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 Jan 2017
harlon rivers
...a diary of the falling dominoes chapter

invisibly dying from the inside out
no one is looking into unseen eyes
no one can hear a muted voice fading
no one is close enough to be near

the deafening thrums echo
anxieties’ racing heartbeat
within morphing flesh shell ,
gasping for new breath
in a hovering stale silence

from a distance
the broken mirror ricochets a subdued light ;
much closer the reflection reveals
someone I once knew by heart

now an unrecognizable mask
enshrouds a terminal emptiness
inconspicuous at a fleeting glance ,
impossible to discern what storms rage
from the inside out ,... unnoticed  

an uncontained wildfire
smoldering within,  lies in wait
for the imminent winds of change
to fan the flames into the final
eternal silent ashes

a poet reaches out demurely
offering a candid look
into the window
of the imperfect human soul

there is no poetry
met by indifference
just gathered unread words scribbled,

squandered time
dripped slowly on an empty page ;
moments turn into days
days turned into years

invisibly dying from the inside out
an unfinished life trickles out
like seeping blood evanescing
from a bottomless puncture
wounding ... penetrating the heart,
leaching out the slow death of a poet

for poetry is only words unless they touch someone ...

befallen to indifference is poetic death
by salted paper cuts ...

a muting suffocation
that hiddenly erodes away,
silencing the passion
of a musing soul
one unread word at a time ...


© harlon rivers ... all rights reserved
it is an enigma how poetry evolves in meaning over time
― like a self-fulfilled prophecy, some become transformational, some become new beginnings or some become a finality of a metamorphosis of peaceful endings or deleted attempts at understanding the misunderstood...

... all to be determined and allowed to let be

― THE END ―
 Jan 2017
Ma Cherie
In a world of fear and crime today,
well it's hard to see the good,
amongst a guarded people now,
who once together stood,
we focus on just what we can't,
instead of what we should,
say who can help our people out,
if anybody could?

I tell you this in shame for all,
that people here are dying,
adults and infants die alike,
in endless tears I'm crying.
while another child dies today,
from lies that we are buying,

I see the world as it should be,
where we all share our food,
instead we have a county now,
where commonplace is rude,
where elected is a president,
who's mouth is spewing crude,

A divided people always fall,
it will lead us to a death,
I will say we rise as one,
until my dying breath,

My poet heart,
can't take much more,
of a people lost in blindness,
as levied waters at our toes,
to stop it only kindness,

Wake up,
won't you,
selfish those,
with a frozen blinkless stare,

I hope if you were starving,
well I hope someone would share,
in every other bite they eat,
& everything they bare,

If alone and out there hungry
it's hard for some to beg,
with so many apathetic,
to a Humpty Dumpty egg,

They talk an talk in platitudes,
of goodness they don't mean,
stupidity a common voice,
like I have never seen,
where friends are disappearing here,
and the grass no longer green,

Not because their stupid,
though in ignorance,
is bliss,
while painful is awareness,
it is endless,
that abyss,

In a world of broken people,
& few who see the truth,
where ones who share are not believed,
or lost to us in youth,

We search to be enlightened,
or say something,
like the same,
while putting idle hands beneath us,
as our heads hang down in shame,
or we aim a bony finger,
point to someone else in blame,

We are too slow to awaken,
so we must wake up right now,
we must end in our division,
come together here somehow,
& I will keep on asking,
till my death in this I vow,
when I see a God & if he comes,
to him I'll surely bow,

Though here's the saddest story,
of a sweet and blessed child,
from his mother's womb he came,
all humble, meek and mild,
then crucified by greedy hands,
so lost in envy wild,

A baby dies in freezing temps,
a homeless camp his stable,
his barefoot Mother thinks he breathes,
to care for him,
unable,

Some say that she is crazy,
and they think it's even fact,
otherwise well why in hell,
would any woman act,
as if she's nuts or evil,
or with the devil made a pact,

As if her baby was a gift,
immaculate conception,
she says he is child of a God,
a unique an rare exception,
all she hears is yeah sure right,
and utter clear rejection,

Most don't care about her story here,
shooaway,
my listening ears,
they bury heads in comfy blankets,
to drown out the constant fears,
desensitized,
from worldly plight,
in what can draw their tears?

We are told that capitalism,
is the way up to the top,
money rooted all our evil,
to share would help it stop,

An ad hominem argument,
to argue truth of God,
& I'm sure if he exists at all,
he'd find it more than odd,

If he sent a child here to see,
if kindness here exists,
if 9 days old is all he had,
to raise an angry fist,

I couldn't say I'd blame him,
seems that no one gave a ****,
for a little dying baby,
just a sacrificial lamb,

If people who believe that Jesus,
he died for us our sin,
if they and every person,
treated strangers as their kin,
there wouldn't be a battle,
that together we can't win,
realize not to judge,
on say someone else's sin,

No mouth would ever hunger,
our strength as one would grow,
to a loving giving God,
in our kindness we would show,
doing what is right ,
is something we should know,

The money hungry people,
a machine who's way is lost,
who throws away the extras,
regardless of the cost,

Animals are moving on,
while Winters without snow,
smoggy skies to block the sun,
a hazy smelly glow,
the government says look away,
then puts on another show,
they can take another bow,
while hitting a new low,

I ask above an answer,
why WE do this to OUR people,
while my country is my church,
& my sky above,
the stepple,

It's not about religion now,
or right,
or wrong,
or hate,
there's only one way in to there,
behind the pearly gates,
our journey architected,
by our hands,
our only fate,

I implore you,
share in all you have,
before it's all too late.


Cherie Nolan © 2016
Crying for a nation today ;/ this actually happened yesterday in America. I do not discount God or Religion in any way - I just know we need to act here now. With love and kindness, gratitide & awareness, understanding and effort we can change the world. Please share today - idk if makes sense- ❤ VERMONT
 Jan 2017
Joanne Heraghty
Just for a single moment,
Can you pull away from that glass,
Look me in the eye and tell me,
That this time is the last?

Stay there for a minute,
I have just one thing left to say.
You're significance in my life,
Has meant something to me until today.

Please wait for me, will you?
I have to put on my coat.
You're leaving me behind,
And a lump is forming in my throat.

Resurface from your dark cave,
And come out to meet my eye.
If I no longer mean a thing to you,
Then have the decency to say goodbye!

I know you're hurting in your own way,
But I'm only the enemy in your mind.
I'd sooner be the one to make you happy again,
Instead of being here, left behind.

I'm being honest, despite my sharp words.
Maybe someone needs to tell you the truth:
You're so consumed by yourself that you don't see
This is not all just about you!

Outside your cave is a big, bright world,
And I'm standing here, waiting on you, on my own.
I would attempt to approach your stony structure,
But it doesn't feel much like home.

Could you just open up for a second,
I promise you I mean you no danger.
Or are you afraid of meeting my old eyes,
In case you just see another stranger?
5th January 2017

Copyright © All Rights Reserved Joanne Heraghty
 Jan 2017
Terry Jordan
I saw my brother’s doppelgänger
On the train back from Miami
He boarded and sat down across from me
This twin of my brother Sammy

My friend clutched my arm in amazement
At my sibling’s new twin brother
I stared as if an angel had come
Couldn’t tell one from the other

His 6 foot four frame just like he stood
His look so like Erik the Red
He walked like him, too, I’d swear he was
My brother Sam raised from the dead

Dressed in tall jeans, a casual look
Just like I imagine him, too
With faded red hair, the same age and
The same friendly kind eyes of blue

For those who mourn will be comforted
I prayed hard for more time to gain
To be with my beloved brother
Then an angel walked on that train

He looked at me so tenderly
Pale eyebrows defined a gentle lift
My throat locked up as tears streamed down
Seeing Sam’s doppelgänger, God’s gift
I've been grieving my brother Sammy's passing, less than a month ago, when I experienced this man boarding my train.   He looked so much like him that it took my breath away, so that all I did was stare and cry.  I believe now that he was a gift from God, and that no words were necessary then.  Except this poem, now.
 Jan 2017
Loveless
The stone envied her
Because she feel
She envied the stone
Because it didn't
 Jan 2017
Elizabeth Squires
rapture
derived
in every note
the music
of the seductive flute
beguiling
enchanting
to love's ear
all embracing
the beauty
is to hear
enfolding
caressing
with a chord
pleasuring
dear
a tone
woven
so
near
 Jan 2017
Rebel Heart
Another year
has Come and passed
Who knew
this long I would last.

My body is working
But I can't move
My heart is paralyzed
At the sight of you.

And my lips are moving
but words can't escape
Your name stuck in time,
as I stand here agape...

In the back of my mind,
thoughts swirling inside
memories crashing and burning ,
drowning in the deep tide.

The reality you convinced me was true
turned out to be nothing more
than a figment of my mind.

The truth you convinced me was reality
turned out to be nothing more
than a lost paradise I designed.

And a single tear
drops
from my face

And my heartbeat
stops
empty in space

As my realities crash
and tear into pieces
My life crashes
and cries into shreds...
Because you were all left of me
And now that too is dead.
I was already dead on the inside, my love... You didn't have to **** me too.
 Jan 2017
Crystal June
I think I've got it all wrong again.
I think it was all just in my head.
This isn't what I think it is --
I'm still alone like before.
I mistook your attention for something more.

Your heart is empty and my head is numb,
I'm the greatest fool there ever was.
I'm leaving, I'm not looking back.
I'm taking everything with me.
Not even the scent of my smile will linger.

I hope you love someday,
And I hope she's better than me.
I hope her eyes are dry
And her head is high
And she's more on the ground than she is in the sky.

All I ever was was high.
You couldn't reach me.
I stopped letting you try.
I'm too far above for your compact love
That came packed with density
Too intense for me,
Misplaced and under-spaced affections that were too immense for me.

And I don't know how to let you go,
So you'll have to let me go instead.
The music is gone and the dream is dead.
For once, I feel like this is really the end --
Not a mere rebirth of the story of a friend
Who dared to find a better way.

And the bitter truth is that we're stronger apart.
You were the symphony in a subway car,
And I was the apple in a cookie jar.

We belonged, just not with each other.
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