sometimes people are toxic
but since they don't have fangs
their poison must be ingested
and thus their power does wane
for we have the freedom of choice
when blighted words waft our way
to listen and swallow their venom
or simply to walk away

The language I learned from you
was the wordless speech
that tongue teaches tongue
that eye flicks to eye
that skin lets through

I think that enough time has passed
  enough rain fallen
  enough memories swallowed
  enough pottery shattered and remade.

I think it is time to write again.

Lost in the wilderness who would want to return

Judas betrayed Christ with a kiss.
As a confidant, Brutus stuck
the knife in.
The betrayers are
out there,
thick as buzzards,
waiting to crush your
dreams, like crackers for
their big bowls of bones.
At least Jesus knew what
was coming.
I can't tell my
friends from my enemies.
Someday soon, Ill find
peace of mind, and the
betrayers will feast on
themselves.
They always do.