I fell in love with a girl named Hope,
as she wrapped her cold hands around my throat.
And while I choked, I wrote "let's elope..."
She replied,
*"Nope. Even though that'd be dope,
I only came for what's owed. So, here's your last smoke and six feet of rope."

The path falls out behind me
Shaking my world into stillness
My warhorse is tired
And I am battle weary
Still we ride, even blindly
Having faith in our fulfillment
Within the shadow of the spire
I can see clearly

Among the flowers, a fair haired maiden
Softly sings my name in praise
But no one else seems to hear
Or notice her presence
Yet to me it is blatant
This vision fills most my days
But is she really in front of me here
Or do I merely feel her essence

Either way I’m left elated
By how we can beget such a paradise
I would sacrifice all of reality
To bring forth its existence
All effort is for naught, these worlds remain separated
Dreams eternally tantalize
Every waking moment of normality
Until the day we share in the writing of a sentence.

Are these poems
Or love letters?
I suppose there is seldom a difference
When it comes to people like us
Convectional affection
Love conceived but left unborn
Never to come to fruition
A mutual decision
At least that what I tell myself
But I dreamt of you again
Laying in the soft grass by the still waters
Like you've always been
Though I have avoided that place for some time
Call this my homecoming
My shining armor now tarnished
My sword and shield worn free of their varnish
Skin garnished with scars
I hold neither regret nor shame
That everything has changed so much
But will you love me the same
Even though I am not such?

I'm hyperventilating at the titillating notion
That when there was love in the air
We should have taken deeper breaths
The wind is warm in the summer
Each passing breeze is seamless
And lacks any lenience
Short gusts reveal its grievance
But upon inhale I can still taste its sweetness
I exhale
And with it a kiss
A small wisp whispers a wish
I pluck a single leaf from my tree
Untainted and pristine
An unfathomable green
Hold it within my folded hands
The wind shifts as if to say
Keep it
But I release it anyway

People often say to me “I wish I could write like you.”
Which to some degree I should find humbling
But if only they knew the truth
That every time I touch the pen I'm afraid of what it might do
Behind the guise of self expression it takes possession
All defenses are torn a sunder in pain under its reign
And I am helpless to stop it
Like I would, even if I could anyway
Each tear in me is subject to its tyranny
I watch every sunset fearfully
As the veil of darkness falls
So do the castle walls
It is then that the pen will begin to possess me again
Coercing confessions of sin
However, as much I hate it
I abhor I love it more
I concede that I need it
There is a stink of distinction
Between me and this ink pen
Yet still somewhat synonymous
Whatever I hide under the surface
Determines its purpose
And it always serves it
Even if it hurts when
I bleed through this pen.

Your soul is corrosive like acid. I can see it as it burns around the edges of your eyes, while they wander across the tips of tails from smoke trails telling compelling lost tales of torn sails and the botched sales of notched rails. But not bales of hay because, hey, who pays my bail anyway? When the rain hits, memories fade like a fragrance but I'm afraid your scent has stayed like a line from Hemingway. I never get to play on the home run hitting team it’s teeming with talent but even more talons. The claws in my paws put a pause in the clause.  The only time you take a breath from your speech is to kiss me, and even though it’s always on the lips I can never believe a single word you speak. Each sentence makes sense but my 2 cents makes none. I feel like I'm flying when in reality I'm just dust in the wind. Ash from my volcano caught in your tornado wishing I could say no. No voice inside the vortex besides the one that whispers you’re next. Escape is a poor jest. You can try to defy or deny but no one will find your hubris humorous. Though the flames are luminous they are not nearly numerous enough. So, I was forced to meddle with my mettle on a metal like melody until each element eloquently fell from me. Are you telling me you’d rather keep reveling in this felony?