I don't believe in blind faith.
That I can trust everything will be okay without proof.
Things are bound to go wrong sometime.
And I'm not really one,
To stand on a cliff,
Back to the edge,
Wearing a blindfold.
To see if someone will catch me when I fall

If you know they won't accept you,
Obviously they aren't worth your time.
But please remember,
There is someone (hint) out there
Who cares a great deal for you.
And let that bolster your confidence
When you resume your search
For the namesake of this poem.

I plod along,
My padded paws muffling my steps.
The trees form a canopy,
Leaving this space devoid of light.
The only sounds are of my footsteps,
As I slink through the shifting shadows.
Here and there a set of glowing eyes flash,
And close once again to avoid prolonged detection.
Then, through a break in the leaves above,
The moon shines proudly,
Sharing the light that was given to her by her lover the sun.
I drink in the moonlight,
It sustains me.
But I make sure to take only what I need,
So the moon can share her lover's gift
With the world.
And I howl in thanks.

Some say a poem should be eccentric,
Complex and technical.
A collection of grand specimens
From the authors vocabulary.
However,
I prefer a simpler approach.
A single syllable is sometimes all you need,
And sometimes,
It is more than enough.

I missed you tonight,
You went to sleep,
Pleading exhaustion,
Don't worry, I understand.
I'm just angry with myself,
That I was busy with other things.
After you went,
Like an addict in withdrawal,
I panicked.
What would I do until tomorrow?!
Then I realized,
I truly understood,
It will always be this way.
I will always miss you when you're not here,
And I wouldn't have it any other way.
You're ingrained in my blood,
You're stamped into my heart,
And you've invaded my soul.
I live for you.
So I finally have something to live for.
Thank you.
-Mike

Pretty words,
And they rhyme.
You almost had me convinced for a second.

If you really love me,
Tell me the truth.
Don't tell me what you think I want to hear.
A hastily placed "I love you."
A bat of the eyelashes.
An attempted distraction.
If you really love me,
And I hope you do,
Then help me plan our future.
Our road to travel together.
I won't desert you on the path.
But if you want to leave, I'll wander off.
And you can walk the next mile without me,
As I try to find my way back.
If you're not happy,
Then go find your wants, wishes and dreams.
Become happy.
And once I know you're happy,
My own travels will be easier.

The shaking body,
Of a boy in a hollow,
Looping a length of rope
Over a gnarled limb
On a yew tree.

The spilling tears
Of a ******* the street,
Running to stop him
Before the deed is done.
The rope snaps taut.

I can feel it.
It pounds in my blood,
Resides in my very being.
I've taken the oath,
Signed on the dotted line.
I am a soldier now.
If I should die,
Bring me home.
Lay me to rest in a field dotted with willows.
Hand my flag to my sweetheart.
Give my insignia to my mother.
Tell my brother I'm in a better place.
Bury me with my rifle.
But most importantly,
Never forget.
Remember what I stood for.
The people I helped.
Because,
That structures my legacy.

You said working makes you happy.
Am I hobby then?
Am I a sideshow you use,
To wind down after an unexpectedly hard day?
What am I?
And whatever I am...
Does it matter?

I'm a man without hope.
An Alpha Wolf without a pack to lead.
I wander the concrete forest,
Hunting for signs of life.
But none are forthcoming.
Then, from the mist,
A ghost from my past materializes.
She pads to me,
nuzzles me, chuffs lightly,
And slinks away, so I follow.
Past the mindless,
The dead and the soon to be.
She leads me to an alcove.
Turns thrice on the spot,
Gives me a wolfy grin,
And curls up.
So I do the same.
I am a man who has found hope,
An Alpha who had found a mate,
A hunter in the night,
And a soldier.
She makes me more.
And I am stronger.

You say you're not perfect.
Your steadfast denial convinces me otherwise.
Is it possible to be perfect without being perfect?
Apparently not.
But you've done it.
So hold on to all of those perfect imperfections.

In my experience,
A song can convey more than words,
Which is why I'm sending you a link,
To something I want you to hear.
You tore me the hell apart,
Said you understand why I left.
So why the **** are you guilting me now?
I'm happier than ever before.
And it seems you're trying to drag me down,
With conventions of your own.
A well placed passive aggressive statement,
A line to guilt trip me.
Listen to the song.
Let it be my legacy to you,
And go away.

Some say the world is cold.
Devoid of such things as happiness.
If nature is not happy,
Why does an open flame dance?
Of course it also devours all it can.
But wouldn't you if you danced so much?

It seems,
I attract so many.
They seem to fall in love,
With what I've done,
What I've said,
Positions I've held.
But they don't take the time,
To get to know me.

Dear friend,
I've missed you. It seems like we haven't interacted since before I arrived here. I want to see you, but I know our next time together will be our last. I've always wondered, why do so many fear you? Good men understand you, come to peace with you, but most act like you're a monster. Humph. Just know... I don't fear you. I see you for who you are. You welcome us back. You take us in with open arms. You might be seeing me anytime... My dear friend Death.
With love,
Mike

It doesn't matter who lit the match.
Because when the smoke clears,
The flames dwindle and
The ash drifts away,
There's nothing left to argue over.

I can say without hesitation,
I would never use words as weapons,
Against my own inspiration.
Disagreement may be inevitable,
But I intend to work it out,
Without verbal attacks.
That is what people do,
When they love one another.

Crazy people never think they are.
I'm open to it, but don't think I am.
What does that mean for me?

Half of me wants to love,
The other wants to ****.
I balance a longing for a companion
With a thirst to bathe in blood.
Nobody to caress lovingly,
So I run a knife blade
Along the edges of my lips
To hide my frown.
A ghastly grin now sits above my chin,
And still I can't silence the screams.
Oh well, maybe it's for the best.
Nobody will recognize me...
So at least I can't disappoint them.

Dear Diary,
I drove the neighborhood and looked at the Christmas lights tonight. The clouds were patchy and the sky was dark. Everything seemed at peace. I had pulled over and was resting in front of a nice house with gorgeous white lights everywhere.

A few houses in front of me, a door opened.
A figure emerged carrying a backpack, followed by an obviously shouting and gesturing man. The figure spun and said a few short words before marching away down the sidewalk. The man returned inside.

The figure walked a short distance and looked around, as if lost. Then they sat on the curb and dropped the hood. Started to cry, head in hands.

She was only 14.
I walked over and she was startled until I assured her I meant no harm.

"Are you okay?"

"My papa told me to leave."

"Do you have a place to go?"

She shakes her head no. So I ask if she wants help. She nods.

"C'mon. I'll find you somewhere."

She follows. I call a good friend for advice.

"See if she has a friend she can stay with."
Genius idea. She does.

Twenty minutes later I drive away, leaving her with her best friend's family. Tell myself I did good.

Then return to an empty room to spend the night. Hopefully things turn out right.
Merry Christmas kid is my last thought before drifting off.