Round the path these wraiths walk
paced to keep the gears turning
save for a few this is Lady Justice
her arms holding even the smallest souls
sounds of buzzing and locks clanking
dominate above the incessant chatter
backyard handshakes hidden from prying eyes
dogged deals shaping these shatter lives
and the word of the day is always "waiting"
taking one last look at the hands of time
before that dreaded voice bellows through
then its the cold slap of flash on cement
these veal on twenty three hour lockdown
spinning their tales these jailbird tailors
lying to each other for stolen smiles
each in a different stage of the same life
bathing in the omnipresent light of fireflys
dreaming of a wisp of smoke or a hand stroke
whichever waits for them on the outside
they'd believe in the patience of the buddha
if religion were on their tapered tongues
as it is there's always faces against the glass
eyes peeled to savor the brief passing drama
apathetic to the other prison dog's plight
drooling for the next passing hour
as they count them like sheep herding sleep
cleansing their conscience in the communal rainshower
everyone praying for the wings of freedom
to fly them from these sullen gates
the others still suspended in solitude
letting one man tell them when to eat and wake
their voices becoming mere whispers of wind
poets robbed of their rhymes and words
grown accustomed to breathing processed air
measuring their time in months, weeks, and years
locked away with the shadow of their fears

Will no one run with me through the fields,
And laugh unto the moon.
I've been too long from childhood.
I need to find it soon.

Will no one climb up in the oak,
And hang dangling by their knees.
I've been too long from childhood
Won't someone help me please.

Will no one hide their eyes till ten,
Then run and laugh with glee.
I've been too long from childhood,
Won't someone help me see.

Will no one help me make a kite,
And fly it to the sun.
I've been too long from childhood,
I need to have some fun.

Will no one run with me in the night,
And catch the fireflys.
I've been too long from childhood,
Won't someone tell me why.

Looking out a shimmered window, the trees in nature look like a still painting. My mind floats back to a wishful dream. Sun shining, i lay back on a bedrock of flowers, Lillie's, daisy's, roses, tulips, and every other possible flower known to man. In replace of my usual night apparel, upon me lays a silk, light rose, lace flower dress. My hair done into an elegant bun with two strips curled and shimmered, and lay gently upon my cheeks. I look among the scene i have taken place to, My bed of flowers is no more than twenty feet out of where i lay. All around me is the sound of a gentle river flowing. I am upon the river heading away from the luminous sun.
  I float along beside separate rivers. Each river seems to have its own destination in mind. Next to me i float along with a young boy in a white silk apparel. He seems relaxed as he lays allowing the sun to lavish his Caramel skin. He's content with where his bed is floating away to, his trail seems to drift toward a tunnel where mine drifts right. i must look confused or worried because he sends a soft smile my way and heads off into the mysterious hole.
  Too quickly I'm shaken and taken off guard and i swirl to the right. Suddenly the sun descends and shimmery stars appear. Rising from the north horizon they multiply by a thousand. I notice little flickers of bright light flashing off the side, behind and in front of me. There are tall stacks of green **** growing taller and taller. The flickers of light begin to dance around, now there's thousands of them. I think I'm imagining this till one hits me on the nose. Fireflys! They follow me all through the green tunnel.
  Finally i break through and the view is just indescribable. in front of me there's millions of miles of pure gentle water reflecting the moon. My eyes Reach The horizon line, There's a hint of pink beginning to rise. I take one more glance around and lay back and close my eyes. Before i know it the sun is peek high and shinning to brighten each darkened crack. I'm running toward a field of flowers, Firefly's, twinkling stars and love. I wake up once more, in my own bed still wearing the silk gown. Was it a dream? A Mystical Dream.

i remember when i used to catch fireflys
and watch them as they glow
but now they're a distant memory
of the childhood i should have known

i've always been
a little less then a prodogy
but
a little more then average
my "childhood" was (is) just a job
for which i didn't get paid
and when i was tired of acting (not so) my age
my parents told me i had to go

i've always been
a little more then needed
but
a little less then right
and everyday i'd tell my bones to just
hold on tight
but now i'm breaking
making every single move a mistake
and
takeing every single word that you say
but hey
i'm 12 years old
why would i have a say?

so every night the only thing i could do
was catch fireflys
but i'm too old now
**and i have bible study tonight

in the cavern
stalactites & fireflys
illuminate
now
a library of theories

chasm cacophony
their massed odour
freshly damp
hanging in wait
for the moon's cue

headlamp highlights
campers' scraps
under earth & rock
a steady descent
strange treasures

Hello there, long lost friend!Your soul is quick to embraceBut your eyebrows are hesitantNonchalant, but entirely too awareOf the time that has passed.You've grown out of rompers and jumpersAnd long ago lost your innocence,Running from quick candlefireAnd buffalo callings-round a nightlight.Is it that time already?To worry about loan repayments and language disorders?One more night, day, hour, summer,To roam in search of fireflys,Pitter pats, and knee high adventures.

Light skin tone
pretty Latin lady
tattoos, brown hair
curvy, with pretty eyes

close to the Texas coast
A discreet approach
older Latin guy

starting talking
friendly, but cautious
looked into your blue eyes
like the same weird music

sipped on bulleit bourbon
talked surprisingly deep stuff
we walked back through fireflys

curiosity, genuine attraction
exchanged some hot words
your interest further peaked
You even told me your wants

my thoughts travel back to city nighs when fireflys lit the dark,under streams of summer moonlight,air seemed fresher and even crisp in those young man days,with quick strides I walked past houses of peoples who knew and didn't know,who I was,and care,heading toward a future that might shut out all the dreams long dreamed,yet to meet young womenwho would guide me through the garden of sweet delight,and deliver mail to my senses than awakening

I have been hiding in the swamps
for a dog-gone long week
allday i have been trying to move my feet
through the mud and the blood of mosquitos and alligators
with the eye of a eliminator
and with the hand of a monkey
i was painting a portrait
of myself
without a helping hand

the swamps
fireflys in my oil lamp
the swamps
a big fire was burning at the end
of the swamps

The vines fell from the tree
nearly fell on me
all night i was using up my matches
for no good reason at all
exhausted i was laughing at
silly parrots and spiders jumping in the fire
while the frogs made the score
like an out of tune choir

the swamps
the shadows were tall
the swamps
bigger than the biggest hall
oh the swamps

Chest pain is an agony that only ice-cold water can soothe
A chicken scratch throat, sore from the coughing only misery brings
My heart tells me to leave without you, to never ride along with you
When I feel like the person I once was is a ghost, a person long forgotten by this shell of an empty shallow being
Who looks in the mirror to see her own ghastly reflection each morning and thinks to herself if only this were the last time
The last time, she’d have to see this face, this body
Hear the broken vocals this shell can utter
It gets unbelievably easy to isolate yourself from the people you once thought held the world for you
Now you wouldn’t mind decaying before the ones you love as long as it meant that the spiral would end
Bottling fireflies in your belly, locking the key, burying it deep
It’s easy to be alone, it’s easy to shut everything out
But so incredibly difficult to say so

Because the wind gave waves to her long brown hair
While the ocean lay silent
No secrets to bare

And the air smelled of salt, and of love, and of light
From the fireflys dancing
All night after night

Because darkness brought dreams to her settling head
Places warm and unheard of
As she lie in her bed

I am queen of moon
Decider of darker nights
Defender of fireflys in the moonlight
Fighter of wrong and right

He is ruler of fire and ice
Warmer of frozen nights
Giver of precise
Cooling the fire
But only if need be
Just enough to let her see

Watchers of moon, night, fire, ice
Manifesting in words
Triumphing in intellect
Wanters of the next
Without the moon there is still night
With no fire no need for ice

Together there is balance
Combination of galaxies
Creating moon
To live in night
Making fire
To melt ice

In the all arround
Whispers are in the air
Quiet words of precise
Humming whats wrong and right



-Jennifer DeAngelo
Copyright 2017

in the imaginations of people
I was there
the extraordinaire
the sitting sipping coffee shop watching
the young lovers outside try to separate
so hard in the dusky neon lights
the washateria lonely
an old woman folding laundry at 11 pm
as I sat outside rolling butts into smokable for a minute
fireflys
cleaning the ashtray out
the stalls of the convenience store
not even sitting down
so ***** even I the hobo would not
checking the Mcd's bag for fries
I found walking home at 2 am
the favorite of my memory
is seeing
on my journey
a guy at the grocery store
help an old couple load their groceries up
he didn't see me admire his charity.

Sipping lean Rolling blunts
Lite like fireflys
Bottles pouring
Bodys dropping
when you hear da devil start
Roaring,