A Harvey Refugee Reports:

When she with cats, papers, a change of clothes
And her old college bag to hold them all
Was one refugee among others in a dump truck
A Houston Airport Authority dump truck

Dieseling through rain and water and fear
With muck and mud sloshing across their feet
A woman next to her then laughed and said,
“Now we’re the people they take pictures of”

But there was no Capa to frame the scenes
Only oh-my-Godders with MePhone screens

I was busy chasing someone else
when I knew the love dissipated, disappeared.

And then a little blue bird came flying from a big blue sky, bringing a message not on its leg, but in its chirp.

There was another who knew me,
and then he watched me,
and then, well,
I suppose he liked me.

I really do

Treasure

The time you take out of your day just to

Just to

Spend time

With me

Of all people

You spent that time with me.

I hope

You don't regret it

I hope

I sincerely

From the bottom of my heart

Hope

That you do realise

That I

Care about you

Far more than I am able to

Express

Through these

Flimsy words

That are nothing more

Than sounds

Sounds that

Pass through cold lips

Through the days

That doesn't make

Much sense

Does it?

But

I treasure the time spent

With you

With her

With him

I treasure the time spent

Doing what I love

Drawing

Writing

Reading

Breathing

Heart beating

But

I do have times

Where

I do not want to do any

Of these things

Where I

Rather be alone

Isolated

Captive to

My mind

Lost

In my

Thoughts

But remember

I will always come back

Come back out

Get found

Stumble

My way back home

And I will try to spend time

But know that

I am trying

To ground

Myself

And I

Really do

Love the time

We spend

Doing what

We love

Even though

I may not act like it.

It’s been years since you’ve left,
I feel that I’ve been able to move on
but the phantom pain in my chest
reminds me that you are truly gone.
I must admit I’ve missed you
even more than I can bear.
Like when I walk into your old room,
do I imagine your scent still in the air ?
I’ve finally boxed all your clothes,
I plan to drop them off today.
They are the last vestiges of you,
the physical remnants of your time here.
And it takes all I can do
to not feel so bereft and alone,
but the phantom pain in my chest
reminds me you’re truly gone.

I just want you to know...
what ever you are going through,
whether that's..
loss/grief.
loneliness/depression.
a new diagnoses.
pain/anger.
anything at all.
you are never alone.
someone's loves you.
whether you believe that or not,
it is true.
you will see that soon.
stay strong.
you can get through it all.
I love you.

the house across the street
has been empty
for years
because the landlord can’t afford
to tear it down
or build a new one
and it won’t pass inspection

one lamp stays on
all day
all night
to deter the copper thieves
or any other broken soul
seeking shelter
from the streets

a child runs across the splintered floor
his feet black as tar
stinking of mildew and *****
a mother sinks into her soiled chair
but she tries

a trust-fund recipient rides his jet-ski
his oiled body
tanned and toned
a father, gleaming, takes a photo
and he flaunts

everyone has their own place in the world
in a trailer park
in a tent
in a split-level home
in a shelter
in a palace

but never on the pavement
beaten down
like a poorly-trained dog
blamed for the errors
of its master

Why should the Light return upon
Our cold and darkened land?  
When, into sleep, we drift and yawn,
So thoughtless of His hand...

We never think: "Someday it may
Forever cease to shine!"
We never thank – with thanks, befit –
For Morning Mercies' rise.

Why should the Light return upon
Our cold and darkened land?
But to awaken life at dawn
As He, in Goodness, planned...

We never, then, have an excuse
To fall into a dream
We never, then, can e’re accuse;
His Glory’s, daily, seen.

.