Light stands guard over all.
Darkness fears its brilliance
So we have been told.
And yet, shadows permeate the world
Soaking into souls;
Spring rain into thirsty earth.
Where is the light to the mistreated,
The abused, the unloved?
Is there something more,
Some unseen purpose
to pain and hate?
Or is it all
'Just because'?
When so much can be done united,
Why does bitterness drive a wedge between
Members of the human family?
Just because.

I stand. Surrounded by the darkness
That I create.
I wave it away.
It hovers out of reach.
Close enough to been seen,
Far enough away to relax.
Fear, doubt, anxiety.
Fear, clawing.
Doubt, with sharp teeth.
Anxiety, with its insect touch.
And lord of all, depression,
With his dark cloak ready
To blot out the light.

Squaring shoulders.
Narrowing of eyes.
I stand, drawing a sword of light,
Names engraved on the blade.
They give me strength.
The ones that depend on me to
Never quit, never submit, never stop.

And yet, no matter how the fight ends
I stand.
They stand. We stare at each other.
Stalemate.
For now.
I will never quit.
Nor will they. They are part of me.

Lines intersect in brilliant crimson
Visible between dark lines.
Vision blurs; the tenacity of anger
Screams against the need for
My humanity.

Rip it open on metal and see the dents
As they slowly fill with my crimson intensity
Gashes on knuckles leave their mark;
Splinters of wood become painted bright vermillion.

Anger acts like a wildfire,
Consuming humanity and
Replacing it with something
Less refined.

Paint my rage on the world.
Leave a mark for others to see.
A raw wound that refuses to heal,
Bandage it and carry on.

Lines intersect in brilliant crimson
Visible between dark lines.
My hands are ripped and torn.
The knuckles white and tendons taut.
The blood, my blood
drips between my fingers
To water the ground.

Heartbeat
Hammering in time
To feet pounding on
Empty streets
A fearful glance over a shoulder
Lungs burn
Legs ache
Cannot stop
Not safe yet

Turn a corner and
Lean on a wall
To catch a second wind
Hacking thickened spittle
Out of a throat
Raw from screaming into
The unending, deaf night
Hand on chest, feel
The staccato rhythm, before
Turning to walk home.

Surprise as a flash of light
Made solid
Slides into supple flesh
Screams are silenced as
Legs collapse.
The scent of life fills the air.
Shivering in cold confusion
Why?
Darkness nibbles the vision away
Until all is covered.

Hungry eyes watch as
Life pools on the concrete
Then the fun begins
Hacking, tearing
Ripping
Into pieces.
Darkness stands.
Wipes the blade clean
Walks away, whistling a merry tune

It was fun, my dear.
We must do it again.

Everyday I awake
In my cell
Four walls
Glittering bars
Holding me inside

The cell, ephemeral
the bars, transient
the lock, insubstantial
The guard simply stares

No matter what I do
I remain in my cell
i may leave home
I remain in my cell

What can I do?
I rail against the bars
That I could walk through
I pull on the door in frustration
That I could just push open
i swear at the guard
That would watch me leave
And not care

Why am I allowing myself
To be trapped here?
Why am I so...
Afraid.

Last night
I dreamed of home
Surrounded by
Laughter and love
Old memories made new
To the eyes of a young man
Finding his way in the world.

Last night
I dreamed of home
New voices
Join the old ones
But the same laughter
And love floated through
The air
Crystalline notes
Of joy
New memories joining
The old
In the eyes of a tired man
Seeking a new place in the world

Last night
I dreamed of home
I miss the warmth
I miss the laughter
The smiles
Easy conversation
That means everything and
nothing at all

And now I search again
So tomorrow I can awaken
And think to myself

Last night
I dreamed of home
And you were there