Young faces

young faces
crowd the gate
trying to push past the bouncer
to life on the other side

through, they celebrate
the chance to get top dollar
for pieces of their souls
figuring
whatever’s left
is where they’ll be

life being one big hologram
and in each part, everything

so what’s to lose after all
we only use ten percent of our brains
so there can’t be much pain
in trading for gain
stuff we waste anyway

they say

til the day they realize
they gave the rest
to create the test
designed to stump
the very best

the only key
the final fee
they had to pay
cuz nothing’s free

e.10.22.16

Period

sour meat and blood
sticky flesh, hot, funky
hunger craves some spicy food
nostrils flare. It's tangy

this is nasty, good
throbbing, pushing, aching
caught up in a mood
messy for the taking

fire burns the loins of lust
and faces, mud mashed, groan
and madness in the eyes is blind
just wants and grunts and pounds

and beauty is an ugly thing
when its turned inside out
an old rag, used and tossed aside
collapsed, caught breath leaks out

e.10.22.16

Wouldn't it be beautiful

Wouldn't it be beautiful
if love was ugly
a snotty nosed kid wanting to share a lollipop
or a homeless guy reeking of piss
wishing you a good morning
or a dog shot
protecting you from the police

If love was beautiful
she'd have glasses
so you could see more clearly
the one you were thinking about giving your heart to
was a blood thirsty cannibal
and you could walk away
heart unbroken
happy cuz you just missed stepping in some shit

Love ought to be like that
like a downpour right after you get pigeon bombed
like finding the keys you thought you lost in your pocket
like getting there early when you thought you were late
or getting there late
and missing the accident

e.10.22.16

I'm done begging for blankets

I'm done begging for blankets
I need my own bed
big enough for love that doesn't steal
doesn't wrap itself up selfishly
pulling up the cover from my icy toes
and letting the dark bedtime air
slip in and kiss me coldly
like an unwanted lover

I'm tired of waking from cool nightmares
in the dead of night
sitting on the edge of the mattress like a ghost
watching you snuggled in your warm dreams

where am I in your dreams
do you even care that I'm out here
locked out
frustrated
ready to snatch the covers from you
flip the mattress
and beat you to the couch

e.10.22.16

In a lifetime of daydreams

In a lifetime of daydreams
beauty never nested in my hair
but swam in my mind
looking through my eyes
and felt itself breathe
when it saw you

like a sunrise
or sunset
or speckled through the canopy
of my wishes and hopes

fantasies really
for I would never dare to disturb that picture of you
that brings me such peace

so my kiss will be the breeze
you enjoy and hardly notice
caressing your cheek, arms
ears and toes

and my love will be some passing thought
nostalgic and a little sad
like the memory of some beautiful melody
you barely remember

and your name will be my heart
a warm voice
wanting nothing

10.20.16

Penny

Death came like a coyote
in an overgrown yard
where kittens hide
when they go outside
and won't come in when you call them

like a thief hidden behind a second thought pausing nature's orchestra
to reveal a scream
that drew me into its horror
and in that double take it stuffed my peace with a hole
with rusty jagged edges and an alarm

with the volume turned down
and straining to hear
through my hot heart
and racing feet
I stumbled upon the aftermath of its cruel humor

and saw my disbelief
stunned and awake with adrenaline
white fur bled
for whom my love could offer no comfort only calm
and quiet
and grief...

e.10.21.16

You are too much for me

You are too much for me
but I am a selfish, jealous dog
enslaved to your eyes
when you smile at me
completely unarmed
when you speak softly to me

I bully my fear down and behind me
when you share
when you are heaven to anyone else
and beat my chest and roar
enraged, my heart leaking

but when we are alone
though my back groans with ambition
my arms prefer your thighs strong
until we fall
and I roll over, around, and about you
pressed against you
looking for a way in
begging your approval

e.10.21.16