We live in a world
that is at least
half darkness.
So shouldn't half of our poems
be dark?
Or perhaps half of every poem?

Or half of that?

How do we parse the darkness
of this world -
of our lives -
and still live?

How do we tip-toe on the edge
of eternity
the grave
And smile?

You figure it out.
It's a mystery.

She had enormous wings, he could imagine,
how light it would to soar up and view
the world as one,  from above the clouds
that would make her feel blessed an envied
celestial being still walking firm footed on earth.
"Have you ever dreamed flying" he asked her
in a matter of fact way, concealing the wonder
the wings caused, but her words made him
think how strange the world is, she wasn't
aware of the gift of wings, pure white, delicate,
sturdy all the same, but the wings were not
a reality she appreciated, hasn't it ever come
to her notice? He looked in to the silence
of her eyes, was she keeping it as a secret?

Her wings were thin, shining silver petals
a rare flower, with a scent wafting everywhere
but by some quirk of fate, it wasn't there for her.

Mother, in your hazel eyes I can see the rainbow
the trees flowering
the grass getting greener
rising to the bluest sky.
Mother, in your smile I see sadness
and your forehead is full of wrinkles,
in the space between your eyes I can see the worry,
Mother, your heart is a firefly in my night
when I close my eyes you guide me,
your hand so warm, I need it to hold mine
when it's cold in my mind.
Mother, you're so far
and I can't tell you that I'm hurting
I'm dying inside and I can't show you

Mother, you're so wise, please, tell me
why is it autumn again
if it's only May?

I see tulips so beautifully painting the sight
and yet in my heart
the last leaf has fallen.

Mother, oh Mother, tell me
when I will fall to the ground
will they step on me
or will they pick me up
and keep me between the pages of their hearts?

Mother, I'm just a leaf
and you don't know
that my autumn has come
to bury me again.
I am falling,
the dirt is covering me whole,
your hand is so far
I'm reaching but there's only the wind
tearing me apart.


*Mother, it's autumn again
and you can't see me falling.

I've missed this soft hum of night
where passing cars blur indistinct
and I with them.

I was driving the back roads from my house
out in the country where things are real;
they live, they die, they make noise and they move
in the way Nature intended.

The road bumped under my wheels because it wasn't paved,
dust flew up behind the car, but fresh air came in my window.
The sun was going down a bit, so the horizon in my rearview mirror
was a beautiful orange blaze which gave me peace.

And for some reason I wondered when it would come.

I've been waiting for as long as I knew it existed
though when I was younger the wait seemed so long
the coming seemed more fantasy than reality,
time changed that perception as did experience and loss.

Now I know it's closer.  Thank God I can't feel it near yet
but I know it's closing in and I wonder when it will arrive;
I also wonder whether it will be swift and merciful
or if it will play with me and make me suffer
and force me to be brave
I'm not brave, you know.  I'm just stubborn
and I like to fight battles I am not supposed to win.

Then I wondered if fighting would be worth it
because all I want, all I need, is to be a part of this out here
a piece of what is real, which is why my peace will be as
scattered dust riding on the wind to find my place
in all of this beautiful, sacred, loving nature.

I wonder when it's coming.
          Some days i don't want to wait.

I took your picture every winter
And in the summer it would melt.

I held the pieces in my hands
So you'd understand how I felt.

You said the ice has kept you safe
From the pain shone from above.

Until (me) the sun had come to earth
and showed you how to love.

the bell rings
and i'm out of breath
did i do well today?
what will my parents say?
i stand in my loneliness
on top of the world
the view is great
the air is cooler than normal

but suddenly i feel so afraid of the void
trying to comfort myself
i say i can't be perfect
i start to let myself go
under the numbers and grades
i run, so lost in this maze

i must make it
i must see it through
but will i ever be enough?

these mixed thoughts engulf me
with my life on the line
i pretend to be careless
for a moment i smile

but it comes back to me
hitting me with a greater force
i fall to my feet
this isn't the first time

i've been here before
i'm getting used to it
why do i even fake it?
the loneliness blossoms in the sun

the world looks so small now

i try to avoid the feeling
but i can't no matter how i try
my grades scrape the ground
even though i stand so high

the world looks so small now

when the heat becomes too much
i leave the expectations behind

forever, i'm scarred
hurt by the statistics
the world is getting closer now
*its grown so big

silence is the coffee table
where books and men,
in a knowledge seeking game
drink to the rhythm
of learning.

new pages, new tastes.
for the mind's empty cages, more distances
are raced.
call it a silently loud
conversation,
of men with their pride
aside-
listening
when books
speak.

Your skin smells like summer camp,
it lingers on me like chlorine from a pool in July.
Your laughter radiates through your bones like electricity.
I used to tell them all about you-- the boy with the bright eyes that seem to smile before a smile can form on his lips.
I am crazy, all in the best ways and all for you.
I identify as what you call me when I am between the sheets with you.
Your little girl, your little ****, your *****.
All for you.
Lightening, lightening, you are bolts of lightening.
And I'm afraid you've struck something in me because I am on fire for you, darling.

She said I was history.
Then she said she would give me one more chance.
Then she said I didn’t deserve a second chance.
Then just as I was about to speak.
She said, I mean, who the hell do you think you are.
I was just about to say.
She said, this is definitely your last warning.
I was silent for a few seconds.
Well what do you have to say for yourself.
This is a wrong number.
What.
You’re not speaking to the guy you’re dumping.
Well why the hell did you let me rabble on.
To be truthful, I sort of get dumped a lot by phone, I just didn’t recognise the number.
That’s because you’re all jerks.
Well why don’t I take you out tonight to get over the ****.
Get knotted, consider yourself and the **** dumped.
Got a feeling she’ll phone back later and apologize, and then take me up on my offer, and when she gets to know me better.
She’ll definitely dump me.

I recently went through a spell
When I had one minor and two major operations
In rather quick succession
One of the consequences of this was
That I didn't see my grandkids for months on end
Primary schools being, as they are
The Petrie dishes for all human disease
So, it was decided that as I was either waiting for
Or recovering from surgery
To keep them away from me
Until I was in the clear
And when I was in the clear
I was soooo glad to see four of them
The youngest of my grandkids
Are twin boys, far from identical
And at this time they were about six
One standing a head taller than the other
And at seperate points in the day
Independant of each other
Each twin said the same thing
"Grampy, I  thought you were allergic to kids."
And to each I gave the same reply
Once I stopped laughing
"Ah well, sometimes it's better than others."
I can see the picture now
"Mummy, why can't we see Grampy?"
Jenny, doing a thousand other things
And no time for explanations
"Grampy's allergic to kids!"

                                              By Phil Roberts

Are you ready
Your last could
Be t
O
M
    M
O
R
O
  W---------------- are you sure
Have you released angers and
S
  O
R
R
O
W
S-  are you ready
For death heaven or hell?
Or the not so deep sleep-
We make decisions NOW!
Your choice and fate is in
Your hand's destinations keep-
Don't be fooled, make the
Right decision,
Clear your\view-open your eyes
Don't be deceived by world vision.
Imprisoned?
Choose now
Dios or diablos-------tommorrow might not just come
As you'd expect. Check yourself \ on
F
A
C
T
S\ reflect/