will you offer me...

   an ear
to listen to my hopes
   my dreams
     and my fears
    eyes
to see beyond what is placed before you
into the depths that make me
who i am
   arms
to hold me when i am afraid
   light
to replace the darkness
that sometimes envelopes me
    an open mind
to accept things about me
you don't understand
    your soul
so that i can hide out there
when i need to be alone
                          with you
    & your heart
so i know that i am safe
without questioning
                         the reason why

give these things to me
and i will give you all that i am

i promise.

there's a shadow that follows her
she knows not why
so she's been using it
for comfort
like an old blanket
that keeps her warm
on the coldest of nights
it cannot be stamped out
     or smothered
and
it never leaves
through the brightest day
and the darkest night
it envelopes her
holding on
like a stubborn child
not wanting to let go
so...
she's accepted it
lives with it
and goes about her days
with the heavy burden of that shadow
clinging to her back
   weakening her
slowly bringing her down

but because she knows nothing else
it has become a part of her
that may never leave.

if it takes one of us
to act grown up & rational
i nominate you

i'm too uptight
to fake composure.

grab a stick
and set it aflame
wave it in front of your face
and imagine you are in hell
close your eyes
to feel the heat
   steady
     steady
don't bring it too close
for if you end it like this
you'll be facing the real thing
baby.

glass cuts his body
        up
          down
     in
    out
and all the way through
until he is ravished by
an euphoric state
only he understands
he's bathed in blood
which to his eyes
is beautiful
               exhausted
he crashes to the floor
complacent
in long awaited sleep.

a love that's grown boring
two hearts...unattached
   wandering eyes
     watching with intense longing
a need that goes unfulfilled
   a want that becomes desperate
an act that cannot be reprieved
   a separation
a departure
the end of something
   at one time cherished
a new beginning
in the wrong direction.

i wait for you
   in the dark
     expectant
       anxious
         prepared
but as the darkness
fades into light
a single teardrop
tells me you aren't coming

my heart is offering me
the comfort of my tears
until the next time.

within your arms
i felt invincible

you protected me from the world
but you couldn't protect me from yourself.

her hair was the color of
   lemon peel
her eyes a crystalline blue
   skin porcelain
delicate fingers
were curled slightly
seemingly in wait
for something to fill them
her lips pursed oh so delicately
as waiting for a kiss
or whistling a simple tune
her expression was stuck
in a careless emotion
never feigning surprise
         happiness
        sadness
    or anger
and she sits & waits
for the inevitable squeeze
that comes from the excitable little girl
not feeling a thing
but offering comfort & love
just by being there.

i have memories of church
as being something
required
five days a week
   plus sundays
walking in a straight line
   no talking!
don't even acknowledge
   your neighbor
the closer we got
hands became folded
heads bowed
enter in complete and utter
     SILENCE!
repeating the responses
all known by heart
never really understanding the meaning
the final AMEN!
and out the door we went
a little more relaxed
sometimes a quiet whisper
a small giggle...

i guess making our way towards god's house
was much more sacred
than leaving.