Can you hear that?
It's the quiet humming
Of time
Containing all of life
In one single song.

It burns through me
Warm and painful
Like the first sip of *****
On a saturday night.

On these dunes
I hear voices
Across the low, wobbling frequency.
This small moment of safety
Time has given me
Is all I need.

You promise I'll never be alone.
Never again.
You say you'll burn all of the pain away
With the heat of your kiss.
You'll take me somewhere
Far from this life
Of bruises and broken dreams.

I know that you mean every word.
But these are promises you can't keep and
I won't hold you to them.
No resentment in the end.
Time has this way of making liars out of all of us.
you're older than me,
But you're just a child.
Experience has taught me what your years haven't yet.
Life never works out the way that you plan,
And you can't rely on someone else for happiness.

So hold me tight,
While this night lasts
In all of its euphoric lovliness.
Don't think about the future.

It hasn't happened yet

You, sir, are talking
To the child who has raised children.
To the girl who worked a full time job when she was eleven.
To the girl who has won fist fights with men twice her age and size.
Who walked away with bruised ribs and never cried.
To the girl who has gone more than four days without eating.
Who has slept on the moth eaten couches of strangers.
The girl who
When she was fifteen,
Took her fourth grade education
Taught herself multiplication
And now studies particle physics for fun.

When you look at me.
What you see is a weak,
Insecure, little girl.
But I've fought my way through hell
And have come out victorious.
While you've been sitting on your
Trust fund sofa.

You think you have the upper hand
And that will make winning  easy.
I'd rather be a friend,
But make no mistake
I'm a formidable enemy.

Don't think for a second that you can
Treat me the way you did today
And walk away unscathed.

My words are just echoes
Of words said before.
My thoughts and feelings trivial
Flecks of nothing
In light of space
And time.

The Earth watches us
Live and die
And never sheds a tear.

Tonight I grapple
With my insignificance.
And even while I write this,
Wonder why I even bother.

Last night
I saw a monster
At the foot of my bed.
A familiar beast
That's haunted me
Since I was a kid.

He stares at me
With a white toothy grin
And a crooked head.

He says " you think you're so great, don't you?
With your fancy job and education.
Well, I know you better than that.
You're still a street rat.
The queen of trash.
Have you forgotten the scars on the back of your neck?
They will always be your epithet."


No matter how far I run
Or how well I pretend
He fills me with dread

Just like when I was ten
And laid still as death
While the carpet swallowed pints of my blood.

I must admit
That I admired the angular
Shape of the bones in your face,
The fey-like slant of your eyes,
And how you carry yourself
Somewhat like a bashful child.
But I'm not one to act on impulse
--not the impulse of the eye,
And was content to occupy my little corner
Just sneaking a glance now and then.

Then you spoke.

Insight poured from your mouth
Like honey from a funnel.
Pure intelligence,
without arrogance,
Caught by a slight stutter.

I could feel the blood in my veins
Rush to my face
And became painfully aware of my breathing.

You stood waiting for a response
And I just stared at you like  
An idiot.