A touch,
a tender kiss,
the feel of his breath
on the back of your neck.
The trace of his fingers
caressing your abdomen,
innocent yet intentional.
An embrace that screams,
"You're independent
but I will be here when you need me."
A look,
confused and complicated,
as she doubts going any further.

The silence of the nightfall is upon the world.
Not a single car,
nor a single horn.
Not a door shutting,
nor a garage opening.
Not a dog barking to get let in,
nor a cricket yelling "I'm awake".
A sudden break in the continuum--
metal twisted,
bones broken,
a last breath,
a scream,
followed by more.
A perfect concoction of
liquor, youth, and stupidity.
I look upon you now,
several emotions flash;
depression,
disappointment,
pity,
anger,
guilt,
but the only thought I have is,
it could
       have been
                        me.

That rush,
my heart pumping,
fear birthing excitement.
A needle
filled with dreams of bliss
complete relief for a slice of your life.
The taboo nature,
intentionally inflicting harm on oneself
paralleled by intentionally inflicting happiness on oneself.
A spoon,
a lighter,
a cotton swab.
So unsure of myself,
my heart rate accelerates,
my hair stands at attention,
the rubber haults circulation,
I search for a stream,
my brown medicine turns crimson,
the pressure of my thumb,
I remove the dam blocking my river and.
My eyes roll.
My body goes numb.
Seretonin overload.
I float back,
and fall into my bliss.
Hours of ecstasy.
I will always be a prisoner to
that rush.

A boy this day
brought into this world of violence and decay
in the streets he frays
in the beats he stays
turfs pullin him away
threatening his well-being
so he goes to hell stealing.
He's feeling
so alone
cuz on the streets there ain't nobody
you can call your home body.
People's faces you learn to go study
but no matter how long you try
a poker face strong to lie
and soon you are so drawn to die
you realize the wrong do die
and the strong do lie
and the few do cry
the politics pull him
through the war ensuing
black versus white
wrong versus right
dark versus light
day versus night
it's a trick know
to pick against a foe
but the situation is forced
beliefs sourced.
Born unto a fate,
in the streets of hate.

There he lies,
the crimson blood pools.
Many claim time stops,
many are naive,
time is an emotionless entity,
the clock with always tick
regardless of human action.
A woman screams
as if her son had welcomed death.
I stood cold as stone,
immobile as stone,
cold, rigor mortis.
The gun lies in his hand,
an extension of control,
intelligence didn't have the chance to **** him,
although one might argue intelligence initiated depression.
This is not an excuse for my actions,
merely a cause and effect situation.

Do your eyes see;
do you see me,
what I might be,
see me fight free.
Listen lightly,
knowing nightly,
reason rightly.
Watch them think,
on the brink,
at the end of the sidewalk,
writing with dried chalk,
Christening pride talk.
There's a mask you have to look behind,
I ask you to take out a book sometime.
The unconscious is linked to the eyes,
the tongue is linked to the lies.
Observe absorb,
cut the chord.
Be reborn before
the darkness overcomes,
a zombie you'll become.
We don't want constrained concentration,
we don't want absolute annihilation.
Knowledge possesses power,
watch the courageous cower,
as we rise from the ruins,
make them pay their dues in.
March with me some,
you'll find freedom.

Look at these people,
they think they are free,
can't they see,
there is a fee
to be "me" or "we".
Turn on your TV
tell me what you see.
Does anyone care what you think;
does your opinion make a difference?
Are you naive enough to believe an untold truth?
Will you follow in my footprints of proof?
If you answer is yes,
let me guess,
you have empirical knowhow;
you've never picked up a book;
you ain't guna start now.
I want you to seek out false propaganda,
take that man off his soap box.
Find the tape;
cut out the ***** in which the lies lie,
the flies fly,
the ties tie,
the dying die.
I ask too much of the world,
expect intelligence
and only receive disappointment.
Where is the need for knowledge?