I was running full speed
with hands a-blur
Legs moved at warp speed
but I couldn't be sure
That my mind kept the same speed
as initially procured
Subtle hints in their voiced word speed
that my lungs endure
At the pace of vocal cords and their speed
to a heart that's pure
While I raced at the pace in the fast lane at full speed
I was ignorant for sure
To the signs of the fissures that form when spirits break at this speed
too small to see in this blur
So I raced for the carrot hung at the end of this rope, where we move at break neck speed
Like a pawn on a skewer
Where I was lead to believe, but it's hard to be certain when you're moving at this speed
Where's the truth on the lure
On the line of lies that they casted out of the reel of hope where the victims speed
As my face shows the fissure
From the hits I have taken by the promise of the shelter of a slower speed
Realized faith in the sewer
I slow enough to read the signs missed at my blistering speed
A shock to be sure
Led by misguided voice that speaks at light speed
from the mouths of the cur
NO U-Turn, maintain current speed
but there is no future
And as I started to lower the speed
their words were fewer
Traveling at old fool speed
I was now sure
That life's speed
was nothing but manure

Left to surmise
My surprise
Bouquet of Roses
Love devise
Soul remise
Two single Roses
Your device
My demise
Dozen throned Roses
Your disguise
Heart excise
Petal felled Roses
Anger arise
Hate comprise
Black-tipped Roses
Left to surmise
My surprise
*Bouquet of Roses

And then there is you
your bladed mind ran through
yet standing so tall
but looking so small
with your spirit tumbled
but still not humbled
by the sound of the glaives
from the tongues of knaves
where the hurt and the pain
join the bleak and the vain
in the choir of the dark
as you re-embark
on the road of deserters
where pothole subverters
and their petty warmongers
look to curb all your hungers
as you look for salvation
but find the starvation
of hatred's embraces
as history retraces
the same path that I'd taken
but was forsaken
by the rock that shook
as my pride it took
and I found no dawn
following the fallen pawn
where I lay down to die
and yet up you fly
climbing over bodies begot
with distances I just could not
and as you run through your life
full of misery and strife
remember the folly of the few
who fell to the dark before you

You walk in
eyes glancing
searching
judging
our coats
and its many colors
and our sizes
and our injuries
and our problems

You walk in
ears straining
sorting
searching
judging
through the sounds
of whining
and begging
and excitement
and anger

You walk in
with your ears
and your eyes
and you judge
too hyper
too scared
too hurt
too angry
too excited
and you say that we
are too sorry

And you stop
at the little one
sitting pretty
not barking
not excited
not sad
not angry
and you judge
that this one
is the perfect one
and so the little one
gets a new home

I see you
walking out
and I ask
what makes me
not pretty
not funny
not cute
not perfect
and I am
puzzled
confused
scared
but not of you
because I,
unlike you,
do not judge