Beyond the Looking Glass

The misty, wispy condensation
traces my name
on a mirror
that is so unclear
while past is crystal clear
tis the future that holds
a grin
or a leer

with a Cheshire grin
with a witchy, little spin
I wipe the condensation clean

wall behind me
deeper into the mirror I dive
looking beyond the
shallow high-five
into the unknown
the glorious
unpredictable
unknown

Last to Know

I got the call

as an afterthought

sitting cross-legged

listening to the 

friendship now

frail & wrought

My mind became a whirlwind 

& numb to the knowledge 

that things will surely change

the tin-can rattle of the 

material range

swirling with the blustery 

grandstand show

that even a

stroke of misfortune 

could not stop the 

floundering flow

It was a silent goodbye

to all the yesterdays 

those high-flying 

concerted ways

& a knowledge 

that even the best of friends 

move in tangled ends

Some day 

dear girl 

you'll want more

than the material world 

But not yet

no

not quite yet

& that 

makes me 

most sad

It's Been a While

It's been a while
since I've loved myself
quite like this
alas, I don't think
I ever have
until now

Arrival

I was always 2
2 parts of 1 soul
past & present
always thinking
a little irrelevant

It's been a long journey, my friend
7 years of my inner
tumultuous wind

Like a butterfly tossed about
no clear direction
no north
no south

& here I am
my arrival
like a second coming
holy revival

My wings may be battered
but my hope is restored
my dreams
once silent
arise like the sun
promising to
never again
lie vacant & ignored

You Better Cry

You better cry
cry the crocodile tears of remorse
because all eyes will be watching you
& Lord knows, you never gave 2 shits
about her as you flew
tell your stories how you helped her
oh, such the good soul
fake
opaque
wither in your regret
nightmares never forget

white funeral Lilies dripping crimson
blood-stained from the abuse
hide it all away
pretend it does not exist
grab your faithful cross
exorcist
confess all
in complete
complacent silence
letting it all continue
in hell-bent defiance

just don't ask my opinion of you
2 sisters so willingly turned away
so many years
until she lay in a coma
slow was her fading day

oh, but you gave her a ham on Christmas
so I suppose that fixes everything
her eyelids never fluttered open to see it
steps creeping for the exit
bit
by
bit

Tuesday Mourning

Tuesday is mourning
for the little sister
now gone
never given any credit
Truth be told
I admired all her kooky ways
how she laughed
while traveling through
her dysfunctional family's maze

her body now ash
crematorium furnace
burning all the pages of her story

I'll sit back and watch the nodding
the prodding
for deeper sympathy
a sarcastic smirk
before the ruthless turn their back

Long, Strange Sleep

I awoke with a flash
& then fell asleep again
all the mess crashing in
closing my eyes to unsee
torn edges I burned so easily
in a cloud of wrath
I wrecked everything around me

6 year sleep
high price
steep

now that I am awake
I look around me in dismay
& a gritting teeth determination
to clean my own mess
no hesitation

6 year sleep
high price
steep