believed the lies
the asking, asking why's
Sitting in a corner
a sad, little mourner
a wall flower that lost her shine
lost her love power
shoved it under the bed
hiding my sad, little head
Now just look
Walking the path without the crook
Hope keeps on whispering in my ear
I tried to shut it up
but it just kept up
Shutting up my own fear
And it's a damn good feeling
No more slicing
No more pealing
No more asking, asking why's
No more the girl
telling herself the senseless lies
That love is gone
I know that's wrong
I got all the love
any one person would
love to adore
for that
I have more
It's a damn good feeling
this process of healing

Women Before Me

Hard lines
Soft vines
Rough hands
Soft touch
Lullaby goodnight
to that good morning
Fiery love
Loving hard
without warning
Unclipped words
Unsheathed swords
Holding babe tight
deep in shadowed midnight
Yelling at monsters during the day
Singing so sweet in the hush of night
Asking for nothing
On the path
feet stomping
Paving the way
for a girl born in May

No You May Not

A polite tone
To my cutting stone
Answer's no
Now just go
Drive away fast
Just as fast as you can
Lil Mama's smiling
Hand on my steely gun
I heard you talk
I heard you stutter
Go on back to the gutter
Call with the threat
I all ready placed my bet
And honey
I've won
You sad, sorry
Son of a worthless gun

Friday, November 28, 2014

This is My Weekend

He didn't call
Didn't have the gall
Didn't come by
Not really sure if this
a final goodbye
But for now
this is what I have to say
if I were to have my say
Read the court papers
After all your capers
This is my weekend
No apologies
Please
My boy and I
A full weekend together
Son and mother
He and me
Waking up in Galilee
Our sweetest dream come true
It's true
We'll be running with King Kong
Running with the biggest dinosaur
So don't you dare knock on our door
This is my weekend
To spend
The most beautiful time
With this lovely boy of mine

It'll Only Hurt a Minute.. if that

Her eyes sparked and fired.  A boiling cauldron of emotion.  She hissed at me but I knew it wasn't directed at me.  I let her spew.  Words coming out few.  Little ears listening. 
"He didn't pick him up.  He didn't even call."  Ah-ha.  Now the crux of the problem came out into the light.  She was worried, of course.  How would this affect little Tot; a dad that doesn't want to be a dad.  She wanted his phone number.  I could see the fiery conversation she would have with him building in her head.  I fairly agree with her.  My mama.  Oh boy.  And then little Tot came totting up the steps into the kitchen as if he had just caught the monster.  He was so happy and proud.  He barreled towards me and wrapped his skinny arms around my legs and hugged me tight.  He likes hearing about where I work and what I do, so I took a minute to explain "why mommy has to work."  He smiled.  Hugged me tighter. 

Instead of talking to Mama directly, I talked to Tot.  "Look! Tot knows who loves him.  Who loves you, Tot?" Without even thinking for one second, he listed off his favorite people.  Not one of them being his daddy.  "Well.  Mommy's glad to see you here.  I missed you so much.  You had a fun-filled day.  Ain't nothing taking that away.  Right, Tot?" He nodded vigorously.  I could see Mama's eyes spinning in a new direction and she looked at me and smiled.  She tried to get his phone number again.  I completely ignored that.  Unabashedly. 

When Tot was downstairs, I sat with her.  Now we could talk.  I let her rant and say the same thing she has been saying from the very start of this from 4 years ago.  The "Doesn't he see what he's doing?" - to the "He should be ashamed of himself.  How can he even call himself a dad?"  I let her say that and more.  For God's sake, we all need to vent.  So she vented.  And then the blessed phone number perseveration.  Instead of talking like the Irish girl I am, I did something completely different.  I stared at her; stared until she stared back at me.  I held that stare.  I saw her look down like she was going to cry.  I felt her emotions.  I heard her mental chatter.  All of it centered around how Tot would react to *this*  situation.  Would he be okay, or would this mean the beginning of his eternal ruin?  I understand exactly where she's coming from.  How many times have I sat and cried with God about this very thing? Too many times to count to be quite honest.  I held up my hand and simply said, "It's only going to hurt a minute, if that. Tot sees and will continue to see who loves him.  I'm not going to let you waste a minute of your breath telling dear daddy your thoughts of him.  He won't listen and he doesn't care.  Our focus is Tot. I put this in God's Hands and this is the answer.  I trust it."  Basically saying, don't you dare mess this up!

That's the truth of it, friends.  It's only gonna hurt a minute.. if that.  Look at Tot and I.  I work as a contract therapist -- something I never foresaw for myself 4 years ago (and I'm loving it!) Tot.  Oh Tot.  He's growing leaps and bounds and I'm sure in 2 years he will be taller than me.  He knows about God.  He watches old movies.  He sings his little heart out and plays his guitar and acts out every scene in uncanny perfection to the movie King Kong.  I don't let my emotions get in the way of his love for his dad.  He loves his dad.  But I also know the boy who looks at me and suddenly says out of the blue "I don't want to see daddy anymore. He's sick." I don't disagree with him but I don't elaborate on that thought, either.  My job is to protect him and listen to him when he's confused.  When I don't have an answer, I don't cover it up with pretty talk that only serves to confuse him more.  It is what it is.  I simply say, "Mommy loves you.  Mamaw loves you.  Your uncles love you.  And you know your daycare friends love you.  No matter what happens, we'll be okay."  He accepts that.  He knows I don't have all the answers.  Keeping the line of communication open is so important to me.  I don't want him to internalize any of this.  Thank God he doesn't.  He's extremely vocal about all of this.  So yes.  He's going to be okay.  More than okay.  That boy is gonna shine, if I have anything to do with it.  So maybe, just maybe.. it won't hurt as much.  That's my prayer.  That it'll only hurt a minute.. if that.  The fact that Tot has a dad that simply doesn't care about being a dad hopefully won't play the most major role in my son's internal thoughts.  I can only pray.


Night Train

Screaming night wails
Singing Nightingales
A thousand steps to a
journey started
Know not
only the broken hearted

Taking the long night train
into the day
Laying a weary head
in the lap of a few friends
along the way
Letting all the troubles down
River of tears shines
It does not drown

The lovely strangers we meet
Smiling souls
with a lovely greet
An unknown town up ahead
We'll make it there together
A new path to tread

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Where it all Comes From

I did acid at a Dead Head concert.  Spent the whole night wigging out.  I mean wigging out! Never did it again. Although, there are bits and pieces of that night and that concert that come to me in spurts.  I danced.  I laughed.  I cried.  I was a pathetic mess.  It was a blessed test.  "Fire on the Mountain".  It resonates in my soul.  Now hearing that song, I remember sitting in the back seat on our way home from that fated night.  A line of ambulances driving to the concert camp site.  For those that don't remember, a group of people were having a hippy, fun time dancing.  The deck fell and the rest was history.  That was also the Dead's last concert in grand ole St. Louis.  Anywho.  19.  Thought, "Eh.  Why not."  So not.  I didn't like feeling out of control as the acid worked its way through my body.  I remember every blasted tremor.  Horrible!  

So I write about it sometimes.  Because that's how easy it is to taste poison.  So sickeningly easy.  I was extremely lucky.  It never took hold.  Thank God.  I will tell you this.  My heart goes out to the afflicted addicted.  We hear it all the time.  It just takes one time.  One time for the poison to take hold and the tomb door closes.  A death sentence waiting to happen.  My one time taught me a valuable lesson.  It also taught me to be a little more forgiving of drug addicts.  Being in the medical field, I see no easy solution.  30 days in rehab.  90 days in rehab.  Is that enough? Folks.  I treated a 70 year old man addicted to crack.  It was a sad, sad day.  Words cannot deftly say how sad I felt.  My heart sank. Again.  There's no easy solution.  Number one, the addicted must want help.  If they don't want help, there's nothing anyone can do or say.  Number two, prison is not a valid rehab program.  It's a tax payer's nightmare; paying for some lost souls to sit in prison on drug charges - only to be released and start the process all over again.  In reality, the prisoners find drugs easier in prison than on the streets, but that's another tangent I won't even touch on.  Point being, let's definitely write our prosy, rosy poetry but not forget our own life experience.  Maybe.  Maybe just maybe.  Our own experience will help someone in an inadvertent way.

Cocaine Annie (Lyrics)

26 and her life ain't easy
Slinkin' down the street
Feeling dirty and sleazy
Rattling hips
Licking her lips
Dead girl stalking

Cocaine Annie
Singin' the blues skinny
Getting her fix from a dude named Jimmie
Levi's falling
Black sky calling
Pock-marked face crying

She tried it the night of her prom
Heavy door closing to her tomb
Goldilocks on her knees
Giving her all to the inner pleas
Taking the thrust
One more snort
She must

Cocaine Annie
Singin' the blues skinny
Getting her fix from a dude named Jimmie
Levi's falling
Black sky calling
Pock-marked face crying

Slumped in a corner
After giving her all
Cocaine Annie
Cocaine Annie

Cocaine Annie

 Cocaine Annie
Singin' the blues skinny
Getting her fix from a dude named Jimmie
Levi's falling
Black sky calling
Pock-marked face crying

Little Girl Lovely (Lyrics)

There she goes again
Dropping glitter on pavement
Wisp of a girl
A lovely sacrament
Even though it's rainin' again
She's wearing a daisy chain

Little girl lovely
Smelling all the flowers
Sweet aroma heavenly
Hell could not pull her down
Daisy chain atop her head a crown
Dancing in the night
Laughing in the day
Little girl lovely
She's well on her way

There she goes
There she goes
Not bothering to count her woes

Little girl lovely
Smelling all the flowers
Sweet aroma heavenly
Hell could not pull her down
Daisy chain atop her head a crown
Dancing in the night
Laughing in the day
Little girl lovely
She's well on her way

There she goes
There she goes
Sprinkling glitter
Forgetting woes

Little Girl Lovely

Little girl lovely
Smelling all the flowers
Sweet aroma heavenly
Hell could not pull her down
Daisy chain atop her head a crown
Dancing in the night
Laughing in the day
Little girl lovely
She's well on her way

Caught Again

There you go
Calling with your lie
I breathe
Not bothering to
Ask why
But I do
I do
Catch it and
Push it back to you
Like a callous shrew
Telling you how it's
Gonna be
For my son and me

Caught again
Your unsecret sin
So I was not surprised
When you backtracked
When you look
For the truth you hacked

Go ahead and do it again
Do it again
You'll be
Caught again

Muddy Waters

You pushed me in
But baby
I learned to swim
I made it to shore
Left you rotting to the core
Watch as you start sinking
My heart you won't be linking

Muddy waters
Swimming deep
Flailing soul
Only darkness to reap
Tide coming in
Pulling you under again

You shoved my face down
Showing you're stronger
Beating heart rhythm pound
Holding my breath longer
A quick brush stroke
Rise above water to choke

Muddy waters
Swimming deep
Flailing soul
Only darkness to reap
Tide coming in
Pulling you under again

Down, down you go
Muddy water black hole
I'm breathing again
Forsaking all your sin
Honey, oh honey
I'm breathing again
No more the muddy water
To pull me in

Oh no
Oh no, honey
Here it comes

Muddy waters
Swimming deep
Flailing soul
Only darkness to reap
Tide coming in
Pulling you under again

But I'm breathing again
I'm breathing again
I'm breathing again
Rest assured
I'm breathing again

*My first attempt at song lyrics.  I've wanted to do this for the longest time.  Just another way for me to expand and pound out my wayward thoughts.  I hope you enjoy.  Matters not.  Quite honestly, I feel liberated ;)

Friday, November 21, 2014

A Diamond in the Rough

There he sat
amidst the dirty
floor boards;
the dirty curtain cords.
A Russian interpretation book
sitting in his nook.
An astrophysicist;
an intellectual linguist.
An ivy league scholar
with a wrinkled collar.
Smiling and talking about
forgiveness.
My stopped.
His message to harness.
No crème de la crème.
No not him.
He accepted his surroundings -
no matter how grim.

A diamond in the rough
with the streets wailing
sounding so tough.
He deserves a tower.
A glistening room with
all its power.
Yet he sat with such dignity.
Legs crossed.
Hands clasped.
In divine trinity.
We laughed.
We talked.
Amidst the ambulance wailing
outside.
All the truth to find
in a lock down unit.
For souls that normally forget.
So I found it odd.
He didn't forget.
He counted all his blessings
in such a humble letting let.

She's Doing it Again

There she is
Princess out of her
Master's keep
In the ghetto
Another tear to weep

She likes things
Just so, so
So
When it doesn't go her way
A weeping she will go
Grabbing the first person
That will listen
Face twisting under
Her pale glow

Oh my God!
Her life must be hard
My sarcastic thoughts
Twisting their own
Twisted card
I give her no relief
For the petty grief
As she calls mommy
Tattle, tattle rattle
Because
Everyone fixes her life
Her strife
The job she chose
The job
With all the countless woes

Sitting at her throne
As her patients wait
She's on the phone
Whining
Crying
About her hard life
Such a tragic life
As her shiny car
Sits in the sun
And her patient
Comes undone
You know the one
The one without a family to call
To cry to
To ball
The patient hanging on her hand out
The caregiver
With the carefully placed pout

Six Pence All the Richer

Damn vending machine's
broke again
That hangin' bag of chips
I'm gonna win
Quick flick of my hip
Lickin' my lip
For the salty, sweet treat
I could leave it
But this bag's mine
Stand in line
Raisin' a hand to
the janitor man
Asking
Can you help me
if you can
No I don't want his money
No honey
I all ready put my
shinin' coins in
Janitor man understands
He smiles
Takes his fist
Nice and fat and balled
Punches the machine
Heaven called

Six pence all the richer
I'm no ditch digger
Takin' this life
One stride at a time
No more pennies
Not one more dime
But I got a bag
Half full of air
Salty sweet treat
Without a care
Chomp, chomp
Saunter off back
To my lair
Wave a high five
To the man
With the broom & mop
We both won
We both feel alive



Moonlit Primrose

Blooming in the
cover of sliver
of moonlight
Lullaby night
A flower opening
Sweet aroma showing
Lovely, grand and glowing
Hell hounds may surely prey
But not in the garden where
the Primrose stands
eloquently in their way

On the edge of night
where lovers meet
at first sight
Primrose prim
Promising to the night
Love will not dim

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Echoed Hello

Now that you know me
Maybe we can talk
Forget the line in the sand
Step over the past's
murderous chalk

Grab your string
I'll grab mine
A big tin can to find
Stretch that string
Make it nice & taut
Believe once again
Hope can't be sold
Or bought
Let's talk

My pigtails
Swing, swingin
Your heart
Sing, singin
Hand in your pocket
Rubbing that
Lucky penny
Me & my
Big girl dreams
A feeling uncanny

I'll be the first
Out to throw
My echoed hello

Cliche Glitter

Paving the road ahead
with cliché glitter
Hiding all the
filth and litter

It's all gonna work out
Everything happens
for a reason
You're stronger
than you know
Hope is a seed
worth planting
Dreams are not forgotten

Keep up the ranting
That positive train panting
Up the steep hill

Life's road
long & bumpy
Hang your hand
out the window
Toss a handful of glitter
Fill in the potholes
As you drive
Just keep driving

Monday, November 17, 2014

Calling it a Night

Putting this to bed
All the thoughts in my head
Did I say too much?
Not enough?

Do my words get
jumbled and rattled
in the crook of my throat?

Love
Always a fantasy
Someone else's fairytale
Like a child
I read
Get lost in the fable

Do I have enough?
Am I too damn broken?
Do my thoughts of love
get choked?
Or do I
Unknowingly choke it out?

I'm crumbling
The tumbling
Calling it a night
Always wait
til morning light
Wondering if
everything is really
all right

I'm crumbling
I'm tumbling
Into a bed of dreams
Always a bed of dreams
Cold sheet surround
Where angels always hover
But make no sound

Will I always drift?
Morn to come
More sand to sift?
With the hour glass of time
Dusty in a corner
Mocking my rhyme

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Water's Edge

He said I could do anything
Anything
He said I could swim
He said I could win
Taking me to water's edge
We made the pledge
Everything behind us
Hand-in-hand
The trust
Laughter drifting on the wind
Up to the angels we'd send
When all in the world was easy
A summer day
Warm and breezy

Freedom Bird

The bastards clipped my wings
as I slept
Mocking this bird that
ran to mimic flight
Laughing as I wept
So I stayed in the corner
forlorn & unkempt
My chosen lot

Oh, but they forgot
to clip deep
Fluttering to
forget the weep

I flew as high as I could
as any bird would
High enough
to touch the sun
Nose dive to earth
just for fun

Now this bird sits
Waiting on a limb
A branch so thin
My perch
Looking out
on the horizon