a fully make-up ridden face
a single streak, ruined
by a tear revealing skin of
an alter ego putting
his sadness
to rest
but he watches time drip
slower than a slipping goodbye of
a dying comedian
an audience cannot see
true emotion by a face
make-up ruined
they can't see his small ticks
his nose can't grow from
the lie that he is living
because its been replaced
with plastic containing true emotion
to bring life
to thousands
while his and theirs rock on a scale
slants his life into oxygen
but leaves the man behind the make-up
behind the red, blue.

when my time comes
it comes
and I will gladly leave
to those who go on living
the task of sorting out
the mess I have accumulated
over years

let them discover
not only the stamp collection
the bank accounts
but also unknown niches
of their father’s/friend’s/husband’s life
the words unspoken
scribbled on some paper
thoughts never shared
for lack of time or opportunity
the letters to a friend of yore
emails to many people
hints of potential
love affairs that maybe never happened
ideas to change the world
into a better place

here I am
  now with a 7 before my years
envisioning life after death

a sign of vanity
perhaps
or an expression of despair

I am not sure

it may just be
the fleeting thoughts
on a clear winter evening
when cold creeps slowly
but insistently
into your bones

reminding you

   of all that cold space
   in our universe
   how it grows larger by the second

making you wonder
if it has a plan
and if that plan
includes you
speculating
about your destiny

        * *

It’s just another one of those candle-lit nights
From the outside looking in, everything’s all right
And while everything might be, still isn’t the same
For your rose petal ear is not here to hear me whisper your name

The walkway and porch-light miss your sight
In everyone of my empty-bed candle-lit nights
I long for you hoping your coat misses the back of my chair
How both of my pillows tell me they’re missing your hair

And the walls and the windows, the sheets and the shades
Keep asking and asking and so is the flame
I have to tell them everything’s all right
And that I miss you too in these candle-lit nights

The jazz music plays with country lines in my head
And I find it sour to sleep without you in my bed
But it’s so sweet to know, keeps me holding on tight
You will be here again one of these candle-lit nights

And then everything will be all right

(c) 2015