Leaves of Love 2

Alone staring at the blank fading walls,

the moon’s pearl projects your face in my mind,

two rafts drifting apart, a velvet wine

sea screaming, fierce, masking my roaring calls,

heart thuds like when our lips jolted it all,

a grey sheath captures your light, need to find

bread crumbs that taste as worldly and divine,

every night a retelling of our fall,

You’re the dawn I want to see when I rise,

endless eyes above an auburn smile,

You’re a silent muse helping me to fly,

you’re willing to wander the world awhile,

I’ll stare at the abyss wishing for you,

lying in leaves of love, knowing it’s you.

Eve

Soft taps of rain drops, is the moon crying, did she steal his glimmer

a natural thief fleeing with a beating heart

the world’s a two-way mirror reflecting beauty and pain

egressing into solitude taught her that.  She’ll grow green roses

with her tears and watch them die.  Sleep is another death, a dream

a replaying of broken scenes of loss.  She’s shivering under covers

fingering the sharp skin yearning for that old touch.  She’ll spit clouds

to cover the sunlight since at night she’s able to create happy shadows.

Collapsing into bed staring at the beams of light cycle through

on a train shooting for far away field running aimlessly

that intense anxiety shaking thrashing pounding

turning to capture the sleeping hills and bonfires

smoke signals for the gods

slowly ascending past the sky

to remind them what love looks like.

Creation

He’ll paste his pencil in the sky and watch it spin like a clock,

the way those hands move is sensual in a way,

decaying structures crumble like pieces of cake,

wake the children to see this fire,

higher and higher till it burns the city for a second time,

He’ll be the phoenix rising from the ashes,

that symbol washing the blood from the cities hands,

a deep crimson dripping from the lake,

diving to dig the graves up,

let the corpses float so we know where are forefathers are,

He’ll create his own river bending to his will,

till the earth erupts with colorful guffaws,

that past leaking from his shadows and scaring him,

he was never afraid of the dark before,

but something real is waiting for him

around the next dirty street corner.

Man and Machine

Man                                     Machine

I tread barefoot across hot sand, a whisper from the ocean, eastern breeze chilling my skin, squawking seagulls pecking for scraps at my feet, peeking a memory is like staring at the sun, I reach to feel the blonde locks between my fingers, I’m brought down by the weight, I start to build sandcastles out of snow, shivering, rubbing my palms for warmth, dark clouds can appear without warning.

Systems on.  Engines running on fuel combusting and burning loads of oil into my limbs mimicking moving my almond eyes mirrors that can see but not understand.  Brain wired to electrons spouting lightning bolts to transfer emotions like smiles and laughs fingers touching hands but not really feeling the energy stifling my iron lung shooting bullets in the form of my name.  Conceiving days with the stopwatch winding down on my arm keeping motion forward monstrous rains plummeting sparking fire fizzling database seeping into the cracks to feed the only human part left my heart.

Sunset Song

I know you, white blinking orb,

sitting heavenly in the sky,

I pray to your full form,

while I fly by.

Most eyes hide from your face,

losing themselves to the night,

comforted by your constant place,

settled with your flight.

I love you and your beautiful eye,

when I’m wandering the seas,

when I’m lost in dream ecstasy,

when I’m alone huddled in a tree

waiting for the clouds to cry.

The cool gales make me shiver,

I’ve been trundling for so long,

time apart from you makes my wings quiver,

but I’ll patiently sit and croon this sunset song.

Young Christmas

1.

I’ll paste together a family of snow,

packing them in a row,

First the father with a button-nose,

the wife and her rosy lips,

one son with tiny toes,

and a daughter lunging wide hips,

they’ll be mended by the same white flakes,

clumped from Chicago’s hair,

they’ll always be close cause they can’t move,

as long as the winter stays chilly and cold,

I stare at my creation,

rubbing my hands for warmth,

wondering why my family melts away

even as the dead of winter folds.

2.

Blizzard:  Settling mounds as white as grandma’s hair.

Closed:  lights are off while the grey clouds linger high.

Family:  No sign of mom’s car as the snow reaches our window.

Alone:  Watching fat flecks covering everything slowly, clean.

3.

I’m sitting under a withering tree with the

moon as my guiding star.  Winter dreams

chime with ringing of bells and traveling

two places to eat a dinner.  It’s not a war

but a time of giving.  Don’t ask for words

if you’ll use them as knives.  I’m not sure

why mom cries holding a corona bottle.  I’m

not sure why children lift their fists against

me.  I’m not sure why Dad silently steers

his head not looking my way.  I’m not sure why

my brother died.  I’m not sure why I want

to leave this place.  I don't know why my

family sits apart in the same home.  I'm not

sure why my mother cheated on my father.

I don't know why my life laughs at me.  I’ll stay 

in shadows of my room as they spit at one another, 

wrapped in my youth blanket tightly, my eyes

growing heavy as Christmas melodies dance

into my ears.  I can't fall asleep without noise.

I'll wait till the stars go out to start looking for home

Tip-toeing down a deserted block

the wind fingers

through the trees

warm mustard glow

of sleeping homes

salty stars dotting

that silky pot

crickets chirping

to my slapping feet

lifting my palm

tickling gust

catching small wet kisses

coyly sliding

down my cheek

hanging under my smile

while I try

to welcome

the new feeling

here.

On a Cold Cold Night

Death’s ring finger digs into my spine, sneezing winds sneaking through

cracks in my windows.  Bleak shadows shuttering, shaking,

glowing a grass green glimmering like blades.  A stiff scent of blood

my blood dripping through my nose.

Night moves like a banshee whooshing and wailing

till I guard my ears.  I’ve never felt a fear like this since I was young.

Thudding footsteps on my chest, scratching branches,

swirling clouds spilling rain sputtering and splashing.  I’ve

lived through these days before.

I just need to let the horseman ride through.

Come Seasons Come

Come Seasons Come

nothing worth loving lives forever,

shivering blades of grass scythed by the grim wind,

flickering leaves are embers fizzling into the eastward gale,

wilting wallflowers tilting into a soil grave.

Come Seasons Come

everything eventually folds into the ground,

bleak whispering grave nights,

biting sheath of air,

hallow moon looming like a lonely island.

Come Seasons Come

I’ll weep when you pass me by,

sly stalking grey,

bare branches reaching high for that ice sun,

knowing time’s hands are peeling me away.

Take Flight

Empty street stretched out like a black belt

lake’s icy tongue licking my face

shadows scream and moan and shutter

lamps fading endlessly east like a landing strip

arms extended

sprinting huffing

darkness mushed streaming by

tense roar smashing the momentum

dashing eyeing the velvet ceiling

wheels burning wanting needing

I must hop through that pale hole in the sky

crushing asphalt as I leap

letting the wind guide my way.

Weekend

Steal the hours kicking off the branches in different hues

Wrestled by stifling heat collapsing cold

Capturing sites in flashes

Mixtures of Chicago and now

Allowing it to mend raptures in mind

Find sleep beneath another soul

Holding back to view the entire landscape

Drape night with laughs cackles murmurs

Listening to the simultaneous breathes

Remembering everything left.

Walk

Right foot first past the hole,

letting bristling trees fall with the wind,

shiver, left foot, pause,

voices scatter like loose leaves,

sizzling empty benches stretch like an arm,

crystal clear blue with a grey sheath creeping,

not enough Z's to hide your thudding chest, 

closing your eyes reminds you there’s silence,

but only when your alone.