Clock

Artwork: Why Time Goes Slower when We Get Older - Rhonald Blommestijn, date unknown

the things,
the people,
the events
that mark
my life

like the
hours,
the rapid...
...fire
hours
speeding
away
on the
face
of
father
time
himself.

i need
patience -
a patience
so intense
as to be
surreal,
inhuman,
potent.

ticks,
heartbeats
throbbing,
flitting,
thumping,
counting
my life
away
one
second
at a
time.

honestly:
i look
like a
fool
waiting
as i
do.

Rage and Release

Artwork: Poison Control 1 - Kenichi Hoshine, date unknown

fighting

for my

life:

tearing out,

tearing away,

tearing apart

the very

fabric

of my

grief.

unraveling

threads of

anger,

frustration,

self-loathing

and then

some -

i will

break

out of

this

cocoon

and

emerge

fiercer,

stronger,

braver

than i

have ever

been.

i will

shatter

my fragile

self

and make

room

for the

new

me.

when that

day comes:

i feel

sorry

for anyone

who gets

in

my

way.

Lamb to the Slaughter

Artwork: The Island - Thylacine - Walton Ford, date unknown

my hands

are tied;

am bound

in chains

dragged

to parts

unknown

like a

lamb

to the

slaughter

my spirit

broken,

my heart

in shreds;

nothing

to live

for,

nothing

to die

for.

nothing

is left

for me.

muzzled,

silenced,

beaten,

hated,

spat upon

with savage

vituperation

from all

sides -

reviled

by all

who know -

or knew -

me best.

maybe

in death

i will

find

peace.

Secret Self

Artwork: Tsukuyomi - Hiromi Sato, date unknown

i write

notes

to my

secret self

and tell

her

who i

want,

who i

wish,

who i

need

to be.

under cover

of darkness,

under cloak

of shadow:

our conversations

consist

of blighted

hopes,

ruined

dreams,

forlorn conclusions

of silly

experiments,

mundane matters

of the

heart.

but i

still see

myself

growing into

her:

becoming

stronger,

braver,

wiser,

more beautiful.

someday,

i will

have no

need

to speak

to my

secret self.

when that

day comes

she and i

will be

one

and

the

same.

Joyeaux Anniversaire, Mon Amour

Artwork: The Rebirth of Beauty in the Midst of Conflict - Joshua Field, 2008

here's to
another
year;
here's to
you.

may your
days
be filled
with:

sunshine
despite
the rain,

pleasure
despite
the pain,

your life's
work
on rapid
rise,

(it's up
and running,
i surmise)

for friends,
for clan,
for colleagues
keen -

(oh, and
don't let
them say
anything
too mean~!)

for
experiences
new;
the man
you are,
the man
you'll be;

and perhaps -
perhaps! -
maybe...

a place
in your
heart
for
me?

here's to
another
year;
here's to
you.

Author's Note: The title means "Happy Birthday" in French. I wrote this for someone's birthday - which so happens to be tomorrow!

Squeeze

Artwork: "Lemon Aid" - Jeff Battocletti, 2009

i feel
like i've
been drained:

my brain
is like
a sponge
squeezed
dry
of every
single
original
idea...

the people
around me
are
vampires
out
to suck
every
last ounce
of
creativity,
of
magic
i have.

i won't
let
them.

because
if the
fount
of my
knowledge
dries up -

- they'd
never
survive
the drought.

In the Midst of Solitude

Artwork: Untitled Piece by Shary Boyle, 2007

on those
days
when you
feel
that the
world
is against
you,

know
this:

you are
not
alone.

you are
never
alone.

and you
can tell
your foes
to go
kill
themselves
because
they
matter
not.

Before Battle

Artwork: Judith and Holofernes - Keith Thompson, date unknown

i prepare
myself
for
battle;
i gird
myself
for
war...

i put my
sword
to hand;
it is sharp,
and keen,
and my arm
is strong.

i set my
eyes
on the
prize:
my heart,
my soul -
they both
need
saving.

feel my
anger,
let my
fury
burn:

let me hack
at the
heads
of my mortal
foes -

self-loathing,
fear and dread,
insecurity -

fall dead
at my
feet!

no mercy
for the
fallen;
with my
blade -

of truth,
of passion,
determination,
acceptance -

they will lie
bleeding
before me.

they enslaved
me
once;
it shall
never
happen
ever
again.

Ennui

Artwork: Untitled Piece from the Smitten Collection - Audrey Kawasaki, 2007

i sit here
half-asleep
my thoughts
a-jumble:
a mixed
bag
of maddened,
frenzied,
twisted
ideas.

boredom
can do
that.

i freeze
in this
chamber -
body
sluggish,
slothlike...

...but my
mind...

it's still
flying.

Loneliness at Dusk

Artwork: From One Thousand and One Nights - Yasmina Alaoui and Marco Guerra, 2005

i hold
my
silence...

not letting
your name
cross my
lips...

desperately
trying
to wean
myself
of every
influence,
trace,
memory...

but i
cannot.

i hold
my
silence
and lurk
in
shadow...

i wear
a mask
all day,
everyday.

i say
everything
is okay
is alright
is fine...

but
it is not.

i hold
my
silence
and lurk
in
shadow
and weep
in
secret.

To Cling, To Hang On for Dearest Life...

Artwork: The Last Rose - Zhang Qikai, 2006

i
wish
you
would
take
the
time...

to give
me the
time of
day...

hear what
i have
to
say...

send a
look my
way...

silly
of me...

isn't it?

why do
i even
bother
hoping,
praying,
wishing,
weeping,
sighing
at
all...

over
you...

Spectre

Artwork: Silent Stories - Audrey Kawasaki, 2008

i will
hold my
tongue
and say
nothing
more...

instead:
i will
reach out
and touch
and heal
and comfort
and soothe
those who
need
succor -

or:
there are
many ways
of taking
revenge -

to all of those
who have done
me harm
in decades,
years,
months,
weeks,
days
past:

i'd watch
my back
if i
were you...

you never
know
who may
be walking
behind.

Thé Pour Un - Tea for One

Anti-stress Tea at Bizu Patisserie

i try to
ward off the
chill...

fruitless,
fruitless
attempt on
my part
to feel

anything.

i am
cold.

i am
alone.

where are
you?

the only
saving
grace?

at least
i'm not
crying
anymore.

Depths

Artwork: Linger - Audrey Kawasaki, 2008

gaze deep
into my
eyes...

lose
yourself -
your mind,
your heart,
your soul
in the
darkest
depths...

know this:

you are
adored.

My Heart Betrayed Me

Artwork: My Dishonest Heart - Audrey Kawasaki, 2008

i have
tried
to forget
about
you
but
for some
odd
reason
i can't.

virtually
everything
i see
reminds me
of
you:

every
signpost,
plate,
label -
name it,
you have it,
it's
there.

and i
sigh
as i
slave over
my tasks
and mope
and lament
the fact
that my
heart
won't let
me
forget...