Monday, February 28, 2011

beginning to understand


the pills didn't work but
the pain didn't hurt so
i cried all the numbness away
and the heat of the sun
thawed my heart and my tongue and
reminded me that it was day
but why should i try if
one day i will die and
no one will remember my name
well my days are a gift so
the fear, i will lift and
give in to this beautiful game

Sunday, February 27, 2011

hands


without them, I'd be nothing
my whole world trapped between
my brain and skull
and there is no
escape

without them, I'd be no one
no drawings of expressive eyes
no poetic lies
or music
or truth

without them, I'd be now
because they tell the
story of the past
and they hold
the future

without them, I'd be me
my story, love, and answers,
but no one else
would ever
know

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Thursday, February 10, 2011

love story

in the morning, he swallowed the sunshine,
and lit up like a light
in the evening, he caught falling stars on his tongue,
and she feared they obstructed his sight,
because seven of every ten stars, she said,
got lost somewhere in his eyes
they shone every day, right into the next,
not even a frown could disguise

he ate soap and water for breakfast,
and rubbed oatmeal through his hair
he took deep breaths of fire,
and lit scented candles with air
she wondered about the sparkling stars
and where the other three were
on the day she found out they were kept in his heart,
he gave all three to her

in the morning, she folded her blanket
and arranged pillows on her bed
in the evening, she followed the stars in his eyes,
and held on to each word that he said
she ate oatmeal for breakfast,
ran soap and water through her hair
she breathed in the world around her,
for her heart, she hoped he would care

he wasn’t what she had expected,
his methods were none like she knew,
but on the first day that she met him,
she said, “I’d give up my old ways for you”

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

just as well

old men will die
granddaughters cry
son-in-laws sigh
and nothing's changed

candles are lit
but people quit
when words don't fit
as they're arranged

heart like a drum
beats quickly from
the way I've come
to hear you tell

familiar lies
to my surprise
familiar ties
break just as well

troubles unplanned
unclench your hand
to understand
hands carry more

than pain and hate
they can hold weight
of love and fate
by which you swore

old men will die
granddaughters cry
son-in-laws sigh
it's all the same

so it's okay
to turn away
when asked to play
this endless game