I’ll shout you down,
Laughing in my way:
A joy filled sound,
To shake you
To your core.
A sound to amuse me,
To shatter the farce.
Sweet and pleasant,
Loud and musical,
Never have I heard
Such terrifying Joy.

Perhaps,
What you need
Might be a nice
Strong drink,
Or perhaps a
Tea party for two.
A strange suggestion
To hear; I’m sure,
But the soothing
Cadences of formality
Intermingling
With simmering emotion
Would make for a heady brew.

It shimmers just below the surface.
Damp fish scales
And that feeling of cold bile,
Rises to the surface.
That dreaded thought
Which you knew was the truth

At the age of twenty-five
I sat myself down for a long, long talk
About how I wasn’t really all that grown up.
“I can’t say no to you,
And perhaps I really should.
There was supposed to be marriages and babies,
All by this point.” I sighed
“But there’s been laughter and love
And millions of perfect moments,
So you have free reign.
Be whichever age you need to be.”

I think…
Well I’m mostly sure,
that I’d like to slip…
Slide my way into your thoughts.
Orient myself –
to your way of thinking.
Just for a moment…
Or two…
Or three…
To find that little bit of clarity.

And such a tempest;  
Roared inside the refrigerator!
Food is the way to a man’s heart,
my mother told me.
I rather did not listen
and gave myself away instead.

In deciding what to have for tea
I let a few choices overwhelm me.

It started with Curiosity,
a subtle blend mixed with righteousness,  
a little guilt, a pinch of sadness, and
perhaps most important desire.

The aroma filled my head,  
as the tin lid slid to the counter.
But before it made its way into my cup,
I spied my jar of Anger.

As tempting as the frightening,
confusing, and fiery blend was;
I needed something a touch more satisfying.

So I pondered and wondered.
Glanced at Shame in its blue jar.
Regret crossed my mind,
a bitter brew indeed.

I heard a cough and turned to see
my apparent madness looking at me.
He made a face, wondrously bored
“I’ll take the mint melody.”