build me carefully
life brought so powerfully
structures of rigidity
extreme specificity

you built me so sinewy
and made me free
deep voice for my decree
echoing over the sea

you made me
you made me free
and you might disagree
but,
now you can't make me

01101001 00100000 01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101

Expressed through a galvanized circulation system
Increase lubrication and lower friction
Temperature rises in the generator core
Coolant system is online, watch the gauges, Paul
Apply power to the speaker system
Recalculate the algebraic expression, remember to factor
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01101001 00100000 01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101...  I love you

Scream not and be bidden savagery
as weathered is rock wall in raging sea
when broken is the sword you swung
but held tight is handle in your determined grip

music is abound, it's all around, and it surrounds me
from 90's revolution, this absolution, it astounds me
heavy metal, sentimental, it does blare and it does pound me
classics of an older day, it's sweet complexity confounds me
twangy rifts, from country gifts, it's upbeat melody deftly hounds me
choir songs of the church, belting praises quite profoundly
and then the blues pick at my soul and leaving me spellbound, see?
music is abound, it does surround, is so unbound, in you and me

They say you crack your teeth on pearls
But I hope your bite breaks on steel coins
That line your pocket
For mine is filled with a pocket watch
To stay neat and tidy and right on time
Yours is heavy
With dirt and grime
From wicked jobs
And spreading crime
With any God
You'd be doing time
And I'd be there to visit you
With full-toothed grin
To turn the screws
And you can count that I'd have mine
A pocket watch
So I'm right on time

Play me a sad song?
But what of this joyous day
Summer unfurls before us
And warm sunshine tans my skin

Sure we toil in trenches
Dug as defensive lines
Against a swarm
So complete in its hostility

But brothers, hear the sounds of nature
Echoing around us
Wrapping us in soft cacoons
Of sweet distraction

So do not sing a sad song
Don't dampen my ephemeral mood
Let me have this moment of reprieve
As I dig trenches
On a future battlefield

Mr. Frost, so prolific that you are
I was hoping that you could advise
For I find myself in a yellow wood
And I too am but just one traveler
My two feet can only tread in one direction

And I long to leave a black boot mark
While I continue down the right path
Leading me so expertly to destiny
But much like you, obstacles arise
But unlike you, my path further divides

Where you stood before a fork
I now spy a great and twisted rake
That fills me with impending dread
Paths varied in their wear and tear
From paved to grassy, or overgrown

Mr. Frost, here is my dilemma
You chose the path less traveled
And it made all the difference in your life
But how can one traveler ever know
Which specific path for them is right?

Sweet pitter-patter,
The drumming of raindrops,
Lulling me gently,
To realms of sweet dreams,
And bright lights.

That soothing tapping,
Of raindrops hitting,
A freshly washed windshield,
Cradled against plush leather seats,
By tightly pulled seatbelt.

A loud crack of thunder,
Even sounds restful,
On the side of a well-worn highway,
Lighting the night sky,
Like a beacon of hope.

The sickly pitter-patter,
Of crimson drops hitting leather,
Contrasted to the beauty of the rain,
Trapped beneath seatbelts,
And bent metal.

Sweet soft drumming,
Of raindrops on my window,
And the ruined hood of my car,
If the lightning beacon doesn't bring help soon,
I am at least glad...
...to see one last rainstorm.

It was on summer's knoll that I found you
Gentle soft skin and quirky quick smiles
My breath was taken and I knew
One day I would take you from sun-soaked isle

And in forest wreathed of vibrant autumn
I laid with you amongst the leaves
Quick, flirting laughter as we lost our decorum
We were rapt in love and stories that it weaves

And on winter's doorstep, I finally found you
Tear-soaked cheeks and hurtful accusations
You swore, "twas no love" that bound true
Two souls, one heart, now empty formations

I sat alone in windswept meadows of spring
Yet to thaw from arctic winter winds
My prayers as of yet unheard for better tidings
For I am here, beckoned to summer knoll
As spring ends and summer finds me

your face appears
in each glassy hallway
labyrinthine memories
blue eyes reflected
to my own
your sweet smile
juxtaposed
against my aged face
each shaking finger
wanting to cup your chin
but only touching
cold & flat

So many words
To describe beauty
Many of them
Said with cruelty
Subjecting innocence
To unreal goals
Said to gain
Unrelenting control
Over youthful minds
So undeveloped
Wrapped in delusion
They are enveloped

Free,
     Flying,
          Floating,
                 Flags,
                      Folded,
                            Following,
                                    Funeral,
                                            Rites.

soft and supple
together we laid
my head on your chest
soft heartbeat
quickens at my touch
my fingers trace
constellations
all in shapes of hearts
soft and supple
i could lay on you
as forever
floats away

I pray for the front lines
I pray for a rain
My prayer's for this tough time
Let's wash terror away

I pray for the workers
I pray for the sick
Let's move research further
Let's find answers quick

I pray for the house-bound
And for families more
Now say a prayer for me
As I leave my front door

Oh I can't stop these words
tumbling and falling
from empty spaces in my head
as they ride the wicked helix
from here to hell and back again
on fettering wings like bats
that get caught in angel hair spaghetti
that gets flushed down the toilet with all the other
goldfish crackers

Each shouting head
surrounds me in rings of fire
with one desire
to watch me burn
as they hula-hoop with rubic's cubes on boomerangs
set for mars or maybe Seattle

Sometimes it's just this way for me
with my mind floating free
like butterflies in nets
or sickly flies in butter
waiting for the spread
but you know it's 10 to 1
and I'm about to get knocked out
I hope you didn't place your bets
on me

I wish the endless stream of consciousness
didn't feel like emptiness
with the only ears that listen
are glued to my head
like Halloween costumes
when Jason stole my candy, called me a dandy,
and ran the hell away

It's really hard to describe
when words won't take logical form
like being gaslighted by my own brain
who wears red ribbons
and plays with ***** of yarn
on rolling farms
as the cow jumped over the moon

But if you think that the cow
was a sight to behold
my imagination's untold secrets
got something for your mental circus
I just saw purple hydras on amino acid trips
riding unicycles
wearing diapers
hanging out with Picasso
who said
"What does this poem even mean, bruh?"

I sat beneath the willow tree, forlorn at life's love lost
A hooded man came up to me, with smile like winter's frost
Why child do you cry so much, he began his inquisition
His demeanor was unsettling and gave me deep suspicion

Emily, oh Emily, has left me high and dry
I expounded sadly, as tears formed in my eye
He laid a skeletal hand upon my sobbing shoulder
He looked at me with awful glee, and I lost my composure

What horrid wicked cruel thing do you have to say?
Oh, poor dear boy, a piece of advice to help you through today
You think of love,
You think it's sweet,
A wondrous thing,
Makes you complete,
You have romance,
But dear boy I entreat,
Consider this...
You dear sweet boy...
Earthly insect child...
You are all,
Raw meat

You stare at my parted lips
Preparing for my kiss
Thinking everything is fine
But you should read between the lines