Mama's in the kitchen;
Father doesn't listen.
Knocking on your bedroom door.
Brother's in the driveway;
He never wants to stay.
You don't come home anymore.
Somewhere in the middle,
I am left to fiddle
With the pieces left on the floor.

Sprinting through the meadow--
Sun warmly brushing skin.
Tickled by the wild grass
As afternoon games begin:
Exploring creeks and forests
And all that lives within.
Scrapes and bruises commemorating
The quest for long lost kin.

Tiptoe through the garden;
Whisper through the tress.
In illuminated darkness,
Be hushed by rustling leaves.
Flowering rows exposed
So as to be kissed by passing bees;
Dancing down the aisles,
Damp earth cooling your bare feet

Sitting on the window sill,
Watching the passing day.
Attention turned towards the hearth
Once night takes the view away.
Surrounded by the things you know,
Comfortable in the array.
Simple now, was simple then
And simple may they stay.

Fire burning in my heart;
Open up, let out the sparks.
Fire rushing through my veins;
Set the whole world ablaze.
Few around because they've learned--
Get too close, you'll get burned.
Fire rushes across the plain.
Forest home goes down in flames.

But I never did mind a little heat.
It keeps me up and on my feet.
Rejuvenates the earth it's scorched--
So light me up, I'll be the torch.
They're so afraid of the destruction,
For bridges burn when there's combustion.
But something I have come to know:
The best bridges are made of stone.

This little trifle with the devil
Has got me all ******* in knots.
I called out to the angels--
Never did get a response.

They are shrouded in the veil
Of evils justified,
But out here we are fighting
Because there is nowhere to hide.

I'm left battered and bruised
And utterly confused,
For what was once important
Is now insignificant and obtuse.

What pretty words you've sewn together.
What a lovely, fabricated masterpiece they create.
What a wondrous story, once cut and trimmed and edited,
This will someday make.

And when you've finished all the detailing,
May you let it lie here on the floor;
Perhaps somewhere in the foyer
To greet strangers at the door.

Listen to your demons;
They have a lot to say.
Consider, now, the chaos:
It can take your breath away.

Play the devils advocate:
Be shocked by your own speech.
Play with fire, dance with monsters,
Contemplate what they preach.

Hear the echoes in the silence,
Though the resonance is faint.
See the figures in the darkness
Meaning light still remains.

Stare into oblivion.
Embrace the great abyss.
Find beauty in the question:
Can nothingness exist?

And you think it is as simple
As telling black from white;
Little do you know, my love,
That it's just a trick of the light.

Mindless scribbles.
Endless riddles.
From the roots
I am whittled.

Good intentions.
Wrong directions.
Consequences:
Aforementioned.

I never know where I'm going.
Not sure what I might say.
I wander through this world of rhyme
And somehow find my way.

It's no wonder many claimed
That muses gave them song,
For, after knowing my own methods,
How could I claim they're wrong?

Not every line is perfect.
Some verses need something more.
But each piece speaks to who I am--
What else could I ask for?

Here's to summers in the sand
All our best laid plans
That we never could see through
Here's to loving me and
Knowing you and

Days
Lost now in the haze
Romanticized by memory
Not truly you
Not really me, just

Time
That we have left behind
A time I never will forget
A time of love, and yet
A time I can't return to
That's not me
That isn't you, we've

Changed
Love faded away
Worse or better, whose to know
New things come as old ones go
I guess we'll see
So here's to you and
Here's to me

Directors and playwrights:
Puppet-masters pulling strings.
With an ending clearly written
A divergence is unseen.
Lines rehearsed,
Movements blocked,
Costumes sewn,
A table of props.
Each piece dependent on the other,
With trust that each will stick
To the parts neatly rehearsed,
To the lines within the script.
And it is wondrous entertainment
For an evening in the dark,
Where the set is just a fiction,
Each player, just a part.
But I'm not here for your enjoyment.
I'm not here to play along.
With the conflicts you've determined;
With your solutions to these wrongs.
I know my lines, I read them.
I know my steps, I've walked them.
But these lines, you wrote them.
And these steps, you blocked them.
How can I accomplish
Something different, something new
When I am following in footsteps
Conjured up by you?
It'll leave my company scrambling
To get us back on course--
But I have no desire
In the destination forced.
And if the set begins to crumble--
And the illusion is dispelled--
And all others break from character--
And the misconceptions that they held,
Then certainly my disruptions
Would not have been in vain,
When something new arises
On the stage that still remains.

Lost in the lullabies, stories told to sweeten
Life's sour aftertaste from which we all have weakened.
We are the storytellers, weaving webs of lore
Made to be our weight bearers when we can bear no more.
This world is just a story; This life: fictitious folly.
No rights.  No wrongs.  No this or that. Just tales to keep us jolly.

Won't you fill my mind with musings?
Endless tales of your choosing?
Entire worlds for our exploring?
Unleash the secrets you've been storing.

Back to counting the hours
until I get to go home.
Back to awkward encounters
with strangers I know.
Back to wearing my earphones
in tense public spaces.
Back to standing alone
in a sea of the faceless.

Back to socially inept,
standing in corners,
intense introversion
and wishing it was over.

Back to hiding my flaws,
my quirks and my oddities--
not talking too much
because I say all the wrong things.

It's back to the grind,
and I'll muddle through
because at least when it's over
I'll be home with you.

I feel the breeze brush my skin.
I feel nostalgia begin.
And I just want to sit awhile
And let it all sink in.

Sit here with me
Under the shade of this oak tree,
Whose branches we would climb
When we were younger,
Long before we lost the hunger
To go beyond the world we knew.
So what do you say
We pass away the afternoon
Just staring up at the sky?
Finding pictures in the clouds
As they go passing  by.

We can talk of days long gone,
The things we've done,
The roads we're on
And people we use to know.
Discuss all the little things:
Family, friends and enemies,
And see where the stories go.
We can let the day fade
As we sit within the shade.

I can feel the night time cold.
On my memories it pulls.
And the familiarity
Has got me feeling old.

Lean against the bark with me,
Where we once carved our names for all to see.
Etchings that have long since faded
Through the battering storms.
The same clashes and bashes and lighting flashes
That left us all weathered and worn.
We can name the constellations
That our memories still retain,
And make up our own
For all the stars that still remain.

Let's discuss the existential questions:
The meaning of it all.
Embrace the cluelessness in
The conclusions that we draw.
And when there's nothing more to say,
No more answers to be reached,
We can pass away the darkness
In the silence finally breached.

The pains too deep.
I just can't sleep.
I feel the monsters as they creep.

Demons dancing.
Goblins prancing.
Nameless blobs won't stop laughing!

I did this!
I am why they all exist.
And with my mind they play and twist.

I do not have the answers that you seek.
I am not strong; I am weak.
I am not who you are looking for.
If I was, I am no more.

I just want to let go
And forget about you.
But those kinds of things aren't easy to do.
When you meant so much
And then hurt me so bad,
I just want to let you go,
But I can't forget about that.
You're everywhere.
You won't let me be.
You're physically gone,
But you're haunting my dreams.

Away goes the sun.
Away go the flowers.
And in comes the darkness.
And warm, salty showers.

There's no laughter.
There's no pain.
I feel nothing--
except plain.
I don't want to smile.
I don't want to cry.
I'm nothing but empty
deep down inside.

I'm standing around.
Waiting.... for something?
I'm starting to think
that it isn't coming.
The rain just falls harder.
The sky just grows darker.
But I'm not getting any stronger.
My muscles ache.
My heart breaks.

You close your eyes
Now its through.
But he said that
He loved you.
But I guess
They always do.
Only, this time,
You loved him too.
Broken hearted,
Drowned in pain,
You try to run
But can't get away.
It's amazing
how you cry.
Deep within you
something dies.
Music fills
the empty space,
But your pain it can't erase
and his love
it won't replace.

I don't need to be known.
I don't need to be seen.
I don't need to be popular.
I just need to be me.
Don't tell me I'm wrong
if you think I'm strange.
Don't tell me I'm wrong
because I'm not the same.
I'll go my own way
and I won't follow you.
I'm doing me,
you go do you.

He cut his hair
and changed his clothes.
Suddenly, stuck up his nose.
Some of us weren't good enough,
so he went to do other stuff.
Thinking that'd we'd still be friends
I paid no mind to these trends.
Next thing I know
he won't say, "hi."
Apparently he's said, "goodbye."

With salty eyes
and a shattered heart,
I stand and watch
a world fall apart.

Marco?
Where have you gone?
Marco?
Is something wrong?
Marco?
Why aren't you answering me?

Polo.
I never left my dear.
Polo.
I'm standing right here.
Polo.
Why aren't you listening to me?

Marco?
Are you close to me?
Polo.
Open your eyes and see.

Marco?
I'm feeling for you.
Polo.
I'm reaching towards you.

Marco?
Why don't you meet me half way?
Polo.
You're too far away.

Marco?
You're not hearing me.
Polo.
You're not listening.

Marco?
Polo.
Marco?
Polo...
Marco?
Marco?
...Marco?

People age and children grow.
Things will change before you know.
Don’t know their gone until they go.
That’s just the way your life will flow.

So say what’s on your mind
When you get the chance.
For all that you know
It could be your last.

Tell them that you love them
Just as soon as you know.
Otherwise you might be
Watching them go.

Consequences exist
and they’re terrible.
But take the risk and
you’ll find that they’re bearable.

Don’t sit around waiting
For when the time is right.
There is no perfect moment
to start living a life.

Sorry mom but I have to leave.
There’s still so much I need to see.
But don’t you go worrying about me
‘cause I’m the strong woman you raised me to be.

But I’ll be home and see you again.
So this isn’t a "goodbye" but an "until then."

Sorry dad but I have to go.
There’s still so much that I don’t know,
And cannot learn until I’m on my own.
I’ll send you postcards from the road.

But I’ll be home and see you again.
So this isn’t a "goodbye" but an "until then."

Sorry friends but I’m on my way.
There are too many reasons not to stay.
I’m off in search of reasons to change.
I hope you all might do the same.

But I’ll be home and see you again.
So this isn’t a "goodbye" but an "until then."

Spinning 'round
Tumbling down
Falling ever faster

Can't catch my breath
Scared to death
What a disaster

With nothing else to do
I reached out for you
But no one was there

I dreamt too long
Reality has gone
All that's left is the nightmare.

I can’t help wondering
if he showed up suddenly
and walked right up to me
would I have anything to say?

Would he look on adoringly
when it ended so horribly?
Or is it only me
left feeling this way?

One does not simply write little sonnets
Like my English teacher wants me to do.
My mind wanders to tales of hobbits
And wish I were writing simple Haikus.
Old men, so bored, had to make this stuff up.
Iambs, pentameter, all lost on me.
And some rhyming pattern I’m forcing: sup?
Simply stated, it is not how I think.
Trying to be clever while writing this,
With some deeper meaning that is unknown,
Though—tortured soul I am missing and wish
That that Shakespeare would have left it alone.
But I suppose that’s why he’s important
And all my poems come off as abhorrent.

A warrior's spirit
that gives me fight.
A wanderer's soul
keeping me up all night.
A philosopher ponders
inside my mind.
A poet's heart
makes the chaos rhyme.

There was once a stingy, little toad
with fire upon its head,
a shrilly voice of ignorance
that left annoyance in its stead.

The rules it made were silly
and gave good reason to rebel.
It wouldn't let the others speak.
Why? No one could tell.

Its disconnect was obvious
when treating toads like flies.
And all pretended to do what told
until it turned its eyes.

It sits upon its lily pad
as if better than the rest--
unaware that the other toads
are, frankly, sick to death.

In my throat, there is a lump.
I'm on the edge, about to jump.
The wind rushes across my face
where I keep the scars I can't erase.
The tears are gone; they're all dried up.
My only choice is to jump.

Remember those nights?
In the summer? So fine.
How we ran around
and forgot about time?
Remember those games we made,
thinking us clever?
Oh, how we believed
that it'd last forever.
Climbing trees.
Scraping our knees.
Childhood laughter--
caught in the breeze.
Growing up was
so far away.
Monsters in closets
is what we believed.
And the friends that we had
would always be near;
There was nowhere else
except for right here.
But time came, at last,
when we started to change;
We cut our hair
and hated our names.
We started to think
about "wrong" and "right."
Breaking petty laws
in the cover of night.
Friends all changed,
along with the things that we did.
But I'll never forget
being a kid.
Back when troubles
didn't exist.
Back when it was
gross to be kissed.
And I'll always cherish
what we use to do.
Back in the day
when I was still friends with you.

Just another day.
Just another break.
Just another moment
that my heart couldn't take.

One amongst the millions
staring into oblivion.
I stand amongst the world and yet
I stand alone; alone except--
except for all the cells in me
that quiver with anxiety.
From afar I'm just standing there--
seemingly unaware.
But I can feel everything:
the love, the hate and all it brings.
But I'm just another in the crowd;
You won't hear when I cry out.
So I'll keep it all in my mind
and hope I make it out alive.

You were always the strongest one among us.
But you payed the price to be so externally tough.
And now that our world has crashed and things have gotten rough,
we struggle completely by ourselves.

You never were one to cry so loudly.
And the pain behind your tears is quite astounding.
I want to pull you close to keep you from drowning,
but I need my limbs free to save myself.

Nobody, nobody
knows what to do.
Life is a mystery
that we wander through--
gathering hints
and interpreting clues.
But nobody, nobody
knows what is true.

Here in the masquerade,
plastic faces on parade.
Truth refracted by our lies.
Masks revealing what we hide.

Beneath the mask, a painted face--
there is no truth that's not erased.
We are what we pretend to be--
flaunting our complexities.

We cannot undo the mess we're in;
Our costumes now our second skin.
We choose carefully our facades;
We pay the price to act like Gods.

You won't miss me when I'm gone.
In fact, you probably won't even know.
We never did get along--
so why should you notice if I go?

I've got my mind made up,
my bags all packed.
I've got some money in my pocket
and a full tank of gas.

I'll be leaving come daybreak.
I'll spare you the goodbye.
I wouldn't mind getting lost,
so I'll leave the map and just drive.

All I wanted was an excuse to stay;
All I got were reasons to leave.
So I'm getting out of this place
to find somewhere better for me.

Thought I might go to the moon;
Give myself some space.
Pass away the afternoon
far away from this place.
And if I like it better there
it'd be no surprise to me.
I never did fit in much here;
Maybe it's time to leave.

Kiss me long--
Kiss me slow--
Kiss me like you mean it though.
Whisper secrets I don't know;
Give me reasons not to go.

In your arms--
Let me be--
Let your love wash over me.
Slip into a peaceful sleep;
Whisked away in wistful dreams.

Tame the river,
build a dam.
Plow your fields,
control the land.
Build your homes
and towns and roads;
Tell the river
where to flow.

Man is stronger.
Man is smarter.
You know this to be true.
So the challenge the Earth
with all your forces;
Show her what Man can do.

Boundaries don't mean anything;
Not up against Man's machines.
Mountains crumble,
deserts bend
to Man's will,
means to an end.

Shatter the forests.
Suppress the tides.
Tear the soil.
Rip the skies.
Concrete kingdoms--
build a perch
from which you'll watch
as you destroy the Earth.

You show the Earth
what Man can do.
You make her better
but jokes on you.
For Earth is the substance
from which you're made.
If you poison the world
you won't be unscathed.

The Earth is old and wise
and patient.
The Earth will persist
even if you don't make it.

You filled me up then pulled away:
left me empty inside.
Now I'm on a beach somewhere
just lying here
for someone to find.
Maybe the tide will come
and sweep me out to sea.
Sure beats a life in a jar  
on a shelf
as someone's memory.
No, I think
I'd rather sink
to the ocean floor
than to live an empty life
up here on the shore.

Somewhere different,
Somewhere new.
Lead the way;
I'll follow you.

Down the road
to the stream.
We'll jump the brooke
to chase our dreams.
We're as far as
we have been;
This is where
it all begins.
It is late,
the sun has gone.
But the moon will
guide us on.
Into the woods
we wander still.
We are scared
but we are thrilled.
Our path is rough,
ill-defined.
We're headed nowhere--
we don't mind.

Someday we will
settle,yes.
Lay our ambitions
down to rest.
Find comfort
in security,
in a home
and family.
And though I look forward
to this fate,
I'm in no rush
to reach that state.

There's still so much
I want to see.
I'll take the lead;
You follow me.

I feel safer in the silence.
I feel safer in the darkness.
I feel safer with the monsters.
I feel safer in the abyss.

In the shadows I have hidden
all the secrets I've been given--
all the secrets that I made
trying to tuck a life away.

You want to **** them with the sunshine,
but I only dance in moonlight.
I stay hidden beneath the stars
because all my scars
are wounds I got in plain sight.

So take me to the dark side--
it's much safer than your harsh light.

Built high--
can't climb.
Strong--
won't give to dynamite.
Fortress keeps the world at bay.
Castle walls--
inside I'll stay.
Gives me comfort,
keeps me safe;
Queen of all of my domain.
Screams echo off the stone--
reminder that I am alone.
Haunted halls,
restless ghosts--
all the things that I love most.
I am all that I believe--
not a soul to challenge me.
Isolation: bitter, sweet.
Isolation: I'm complete.

Love and all its bandits
steal lives
and souls
and hearts.
No discrimination--
Won't tell good or bad apart.
With an arrow at their fingertips,
a bow that's poised to draw;
Love and all its bandits
steal
and give
to all.

Emotion is not tangible--
But when The Poet speaks,
she stumbles upon sculptures of
the emotion that you seek.

Emotion is indescribable--
But in The Poet's lines,
it nestles up upon the words
and engulfs them in its tides.

Emotion is a fickle fiend:
unsure if friend or foe--
But when The Poet writes
it's as if they know.

Emotion and The Poet:
a conundrum to say the least.
Each tries to slay the other;
Each fuels the other's beast.

You’re the one that I grew with,
how could you do this?
What is it that made you stray?

Did you forget about our plans?
I don’t understand.
Could I have done something to make you stay?

I’ve held onto the small things,
but lost all of the big dreams.
Now nothing will be the same.