My Little Warrior

He's a wise, old
young soul
Plops his little self
next to me
And we both feel whole
Filtering through
all the times he's had
to count his coup
He's had to learn to quick
to pinch the burning wick
He walks through fire
more times than I can count
bravely silencing the hell hound
Still managing to look at me
with glazed-over
innocent eyes
He keeps silent
all he hears
all the lies
Shouting proudly
all the lessons I teach him
of right
of wrong
Bare feet stomping
Sun Dance
Thready prongs in his chest
probing
Little hand reaching up
always the truth
taking
never simply groping
Whether or not your ear is reaching
my boy remains in his teaching
A tribal leader in the making

Family Photo

It's a photo
Wedding so happy
Or that's what everyone thought
As she sits by her love
With her saucy half smile
Hiding a million secrets
His hand at her side
Not touching her
Half-fisted and wrought

She died much too soon
Leaving an infant son
To grow up learning
Never to swoon
Daddy couldn't stand
Looking at him
Seeing every time
Her eyes
Again and again

The ghost of her smile
Reaching through
Parched edges
Looking past
Generational smudges
Peering in the heart of me
A constant reminder
To break the invisible chains
No one can see

Revelation Constellation

Would you believe me
if I told you
all the things
I had done?
You want to change me
and I want to change you
and together
we're trying to find the true

Tell me your darkness
lay it out on the cold floor
and I'll lay out
my stripped-out whore
Tell me you're
cold and hard
and I'll prove to you
there's another wild card
that I've been keeping
near my breast

Revelation constellation
where the conversation
never gets a rest

I'm in your mind
just know
you're also in mine
Feet no longer able
to side step
the land mine

Secrets rising with the
flowing,
white egrets
Rushing to the river
and the rushing wind
makes my body quiver

Mayfair Carnivale

As the sun goes down
the smoky yellow lights
cast shadows on the
prancing clown
Peeping under the tent
with my breath
held in my throat
Inviting me in
the bearded lady
and her trusty goat

An outcast in the real world
here
I am an equal
in an ongoing story
with an ever changing sequel

I hear the distant sound
of the lions roar
Life
no longer
the never ending chore
I let go
Let my emotions flow

He comes out of nowhere
without pretense flair
Pointing to the trapeze
high on ceiling of the tent
I left my fear on the dirt floor
and simply went
I climbed up the ladder
Refusing to look down
at the faceless clown

Hands grasping the bar
feet slipping as I leap
and fly so far
Wind rushing
Mind gushing
He's reaching
and in that moment
I release
A free flow moment
with no net
no trapeze

Suspended in the moment
Weightless and free
he catches me
Clasping my hands
Flying above the
crowded stands
Never minding the
roaring applause
Holding on with a cause
feet plant on the landing
and I feel
life slipping in
in a surreptitious reveal

It's Not Your Problem

Keep on driving past
The complete wreck
It matters not
Help is surely on the way
It's not your problem
And there will always
be the promise
of a coming day

Forget you heard me cry
I can't stand to think
You ever would think
I was meek
Weak
As if I wait to find excuses
for my curse
Decorate real pretty
my hearse

Bury me deep
Blame it all on me
And pretend not to weep

In men's eyes
I am yesterday's garbage
Another piece to the
Carnage
And maybe I make myself as such
Because the loving words
That loving touch
Was never meant for me
At least now I see

Don't Ask Me

Don't ask me
in the morning
if I'm OK
You know damn well
all the things
I cannot say
I don't think love
truly exists
Slap my wrists

The Beast in Me

I wickedly laugh
A wicked laugh that
carries on through the night
like a hollow wind
warning of a coming storm

By day
a pastel
girl next door
By night
a funeral garbed
love's death whore

Dear sweet boys
try as they might
but they can't sense
the stinging bite

I lay in wait
the innocent bait
that come closer
not seeing the toxic doser
Showing every
wild card
Laughing in their face
with their loving bard
A shrill shriek
Knowing
they are part of the meek

I was released from my
death pin
and a loving lie
nearly pulled me in
Words
Shredded
Cut
to shards
knowing they're all
just senseless words
but when called into action
they run
and I howl

A ripping howl
that tears through the black
as I stare in
wild wonder
at their
spineless back

And still they claim
to know me
As I quietly
slip away
forgetting their name

I'm a beast
Don't tell me there's love
for it's that very thing
I will ferociously feast
Chew it up
spit it out
a silent shout