I wear a mask
That isn't adorned by any jewels
I wear the simple white mask
That was made from my mother's skin
And it sits uncomfortable and stuck,
Covering the suffering of my father
Covering the suffering of my grandfather
Covering the suffering of my own secret self.
I wear a mask
By no one's choice but life
I wear the simple white mask
That sits stoic and still,
And I tried once to pry it off,
But it was nothing more than skin,
And under was nothing more than muscle
And under was nothing but blood and bone
I wear a mask
That will not hide my blemishes
I wear the simple white mask
That will not define me
And I remind myself of this
As someone asks me what I am
As someone asks me what my father was
As someone asks me what my grandfather was
And my mask stays its stoic grin
And my mask stays my tongue.

I still smell you on me,
you’ve only just left,
and I want you back already,
I found with you I’m at a loss for words,

fck it,
let’s just get married,
gotta marry someone,
so why not marry you,

why not marry me,
marry me,
I know that seems sudden,
but honestly I’m ready,

you’re ready,
what are our other options,
continue to go through life,
having *** and feeling haunted,

honest,
let’s do this,
I’m ready if you are,
together we can go through this,

I don’t want to die alone,
and either of us could die tomorrow,
let’s tie the knot before we kick the bucket,
I’m for sure 100% not at all impartial,

I know where I stand,
in truth no need to lie,
I raise my right hand and kneel on my left knee,
before I look into your eyes and testify.

Met at Picasso,
made love before we ever touched,
you are a dancer tiptoeing on my heart strings,
and I’m all in but stop me if this is all too much.

I am a writer,
a poet to be specific,
and you are the most beautifully honest sonnet,
you’re both pure and you’re explicit,

a contemporary dancer,
that has all the right moves,
and I’m willing to risk it all right now,
I’m willing to risk losing everything as long as I don’t lose you.

So hold me,
at least pretend you’ll never let me go,
and I’ll put a ring on it right now,
just to prove that this is not all for show,

let’s go,
all in with each other,
don’t let go,
hold me for at least forever,

forget it,
i guess I said too much,
I still smell you on me,
even though you’re out of sight and touch,

I still smell you on me,
you’ve only just left,
and I want you back already,
I found with you I’m at a loss for words,

fck it,
let’s just get married,
gotta marry someone,
so why not marry you,

why not marry me,
marry me,
I know that seems sudden,
but honestly I’m ready…

∆ Aaron LA Lux ∆

Sweetly saying sounds so soft
She sings so secretly simple songs
Soothing silence's savage sting
Shattering suspicions
Swallowing shadows
Severing stillness
So softly
So slowly
She serenades scared souls still sleeping so sound
Sunlight shall shine
Soon so soon
Splashing so swiftly
Submerging still slumber
So sleep
Sweet souls
Sleep softly, sleep safe
Sunlight shall shine
Soon
So soon.
|b.g.|

When I was eight
At the park

Playing football
Getting dark

Older kids
Stole our ball

I can't stand bullies
Not at all

Then out of the blue
Three more kids appear

Did I mention they're black
So now I felt fear

But to my surprise, they said
Give the ball back!

What's going on?
I thought they were black

This confused my young mind
From all I was told

Stay away from the blacks
Or you'll never grow old

That one little act
Fifty years ago now

Changed the way I see color
Changed my vision and how

Today I was out
With my eight year old son

God, how I love him
We're having such fun

Then I see someone starring
No, it's more like a glare

I can't be that ugly
It must be my hair

Then an old thought creeps in
From way, way, way, back

She's glaring at us cause
I'm white, and he's black

So my prayer for this world
And I hope you don't mind

Is the day we can say
We're all color blind!

Amen

You think that I am silly,
Just lyrics and some rhyme,
Your comment is judgmental,
Not constructive,
Not kind.
Still,
I choose to write,
A poet……
I am resigned,
A lover……
Not a fighter,
Someday……
I’ll change your mind
©B L Costello 2016

hey, look! look, up in the sky!
stars are falling! falling stars!
make a wish, make a wish!
i wish he'll love me back

then a falling star came near
and i saw that it isn't a star
it's you falling for me.

I used to go out for cigarettes before bed
with music and connection to the world,
I’ve learned to clam the
addiction to nosiness about
trump and
syria,
petitions about
dying dogs and
sensitivity,
and I just sit out there with a shovel
in my eyes digging the other way and
appreciating the sky and watching the
clothesline sway like elevator wire
and I feel more connected
by reading the stones that
shower a braille on my palms
as I tap the ground in withdrawal