Oxygen has this way to let us live and let us die
Generous enough to give us our first breathe
But cruel enough to give it to another
Who in time will cause nothing but harm.

Combining with the pollution that surrounds the gases
It breaks us down into opinions that are neither right nor wrong
We battle each other while we ignore its silent laughter
Tearing at each others throats as if to break the windpipe

Sirens wail over hills touching even the lands covered in shadows
While cruel beasts stay dependent on the invisible
The sound waves soar between signs upon the motorways
While the taste on your tongue torments the oxygen that it swallows

Going, leaving, left, the pupils dilate to such a degree
That they nearly reach the size of its lids
We see it as a mother, a nurturer, a monster
And the world has given it the ticket to our lives.

Drip, drip, drops the wax on the candlestick
As it sits upon the moss covered bridge
There to show the way to the other side
We seek its comfort, its warm embrace
The orange light shines in the dark of night
We stand there listening for the problems in the wind
But we stand back to back, always together
Never knowing the other is there
We just feel the comfort of the burning candle
As it pushes us through our lives

As I wonder how I can move
Faster then any other animal
Lost inside my mind
The doors just lead to cobwebbed places all the time
Where matter doesn't matter in anyway

When a boy dreams of traveling to space
He thinks of impossibilities
Life left in the past
And nothing but stars for him to grasp

The entire world watches as he flies
Left all of whom he loves behind
This step, this leap
Makes me think of how he’ll be lonely

Just one of the masses,
I stand there, thinking
I hope you reach your destination
As I watch him
Shoot across the sky.

This purpose I seek
Continues to elude me
All I can hear is the words
From foreign mouths
Compliments, accomplishments
But still satisfaction is far from close

Goals tossed aside
Like flood damaged novels
Except for one
Dusty, old, and unachieved
One from my childhood
Tucked away for safe keeping
Inside the hidden nook of my mind

One day, I will find a person
A person whose mind reacts
Perfectly with mine

So my journey begins anew,
But misleading pursuits led me
Far from where I needed to venture
Years it’s been, but I found a new path
One that I thought would lead me
To a delicate spring, peaceful and joyous
I still don’t know if this path is the right one
However, I continue with my hopes held high

10 miles in, now I see it
The path, it’s blocked
Preventing any passage lays a gate
Constructed fairly recently, but solid
Solid as stone and no way around it
I could turn back, choose another path
But the image of the spring is so near
My faith cannot falter
And so I wait

Sitting on the stairs leading to the gate
Listening for the chains to move
Lifting this portcullis
But what if I wait to long?
What if another arrives?
No, I must not question
I must find my use
So I continue to wait
Hoping that for once
I can continue on my journey
And for once
I can stay
Happy.

Right?

Despite my efforts,
I burnt the cookies.

Ate them anyway.

A tired old man groans
As he hand you some
Asian culture cuisine.

Riddled with spices
It tickles the little thing in the back of your throat
As you swallow the substance.

Face now flushed
Like a cluster of fire ants crawling on the hill
Calling it their home.

Home?
Where was it?
Your memory slips.

Glee storms the man’s face
As he studies your expression.

“Seems like you can’t handle such a simple thing."

Clouding your judgement, you bite your tongue
In desperate attempt to knock back the sense
That gone up and left.

However
It fails.

Numb as the lightbulbs turn into bottle-cap suns
Concealing sight
With the light that it shares.

Count as your heart stops
With eyes bloodshot
His crafted words echo
In your failing ears.

void draw()
{
    background(255);  
    fill(0,255,0);
    text("What­'s up?", 10, 25);
    
    fill(255,0,0);
    //text("Awful. Please I need someone. Anyone.", 10, 75);
    text("I'm fine", 10, 75);
    loop();
}

White noise
Static but constantly moving
Bouncing within my head
While waves mimic the solidity of space

Click-clack, click-clack
Fingers traveling centimeters
Continuously forcing themselves
Over letters of ebony

Surrounding sighs of the recently promoted
Brewing with worry
Caused by the liquid
Elegantly pursuing electronics

The music of some obscure indie band
Echoing along side teeth
Who cut those who get too close
Letting them fall to the salty dirt below

The waves begin to rise
Noticing the lives
Splashing into my own
I sit
Searching for my sound
But all I hear
Is those around

One
Soft hands covering eyes
Left in darkness with only your thoughts
Rules are rules
There has to be order

Two
Imagination sparks
You hear friends scatter across
The wooden floor
Like untrained mice

Three
Focusing on your breath
Inhale, exhale, trying to stay alive
Still hearing the frantic pattering
Of those confused around you

Four
Wondering where they could be heading
Way up high?
Far down low?
On equal level, right there beside you?

Five
Palms are sweating
Moisture’s trapped
Under aging cupped hands

Six
Getting impatient
Foot starts tapping

Seven
Starting to rush

Eight
Almost

Nine
...

Ten**
Done

Ready
Or not
Here
I come

Lack of common etiquette
Changes my strategy
To your detriment

I enjoyed it
Somewhat
Running up and down the court
Playing by rules that I concocted
Due to my inability to play correctly

It was all right

But while the air in my lungs depleted
I couldn’t help but ask
What’s the point of it all?
You run around and hit a ball
To another opposite you
That’s it

They don’t even want the ball
They are just going to give it right back
The game is just trying to force
Unwanted objects upon the enemy
Repeated again and again
Until one ends up giving in
Becoming the oppressed

Engrossed in their failure
The defeated is left to stand there
Gasping for air in a sea of oxygen

It is just animalistic behavior
Created by the insignificant

Illuminating
Vivid
Blinding
Gone

Like headlights of a passing car

Eyes closed tightly
Letting the music flow
Throughout my body

I need to stand out
Like typos in a paregraph

Anatomical roots cover
The heart of this planet
Trees sprouting
From the darkest crevasses
In which the insects hide
Clawing their way towards
The gaseous orb
That gives them nutrients

Some don’t grow far enough
Suppressed by unknown toxins
Just stopping short of the
Illuminated line between life and death
Petrified, the trees stay solid
Until the insects of time rot them away

However, some do find success
Making it out of these
Pitch black caverns
To find themselves
Living in a whole different world
A land that only they can
Appreciate, love and cherish
Because they can see the difference
They came from the dark
Between the roots
Reaching for the sun
Hoping not to get burned

Both made of carbon
But we are not the same

Waiting in the train station and to my surprise
The train conductor's smoking, doesn't care at all
He walks right over and asks,
"What're you waiting for? Get on"

I'm sorry I'm not riding the train today
I am waiting for me sister, she's on the next train
I haven't seen her for the longest time
And I heard she bought a cat

His eyes grew large like an atom bomb
My words caused him a panic, I don’t know why
Sausage fingers now points in my direction
And this is what he said,

"Right you little rat, I got a bone to pick
Now you getting on that train because I told you too
And if you don't I will break your nose
Then I'll steal all your cash"

His meaty aroma flooded my nasal duct
Just to make him leave I walked into the train
The whistle blew, the wheels spun on
Now it's my sister's turn

A child like wonder is needed
In this funeral affair