Time will say nothing but I told you so,
Time only knows the price we have to pay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

If we should weep when clowns put on their show,
If we should stumble when musicians play,
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

There are no fortunes to be told, although,
Because I love you more than I can say,
If I could tell you I would let you know.

The winds must come from somewhere when they blow,
There must be reasons why the leaves decay;
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

Perhaps the roses really want to grow,
The vision seriously intends to stay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

Suppose the lions all get up and go,
And all the brooks and soldiers run away;
Will Time say nothing but I told you so?
If I could tell you I would let you know.

-W. H. Auden

I have read you
A lifetime
And all you heard
Was yourself

white clouds swell up
anvil bloom

a lowering gloom
scuds by

stacatto drops
on the windshield

punctuate  
powerline sway

radio crackle
sparks

sheets of tenor sax
and blunt

gusts of cool
I lower the window

and steer
into the storm


Tom Spencer © 2018

After every moment
Someone has to clean up.
Old ideas thrown away
New ones, emerge
Hidden, waiting.
For the street cleaners
of Xinxiang.
To recall the way it was.
Discarded remnants of
rusted arguments.
Litter the streets.
Each blade of grass a
compare and contrast,
a cause and effect.

For those who know less.
The days are painted in
remembered harsh light.
Like a slow passing train
it seems to never end.
But in this haunted twilight,
their are some determined
to look for comfort.
Not to you.

I can't describe the pain
the pain that you feel.
I can't tell what is worse
what drove me to this, my only option of escape
or watching the blood drip down from the blade

I look down at the lines I just drew across my wrists
my body the canvas, the blade my pencil
I do not feel fear, I do not feel sorrow, I feel joy
as I watch the seconds on the clock continue to count
I know that soon, so very soon I will be free

I can't describe the pain
the pain that you feel

They say a scripture a day, keeps the demons away

They say that the skeletons you keep in your closet, will make you want to grab a gun and **** it

They say you’ll never save yourself, unless you think like everyone else

They say that trust is a must, but no matter what you do, you’ll never really be a part of us

But the truth is, they’ll hate you regardless of whatever it is, you decide to do

So live the life that you bought or borrowed cause in the end, your happiness is the only thing you’ll have tomorrow

Your honesty doesn't taste the same
as his did in the light of rain
Hovering above me, caged in
Staring with hunger, painted by pain
His eyes cried tears of silence
yours scream words to me in vain
Pointless conversations are all
I can bear to swallow
Nowadays.