Alone I stood, against the stare of death
With head to head, I felt its gruesome breath
Its fixing crimson eyes igniting mine
Its scythe around my neck, which drew this line

I walk with pride, although the scar is seen
By everyone in every place I've been
Although I could give up, somehow I feel,
there are some tasks I must and shall fulfill

The urgent need of many things to toss
The cursed demons I have come across
As I have let them slowly drain my soul
So shall I use what's left to make them fall


*Iambic Redemption by João Massada is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Today, I have nothing to give.
my soul's back is weak.
eyes narrow at any source
of light.

I have carried my whole life.
now I can barely support the weight
of my own intentions.
today, I am the child inside that

every grown man hides.
my hands feel small, and I drown
in my workman's clothes.
even light things seem heavy.

today, I praise the fact that I have
warm arms to lean my head into.
soft lips against my forehead.
soft fingers tracing the lines

of my face. today, I will reap the
reward for all my years of hard
work. all the times I stood up like
the only adult in a room full of

grown-ups. today I allow myself
weakness. softness. inactivity.
today I'll let the man sleep, so the
boy can come out. and cry.

in the forever of waiting
in this silent place where darkness has hold
in this palace of night bound dreams
where i lay in the stillness of inky shadow
waiting on the beauty of dawn
for its glories and its forgiving light
but it seems like it will never come...
there are just shadows of night
passing slowly in austere grandeur and eloquence
shadows of night that speak silent languages of the road
speak to me of places forgotten with strangers faces
of roads traveled as consequence of misgivings
but all that is just shadows of night
that speak to me silently...
i wait in this palace of distant voices
they whisper the promise of secrets yet untold
they promise to uncover all delights
expose to sight all the things the heart desires
waiting for the dawn
and its beautiful light
waiting for loves tenderest kiss
waiting for my life to begin
waiting

Innocence as friends
Knowing the line is far behind
Realizing, all too late
Competition ignited
However unintentional
Promises of love
Tug of war, of guilt
Squeezed out, despite hope
Dishonesty out of kindness
There is no winner
but the Loser lies alone

Doghouse Poem

Not knowing how to say things
I sometimes make mistakes
Regret the words that I use
And hope it's not to late

I ask you for forgiveness
For actions that were made
Knowing that I understand
The hurt inside I gave

I sometimes hide my feelings
But hope that you will see
What it is I feel inside
How much you truly mean

Please know you are so special
Your love I hold so true
I give my thanks to God above
Each day that I have you

Carl Joseph Roberts