Sinners and winners,
and Saints.
Don't give me a halo
I'll just throw it away and lay in the
mess
of my
own
making.

Or taking that on a bit,I
might sit in my easy chair,watching
the hard times and wondering where
the softness is hid.

I get rid of these thoughts that surround me,
settle down for a sleep with the gods in and
around me,all offering promises of
eternal salvation.

You can't save the lost
they are gone.
I tell the gods that
it's time to move on,
they still try to give me a halo,
I tell them
I'll throw it away.

On any other day
and in a different play
the gods might have their way,
the sinners and winners would have no say
just a halo
and what good is that?

Put your hand here
Yiska said

she took my hand
and placed it
on her stomach

it was soft
even through
the white school blouse
it was warm

I gazed at her
lying there
on the sports field grass
beside me
in lunchtime recess

the sound of other kids
on the field
ball games
tag games
others near by
talking
some laughing

what's it feel like?
she asked

a jelly
I replied

press a bit
she said

I pressed a little
my hand sinking inward
what's it feel like for you?
I asked

sensual
warming
she said
up higher  

she lifted my hand higher
just beneath
her tight small *******
and held it there

I feel your heart
I said

what else?
she smiled

a couple of small mounds
I said
what's it like for you?

like my heart
is going to break out
and sing
she said

I gazed over
her shoulder
a prefect was walking
our way
his beady eyes focusing
on us

best move apart
I said
the Gestapo are about

she moved away from me
just as the prefect
arrived at our feet

what are you two doing?
he said

talking about
the birds and bees
I said

looks like more
than that
he said
staring at Yiska

more than what?
she asked

more than talking
looked like he was
doing things
the prefect said

doing things?
Yiska said
what do you mean
doing things?

she sat up
and pulled down
her skirt
over her knees

the prefect looked at me
were you?

what?

doing things?

we were talking

and the rest
he said
I saw you
put your hand
on her

did I?
I asked Yiska

not that I remember
she said

the prefect  stared
at us both
then back towards
the school

well don't
he said
I’ll be watching

and he walked off
hands behind his back
his broad shoulders swaying

she smiled
eyes everywhere
she said

we lay back down
and gazed at the sky

I like puffy clouds
she said
they make funny shapes
sometimes

she pointed
with her thin finger
at the blue sky and clouds

I gazed at her finger
the pinky nail

that one
looks like an old man
in a bath
she said

I looked at the sky
that one's
like two dogs
*******
I said

the sports field echoed
with the sound
of her loud laugh.

Dear the girl over there,
I dont mean to stare,
its hard not to,
I know I really dont know you,
and you havnt made the move,
but you havnt stopped smiling either,
maybe together we can make new believers,
to love in a place that seems to being loosing a lot,
So lets grab hands and go to a spot,
where we can sing loudly and whisper things no one cares aboot,
I'll get my suit,
you get your dress,
and we will destroy the all you can eat buffet and laugh at our mess,
So take my hand and we will go to the moon,
and make the lovers that swoon,
all jealous that we dont try so hard,
so consider me a tuneless bard,
with bad rhymes,
and fly by the seat of your pants
and take a chance,
it will be fun,
I promise.

She tries to put that favorite poem of her's to sleep
it wasn't easy as it spoke of pain, made her weep,
kept on talking about losses, promises not kept,
fighting losing wars, strifes and  getting  lost.

She waited for the night, fully covered in black tresses
the ample woman, compassionate, who gently would caress
in night's presence and  deft manoeuvres all weeping stops.

She sighs, no more poems resurrecting the reign of pain, she hopes
forgets what makes her nightly haunt this place, that she is a ghost

Quite a child
she makes me one
mind windward wild
flies gazelle run!*

On the shore
she’s something more
than picking pearl

opens door
once more
she’s a little girl!

She picks seashells
of sea she smells
she looks alien

free she sails
in her spell
i’m child again!

On the sea
wild carefree
she paints me joy

make hills on sands
small grow my hands
i’m again a boy!

There once was a man who quickly became loved
And treasured in this land
He seemed to have it all looks, brains, and women
All in the palm of his hand

No matter what he did he achieved
Blessings seemed to over flow
But from where he came and what was his game
Not a soul seemed to know

He helped the towns to prosper
Gave to charities and was adored
He quickly climbed the social and political ladders
So it didn't seem to matter where he had been before

Until that one day where everything changed

The changes at first were very subtle
Like lines of age upon the face
As he started grasping at straw this man of the world
In his laying it all to waste

One day a woman slipped through his door,
the straw that broke the camels back
As she disappeared, rumors grew and whispered
with each and every passing day
Stripping away the peoples trust much like eroding soil
His world that day started crumbling and exploding all around

This man of mystery, this man of burning straw
Would soon succumb to the pleasures in shame
Below his line of character and above it all
Lies burn away held to close to life's flame

The people learned a valuable lesson
When trusting mere man he can let you down
The man who once made them all smile
Now has left them with a frown
As he now crumbles and falls down
Like wasted straw scattered on the ground
This man of straw, this Straw Man

Some days it is a struggle to get out of bed, but I'll do it anyway
Sometimes it is hard to concentrate and keep my focus, I'll do it anyway
Some days I don't feel like studying and would rather do sometime fun but I'll do it anyway
Someday I  struggle with self doubt or feel like things are not going right
I might be tempted to give up, I don't feel like overcoming another obstacle but I'll do it anyway
Some days I feel I lack the zeal the finish line of my goals seem so far away It seems tough to get back on track but I'll do it anyway