The Brahman trampled by
I thought she’d surely die
But up from salted sands
A wild rose there stands

Cloud of dust at dusk
Horns and hides of rust
Brey and sprint and ******
Stampede in breach of trust

She stood before them tall
Her will to still them all
I saw her stand, and fall
Amid their hooves, ragdoll

I thought her gone; undone
An angel death had won

Then up from salted sands
My wild rose then stands
She grins, and slaps her hands
And chases down her brands

I am the moth ~
that met the flame ~

I knew the light ~
I know the pain

We built a crystal fortress

With walls of clarity.

Looking out, and crying ‘evil’

Safe in sanctuary


We built a crystal prison

A cage of clarity.

We’re fixed to one perspective

Unless we hammer free


To leave a crystal fortress

to volunteer for doubt

To dare ourselves examine

Ourselves, within, without


We leave a crystal prison

And while sacrificing ease,

We sacrifice false certainty

And live free of fear’s disease.

At every sigh the world breathes ~
sway the tops of myriad trees ~
by season’s end, the brilliant leaves
from trembling twig
tip
tear
tumble ~
to dance; delight
in joy Autumnal

Errant little lights ~
of colors marvelous ~
tiny whirrs and whistles ~
sing so sonorous ~

Oh, how they whip and whirl ~
about my silly form ~
tiny, little, laughing lightning ~
tiny little storm ~

the wind abides to swirl my sleeves ~
and offers naught but heat’s reprieve ~

to gaff in gathering gifts so grim ~
the world delights in whimsy-whim

A scratching jeer from oblivion below;
it slithers, slimes an ascent to sow ~

from chasm's brim, a hateful throw
the seeds of lies, stupidity, woe ~

they scatter, skitter, to and fro;
sink subtle roots to sickly grow ~

upon her heart and mind this foe
seeks to beat her; tear her low

~ ~ ~

Leaden soul, stung by sin;
she leans toward this chasm's brim;
her eyes, through blur, on black within
she feels the pull...
...of plunging in

To join the dark and scorning din;
to seek her balm in demon kin
to let them know, with evil grin
she let them win...
she let them win...
...and upon her heart
with vicious pin
she'll seal
in steel,
impervious skin

~ ~ ~

A conflict stirs.
She stays behind.

A sense occurs.
She has her mind.

Her heart is hers.
Her soul, unsigned.

~ ~ ~

She slowly stands, her pain and all;
her voice commands her not to fall

it cracks as whisper, keening, small;
and kills the ******* one and all

For they who feed on fear and hate;
they who seek our souls to bait;
do so that they might conflate
by other's pain
in vain
equate
themselves upon a higher state...

...but when they find an ounce of weight
of courage, dear
they dissipate

~ ~ ~

And as the silence thereby grows
she feels their absence, and she knows
their secret hers to now expose:

the pain they sought
for to impose
belonged to them
and they propose
to use her soul
I now disclose
as means by which
their pain dispose


She whirls about upon her toes
upon a better path she goes

Stalwart stone,
Restless waves ~

Wanton water,
stone staves ~

Standing firm,
Water breaks ~

what wonders there,
the clashing makes