Looking through the murky water through mask-like eyes full of soul.
Darkness and mystery devoid of life replete with plastiky detritus.
My limbs askew foiled with the weight of water pinning me in place.
A narcotic to soothe the way. I will be hidden treasure under the sea.

Or looking up at the wondrous day that is clear and bright, with a golden sun.
Limbs as light as feathers feel of cool ocean breezes and expectations of joy.
My mind melts just enough to give me that unknown but dazzling feeling of peace.
I have time. I can float on my back until it is my time to turn over forever.

That’s right. I want to call a halt to death, specifically the death of one person.
Please don’t assume that it is a loved one I want to see once again. Hell, no.
I want to face the evil of a person whom I have just learned was a meek monster.

Family secrets held close to the vest, a Roshomon story imbued with tragedy.
The blithe cruelty that forever tinged an already downward spiraling stage set.
Let me have my final say to the ******* too cowardly to stay alive long enough.

A pause here and then a modicum of calm comes over me. Breathe, breathe.
It’s too easy to get pulled back into the vortex, to relive what should never have been.
It’s all right now. And it’s all right now. The dead are deaf, and I’m alive. RIP, my rage.

I found an old ivory-decorated little box tucked away among her possessions.
The box was locked but easy to foil by a person determined to seek answers.
The old woman had a lived a charmed life full of money, travel, and whiskey.

She had worn her classical beauty as a haughty warning to all who came near.
An acerbic genius at inserting the dagger right into the softest spot with ease.
Her own soft spot was animals, the wilder the better. Her feral streak, I guess.

The box felt empty but it was hiding a small crimped note underneath the velvet.
I hesitated. My face in the above gilded mirror was not the face I depended upon.
Flashes of the old woman blurred my vision. I imagined the old cord between us.

The old cord, discarded continually. Seesawing between venom and disinterest.
No back-up plan, no come-to-Jesus moments, just an invisible border wall.
I can’t seem to breathe, the portentous air enveloping me as I read:
“I did the best I could. Mom.” I shut the box and put it back where it belonged.

The weight of me has no force, no substance, no ballast.
Inconsistent, pandering, heckling, needful, shorn to the bone.

His is the salt of the earth, steady yet insistent, grounded to the earth.
Any spark of doubt doused without tension. Secure in his strength.

I fly without wings, look down for approval, wait for the storm’s end.
He looks up with eyes that say Don’t be fooled, I need you just as much.

They connect and divide us. Players and watchers with their separate symbols.
It’s game time every time, with winners and losers, no room for sometimes.
Blood action defines the fields. It’s a poetry of action and muscle in glorious hues.

Sport as war and war as sport. Boundaries, walls, bodies, and trophies define battle.
Rules of engagement written on wet cement. Crossing the line is pure showmanship.
Targets seen though myopic lenses that reduce them to pinpoints on the fields.

Kiss me passionately
Like your lips
And my lips
Are our lips
Flowing in synchrony
Pushing hard against each other
And pulling away in the most
Tense moments
Breathe in me
Take me and hold me above the ground
While I drown in you
And the water
Pours from my lips
Just from the touch of your kiss

I made up this thing after I read the first
and thought I would add my own little verse
10 ways a husband can add value to his life
and make sure he takes good care of his wife
the first is respect, yes it goes both ways
if you respect her, you'll have much happier days
the second is listen to her when she speaks
even when it seems like she'll go on for weeks
if you listened the very first time around
maybe you could avoid having to hear the sound
of her rambling on about it again and again
driving you to want to commit some bad sin
create a safe place so she won't feel judged
or you may start hearing a "truth" that is fudged
be honest with her in all that you do
because women can sniff out any clue
if you think you have pulled the wool over her eyes
sorry, but trust me, you haven't, guys
the fifth one is lead, and do it with care
don't be a tyrant or cruel or unfair
our first boss is God, and if you're not in line
you can see our obedience start to decline
so lead by example and lead from love
and you will have God's help with us from above
Serve is for both a husband and wife
this will create a happier, love-filled life
both of you share in the cooking and cleaning
always be helpful and never demeaning
husbands are called to be joyful too
nobody can handle someone always blue
it drains on your soul and drags you both down
then your married to a face that's stuck in a frown
pray for her, she needs God's help too
after all, she is married to you!
surely I jest, but all jokes aside
ask God to help your beautiful bride
Nine is one I don't need to tell men
but just to utter it once again
having *** with your wife isn't just for you
make sure she gets something out of it too
*** is a love sacrifice and not just a gift
and it's great for repairing a marriage rift
affirm the good things that you see in your wife
it's true what they say, happy wife happy life
positivity is important for all
and all those things add up, big or small
trying to do this on our little strength
will only cause stress and worry at length
now that you know how God wants you to love
ask for help with all this from above