”Don’t look!”, mother said
“It’s not for your eyes to see”
So it sat there, that little red box
in-between curiosity and me
“Be a good boy and put it down
promise to never open the lid,
You never un-see, or undo
a memory, you wish you never did”

I traced the edge, gave it a shake
and placed upon it my ear
listening what may mysteriously make
that ruffle from what I could hear
So I sat a lot, wondering what
could possibly be inside
It’s only a peak, I’m much too weak
my conscience I cannot hide

It can’t hurt, no one will know
after all, it’s just a little look
I’ll open and close, see how it goes
no harm, just like a book
tempting as is, a ‘sorry’ can’t fix
I wish to have kept my word
when mother was gone
and I, with the box alone
peeped in and out flew a bird

Let’s plant this kiss
and bring forth fruit
our lips entwining
with tongue-like root
Let’s water this kiss
with tears we cry
over trees of life
lest they wither dry
Let’s bury this kiss
beneath our eyes
our last taste of sun
before light dies

Michele Di Carlo became a freak show
the day he climbed up a tree
To his dismay, that rainy day, he fell
and broke his bone in three

Some say, it could have been worse
a deformity for the hard ******
but humbled now, with a wrist to hide
now that his fingers were all twisted

Yet, no shame is in the mangled
Michele dangled no pity in his pain
He learned to show it off in pride
though be crippled or he be lame

When shaking hands with most men
he smiles, offering a disfigured hand
His strength was in his frailty
a bashfully better and stronger man

For on the day of his funeral
photos reveal before he died
an array display of his freakish limb
his best pose by his side

Even then, Mr Carlo in his coffin
requested only one thing when laid to rest
that when they placed him in the ground
they’d lay his hand upon his chest

If you try
to close your eye
and keep your thoughts
in to think
Take care
not to sleep
in too deep
at a flicker of a slightest

blink

I’ve fallen asleep
many times
lying down

ink and paper in hand

To find my thoughts
splattered around
so I’ve learned to write
while I stand

try
to not lie
and write
the right
way up

You may find
thoughts like mine
spill

and never stop

by the time
you have this read
you’ll think it’s in my head

so no…it’s

dripping down

You will find
It’s not in
my mind
but
in my toes

flowing on the ground.