Call To Action

I left them in a
Dusty little corner
In the silent recesses of
My cerebral memory
Never wanting to explain
I waged my war and thought
All is done
My war is won

For the 2-dimensioal soul
This may be true
But I
Being the deepest thinker
Know
The wars of life come
In unexpected waves
Forcing us to stand up
Just as we begin
To settle in.

I Get It From Him

He'd change the subject
Or you'd hear his tinkling laughter
As he told the story
Of how his
Deranged
Lunatic
Brother
Nearly killed him
With a machete

"It was easy.
I knew he was
nearly blind without
those coke-bottle
glasses of his.
So I took my last
good whack
making sure his
glasses fell in the dirt."

He had a thousand friends
And that is no lie
They never knew
The troubles he
Went through
They only heard
His laughter
Or gave their
Heated "Rah - Rah!"
With his favored
Politicky talk

He liked his
Coffee and his
News radio
Cat on his lap
Skimmin' through
The Sunday paper


*My Dad would be so proud.  Only a few close friends know the meaty details of my life, thus far.  Laughter and poetry is what I hope all others see.

Tear it Down

I was glad  they tore it down
That farm house that
Held no fond memories

Even as a child
I could feel the
Heavy air
Of silent screams
Bitter anger
Just barely
Holding it's awful tongue
Dark shadows lingering
Where only laughter
Should be

The only bright room in that house
Was the one room
We were not allowed

I learned to walk
On that
Runway-like side walk
Grandparents
Didn't even notice

So when I had
The chance to see
What secrets that room held
In a dream
With the house rebuilt
I said no

The past is
Not worth revisiting.

No Easy Way

The easy way would be to fall right back into some heartless relationship - or worst - an abusive relationship.  It's so easy.  I have been surrounded by dysfunction my whole life.  I know it like the back of my hand.  What I don't completely know, is a normal relationship.  Just what is normal, anyway? I'm far from normal.  I talk to myself as I write my poems and laugh at my own outrageous jokes.  To me, that's completely normal.  But I'm straying from my original post's point, here, so let me gather you in again.  Survivors must be very careful not to fall into the pattern that nearly killed them in the first place.  "Known" seems comfortable but it's the unknown we should seek.  There is no easy way.  It's work.  Work is good, though, if you're willing to find out who you are and what you like.  You all ready know what you don't like in a relationship.  At least that part is done and over with.  So.  Take a deep breath.  Relax.  Find out who you really are and enjoy the journey.  Time does heal. 

Street Light Silver Lining

Veil of mist
Kissing dew-covered pavement
The moon casually sleeping
under her cold blanket of night
     hiding her light
Only a fluorescent glow
Lights this neighborly
Sleepy row
Shades drawn
Iridescent, frosty sheen
     covering the window pane
Through the aluminum slats
On plastered walls
The message came

My street light silver lining.

Shadowed Life

Where does it start?
Where's the big
beginning?

Flashes of
Temporary beauty
Genuine smiles I see
floating my way.
Unordinary hello's
that grab my attention.
Heartfelt hugs
that tear down
defenses.
Warm conversations
on a cold wintry night.

These things
I treasure most
But gone in a flash
My snapshot life
Making me wonder.

Am I fading into the
Shadows
Or are the shadows
Blending
Into me?

Introverted Me

Quiet
Until I know you
And even then
I weigh my words
Not wanting to sound
Absurd

Observing
A chaotic world
That demands
To be heard
Waifs
Commanding the scene
With their obscene

Introverted dinosaur
In an extroverted land

Am I extinct?
Only the introvert
Would quietly ask-
Where am I?
One may never tell.