I’m still staring into space,
I’m looking into another place,
A place where life is fair,
A place that isn’t anywhere,
It’s a different time that I see,
A time that never was or will be,
I feel things that I can’t feel here,
I feel things besides sadness and fear.

At last I was free
From under her spell
I said to myself
Climbing out of the well

But a strange feeling
Came into my head
As I mulled over the words
That I had just said

I wanted to go back
With or without the curse
Whether it was stockholm syndrome
Or something far worse

So I climbed back down
To the young witch's lair
Who despite her occupation
Was beautiful and fair

I explained my position
As she listened with surprise
Or so I thought
As I looked in her eyes

After hearing my request
To stay by her side
She seemed to break down
And nearly cried

She said she was no witch
Just a practicer of magic
But her skills were lacking
And her results quite tragic

I felt for her I did
But she was young and sly
And I could not tell
If it was the truth or a lie

In the end however
I did not really care
She was my beautiful witch
And I'd follow her anywhere

When I opened my eyes I sat in this body.
The wind ran through thick black hair.
Grass surrendered under my heels.
I didn't hate myself then, or yet, or ever.

Even now, when I part the clouds and look down down,
squinting into the tops of trees that were in my yard.
In the last home I knew, gentle hands fed me food.
We joked and my eyes smoldered for their pictures.
Why did they always take so many pictures?

You probably think I'm angry I had to leave like this.
That with one terrified bullet from two firmly planted hands,
my might and power and God given beauty did not move.
I remember that moment. The air was swept from my lungs,
through my lips, and two angels descended on my animal form.
My soul wound around one of their slender gray fingers,
while the other angel folded up my skin into a cavernous pocket.
We ascended into lush tropical rich radiant paradise--who knew?
Animals are allowed here.

Sometimes I wonder what might have happened if I could have morphed into human form in the right moment.
When I became human, they became animal.
You see, an animal is that which is unpredictable and wild;
terribly aggressive.

But people were scared. Now they have more reason to lock up
their kids behind bright little screens as they push them in secure strollers.
"Look at this game. Isn't it fun? Mommy's here. You're in a belt. You are
safe."

I just heard a sob from below. As I think these thoughts, I can sense
she is crying and missing me, missing a creature she never knew.
She sees God in me. She sees God in everything around her.

To shoot me was to shoot her spirit in the chest, to watch the blood
form in pools while people watched and put away their cell phones
and pushed their strollers to the next set of bars. On to more eyes that hide their secrets from the humans.

[in memory of Harambe the Gorilla]

Hell of a life !!
Just listen, oh my dear,
please come here ,
show me some light ,
hold my hand tight ,

I just want to talk ,
we can take a walk ,
Oh please I do not need any help
something is moving under my scalp,

Am I really bothering you,
that's the story, got nothing to do ,
I am no more hired or fired,
mercy my Lord, I am retired !

no more tension to pay the bill,
time is the agony, *******,
though I am very much grown,
Deep inside, I am all alone , all alone........

The fire ignites, in my soul,
only you, make me feel this whole,
and I know it doesn't mean a thing
but the thought of it makes my heart sing.
Whether this is wrong or right,
either way, you've made my night

When I was young,
I thought that one day
I'd learn to shave my face
and wear a polio brace.
This might seem absurd to you,
but I just thought it's what you do
when you become a man.

My father wore one of his own,
His left leg, withered to the bone,
and Dad was the first man I knew,
so I thought that was just what men do.
He walked with a limp,
but his head held high.
He looked life, no shame,
right in the eye.
He didn't let a moment pass him by,
because that's what men do.

He went to college, and got a degree,
and earned his keep most honestly.
He never asked for charity,
though he said "there's no shame
if you have to."
He was always humble, but not insecure,
of mind and body he was always sure-
for he kept them healthy, kept them pure,
because that's what men do.

He was always smiling, and quick as a whip,
his dinner parties were always a trip-
watching him and his guests exchange quips;
he was the funniest guy they knew.
And if a loved one was down and out,
he was the first one there, without doubt.
He said you should never let one do without,
because that's what men do.

He had a strong mind, and the heart of a bear,
He faced even tragedy with savoir faire
But his strong calm demeanor didn't hide his care,
The world knew his heart was true.
He stayed faithfully by my mother's side,
as the cancer took her and she slowly died,
I understood, when he finally cried,
that that is what men do.

I grew up and learned how to shave my face,
but not before Dad went to a "better place".
Still, til his last breath, he faced life with grace,
with a smile on his face, and a polio brace,
because that's what men do.