Scene 251: Optimism

Was it?

It was.

And it will be again

Scene 250: On Another Horizon

Touching palms on the sidewalk

you'd reach

with the sky opening in front of you.

The fingers pulse in yours

human and kind

feeling the cresses in your pores.

Looking over

to the shine at your side,

You'd awake.

Clouds in your eyes.

Scene 249: Brown Poison

Stunted, of stained teeth

once white with lies,

now brown

but lying still

Such baggage

at home

it goes nowhere

and sits under whites

A stale mouth

the breath

like grime, careless

as Jupiter off the shores of Michigan

Ragged, poisoned

dark in the morning

bright at night

dark at night

Veins, so starved

itching like Cobain

and innocent

sitting in that white cup

Scene 248: Known News

A white elephant,

along the bottom of your heart

with green nails on your hands

and cold shoulders on your back

taking the biggest to your bosom

while giving a laughable commodity

purchased for a dollar, or less

down the street

where you frequent so

oh,

how you frequent so

Scene 247: Oddities

You know,

without intending

and you see,

without staring,

and you feel,

without losing your heart

when they are around,

you know.

And it kills you

Scene 246: A Wish, A Rumor

Did you know of a secret

that went from dawn to dawn

and hid in the alleys

and niches of regrets?

It was the same as the others

dark, ashamed, and lonely

trying to hide from prying eyes

from those who shouldn't bother.

There should be a point to this,

these words, these phrases, this poem,

but like those secrets, raw and naked,

to be ignored is what the wish.

Scene 245: Oh, Rocky

Lace, leather,

black, red

senses, spinning,

eyeliner, mascara,

hiding, unprotected,

stimulated, synesthetic

and on and on and on and on

Scene 244: Home

is

where

you

would

die

Scene 243: A Fish Sleeping at the Bottom of the Barrel

I press my forehead against the cold barrel, resting

I look down the hole

staring longingly.

The chambers are so dark

so easy to get lost.

But they are home

and they are comfortable.

The touch is soothing

and my heart stops racing.

I breath in the still air

and out smoke

with the rhythm of a finger

Scene 242: High School

mistake

careless words

confusion

upset

repulsion

disgust

rumor return.

appalled

gossip mill flowers

jealousy

action

white teeth; little lie

revenge.

jealousy

spite

invasion

infection

poisoned thoughts

action

sabotage.

Damage

embarrassment

anger

a setup, a plot

execution

delight and (.)

tears

rinse the face

wipe,

and repeat

Scene 241: Wake Up Call

The touch of toes on the pavement

so soiled

Scene 240: Soft Water

The drop of water on the faucet

hangs, teasing

dancing and bobbing on its fingers

which cling softly

and firmly on the cold metal.

It swings its legs, back and forth

crossing and uncrossing

with its acrobatics

yet still,

it hangs.

A death grip in its wet hands

and coquette figure.

Teasing you

until you drown it.

Scene 239: Lies

Loaded words

cocked pistol

better than

sticks and stones

Scene 238: 8 AM

Eyelids dragging

fingers lagging

lift them,

no?

Maybe try again

tomorrow

Scene 237: Basket of Eggs

She leans forward to tie her shoe for the first time

fingers fumbling

the bunny goes over the hill

and into the tunnel

until

the bunny falls out

and the eggs it hid in its basket

were not pastel

they were red

and they frothed

and they ached

Scene 236: Second Chances

"Quite curious, the prospect of second chances"

said the thief to the priest,

"I will get a chance to repent my life and, perhaps,

live a better one.

You won't."

Scene 235: Mother in Arms

Running through the dirt streets, the child trips,

falling on her face.

She sits on the floor, thinks,

then gets up

and runs again.

Voices call after,

sounds chase her,

sounds like static

but she ignores them

and runs

as fast a she can.

Mother will protect her.

And she rests in the child's arms

a little too big for her pocket.

She carries her mother

like a charm,

hugging her close to her chest;

she doesn't realize

that her soles are wearing thin

and her heels are faltering.

Then again, it really doesn't matter.

Mother will protect her.

Bouncing along like the coils in her hair

mom breathes in the open air

as the child carries her.

Sometimes mom gets heavy when the girl runs,

so she swings mom over her back,

and runs

like a schoolgirl once did

with her backpack over her shoulder

that heavy, heavy weight.

But no, mother is light as a feather,

of course.

Mother will protect her.

Scene 234: We're Not Ravenous, We're Curious

The orange peel

on the floor

wet with hunger

rots slowly

as its innards

are devoured

Scene 233: How it Works

Blood drips carelessly onto the floor,

sidling in puddles

quietly.

I pull the sheets over my head

and pull my feet in

clutching my body

and holding my heart.

It throbs endlessly,

my body.

Strange, since my heart rests between my fingers

still.

It sits

just dripping.

Scene 232: The Street

Reporting

Twice baked chicken

lies on the street.

Shoulda known better,

shoulda manned up.

Reporting

Froshie, in over his head

lies through his teeth

think again

breathe again

live again

if you can.

Reporting

Watch out

the snake's in the water,

lies on its back

sticking its tongue out.

How did it go?

Red on black...

Red on yellow...

No, definitely red on yellow.

Watch out.

Reporting

Scene 231: Effort

To take flight

To fall

To run

To trip

To swim

To drown

Too much effort

Scene 230: Before

we touch our fists

pounding them on tables

shaking the milk

from their cups

and we yell

scream

and kick

looking

around

all we want

is

your attention

Scene 229: Retired

Sitting

eating raisins and oatmeal

we rest

taking in the sunset

before we close

our eyes

Scene 228: Laundry Day

I sit

with pastel colors on my lap

happy as Easter.

The fabric beneath my fingers

breathes

and speaks to me

telling me stories of stains

rich in tomatoes, mustard,

aspartame and

salt water.

I fold the shirt

and put it in my basket.

Breathing in the Spring Fresh scents

from the static-less jeans,

I run my fingers down the worn seams

faded

like a memory

but nevertheless present.

I listen

and the pants tell me secrets

how it ran in the rain,

went on that first date,

how it dropped on the dirty floor and laid,

and how the suite

sensed the love of Chicago.

I fold them gently

laying them next to my spotted tie

that saw every important occasion.

Gathering my clothes,

I leave the Laundromat and get in my car.

The road is empty

but at least

my car smells sweet

like Spring Fresh scents.

I see a river, and pull up on the bridge.

I bring my laundry.

I cross the bridge and stop

halfway

my basket teetering over the rail.

I close my eyes, and gently push.

I get back on the road, driving elsewhere

as my clothes sit in the riverbed

slowly drowning

Scene 227: Progress

Dancing in the meadows

I bow

to the sounds of sulfur

and metal

Scene 226: Cave to Cave

I'm crawling through the cavities of the cave, searching,

slipping in and out of the cracks

each little crevice

of the white pillars

the stalagmites

and the stalactites.

You are with me

also lost in the dark caves

flying around on your magic carpet

winding around me. I feel your breath

in mine

and together we search.

Looking for meaning in this dance

like the French do.

And we search

Yes, I'm late once more. This is yesterday's poem.

Scene 225: Mosquitoes

The night exhales

mantels of mosquitoes and mercury

dripping

thick with monochrome madness.

Sleeping

in the pillows of the moon

the mosquitoes weep

bleeding hearts

reaching for the stars

Scene 224: Fantasy

Sometimes I trip

over my thoughts

when they overload

my

brain

Scene 223: Inheritance

He talks quietly, but with a huge smile on his face.

He laughs past his troubles,

just like me.

The canyons on his face scream

of everything he's been through.

But his hands are so soft,

softer than you'd expect.

He tells me stories

of the words that came from his fingers

and the dreams that came from his eyes.

The longing in his heart is apparent

from everything he missed out on.

But he laughs,

just like me.

Wearily, he goes to hang a broken clock on the wall,

as I sit down in my bed and cry

Scene 222: Face

I

I took you into my hands

and fiddled,

your seconds tickling my palms

as I twirled you

around my fingers

carelessly.

I apologize for that.

II

I took a whiff of you

and almost choked.

All the dust and grime

hiding under your nails

raised a cloud thought.

III

I gently pressed you up to my ear

to hear the pulsing beats

hiding behind my heart.

The names they gave you

were not your names at all.

They never listened.

They never asked.

IV

I gently took a nibble

and felt you run out of my mouth,

dribbling as little crumbs

that slipped through my teeth.

You laid on the bed

with only three hands

V

I sat you down and stared

rudely, perhaps.

But you are so strange,

still ticking along

mindlessly. I cry,

wishing you could be free of me.

And I of you