Each day with so much ceremony
begins, with birds, with bells,
with whistles from a factory;
such white-gold skies our eyes
first open on, such brilliant walls
that for a moment we wonder
"Where is the music coming from, the energy?
The day was meant for what ineffable creature
we must have missed?" Oh promptly he
appears and takes his earthly nature
   instantly, instantly falls
   victim of long intrigue,
   assuming memory and mortal
   mortal fatigue.

More slowly falling into sight
and showering into stippled faces,
darkening, condensing all his light;
in spite of all the dreaming
squandered upon him with that look,
suffers our uses and abuses,
sinks through the drift of bodies,
sinks through the drift of vlasses
to evening to the beggar in the park
who, weary, without lamp or book
   prepares stupendous studies:
   the fiery event
   of every day in endless
   endless assent.

Stars lost in darkness
Their twinkle too faint
To even try and paint
Imaginary pictures
Of a haunted pasts
Buried in pain

Their twinkle too faint
To even pierce through
The veil of night
A night so fickle
The sky disowned the stars
Perhaps ashamed
To call them her own.
"How could you even claim to be children of the light, when you can't even stand up for yourselves and shine bright at night?"

They were like invisible freckles
On her face, and they added to
Her wrinkles, the sky thought to herself,
When all she needed were crescent hickies
Delivered by the soft kisses
Of the crimson half moon
"Ungrateful little stars! I give them a home and in return they mock my glow."

The furious sky did not know
That those stars were shining,
Secretly still but they shone nonetheless
Perhaps the most beautiful stars
In all the galaxies
Brilliant in the own unfamiliar glow
But they needed attention
They weren't there for competition
For they understood that each star
Holds a peculiar uniqueness about it

They wanted to be gazed at,
Hours upon hours
Perhaps by a young couple
Helplessly in love with one another
Tracing the route to their unforeseen
But well anticipated future
In a world full of lovers
But with only a few
That make it through
To the finish line

They wanted be gazed at,
perhaps by a lone stranger
tracking a path to a long lost home
To hands that grew cold
waiting to hold him
And yearning to be held by his
Yet now he knew more than ever
That it was due time to get back home

Those special stars
Just like the most scared
Amongst us, longed for attention
A special kind of affection
One that doesn't care if the next star
Shines brighter or bolder
One that understood enough
To stay because affection heals
All our scars.

I stuck chickens in my baggy tie dye shirt
nuzzled on the couch, coffee in hand.
I enjoyed a deep conversation with a willow tree
and asked how it felt about the other species.
I slid cookies in the back pocket of my tattered jeans
before biking through the morning air.
I smiled at old Ted in the nursing home
with a wink, he smiled back.
I dribbled the basketball with the strong scent
of campfire coming from my backyard.
I danced in the shower
the warm droplets falling on my skin.
I smoked in the sparkling cove
with strangers that became my friends.
I flew off the high rocks
and submerged into cold crystal waters.
I looked into those faded blue eyes,
and chuckled cause' we do that.
I balanced on the fallen limb
and hopped up onto the beautiful stump.
I giggled with my sisters
cause' we made some really mean jokes.
I ate spaghetti with my friends,
and laughed so hard we choked.
I tumbled over tree roots
got back up and kept on trailin'.
I thanked God for this life
and he said you're welcome.

I would rather be empty
Than lead a shallow life.

For a short bit of time the smiles were Contagious

Now the solicitude wins out Memories that Overplay

While crumbled stones attack my thinly callused Feet

As the tears fall so readily down the path

Unknowingly, that was so neat

As I escape the roadway my feet hurt so Daringly

My toes crush a fallen limb the cries come so Loudly

Tackle and break the heart from head to Toe

But as I look up and see the stars the glacier looks Deep

They twinkle brightly in the red sweet ****** of a Sweet lip

Wanting to remember those beautiful days with You

Bright fireworks thrilled us gentle looks of Love

But fear has set in love has turned to Hate

Sleeping with sadness like I would be with a Blanket

As I thrash every night all night Long

Longing for the morning to come and find me Alone

The noise like grinding teeth I wonder if that is Me

As blankets accumulate like my sadness Does

I jump to my feet crying this can be no more

As I run blindly to find my life yearning and Believing

Wearing thin I knew I could not stand any Longer

So the urge to fly away comes so very Strongly

And that  breaks my Heart....

Debbie Brooks 2014

Sometimes I have to take a moment
just to focus on my life
Because I know not a single struggle
is to be solved with a knife
You see there are much easier ways
to get through difficult times
I myself, like to write
I am at ease with my rhymes
When I find myself really struggling
or life's getting rough
I collect my thoughts on paper
that for me is enough
So if you remember anything dear
please remember this note
Nothing is to be solved with a knife
life was meant to be wrote

Sophie stands
at the top
of the stairs

her blue thin
uniform
unbuttoned

revealing
a white top
and blue jeans

she waits there
listening
for voices

a duster
in her hand
pretending
to polish
the hand rail

where is he?
she wonders

she pushes
her fingers
through her hair
long and blonde

in the lounge
of the home
for old folk
I'm waiting
while Mr
Mash sits down

OK George?

yes I’m fine
he replies

so I go
up the stairs
to make beds
before baths

Sophie hides
by a wall
as I pass

got you now
she utters
behind me
slipping her
Polish hands
quickly round
my trim waist
nibbling
my right ear

not right here
I tell her
not right now

she nibbles
even more

Sophie go
I’ve got work
to do now
beds to make

I help you
she suggests
make the beds
try them out
we have ***

I remove
her small hands
from my waist

Matron could
come along
and see us
I tell her

she not come
Sophie says
she busy
with others

holding her
narrow wrists
for safety
my safety
I look at
her ice blue
open eyes

go polish
some hand rail
wash a floor
I suggest

we have ***
on a bed
she mumbles
which bed best?

I don't know
none of them
I tell her

I release
her thin wrists

she stands there
watching me
her blue eyes
searching me

she puts her
hands on her
narrow waist
her tight ****
bulging out

go Sophie
do some work
I suggest

she just stares

I go off
to the men's
corridor
to make beds
leaving her
behind me

I go in
to Bob's room
smell of soap
and *****
windows shut
curtains drawn

I draw back
the curtains
and open up
the window
let air in
and town sounds
and traffic

I make up
and tidy
old Bob's bed

I help you?
Sophie asks

I turn round
and she's there
by the door

we make bed
then we ****?

no such luck
I tell her
beds to make
baths to do
take the men
to the loo

you bathe me?
Sophie asks
together
be quicker

I smooth down
old Bob's bed
pump pillows

she watches
from the door

I need ***
she whispers
we do it
on Bob's bed?

got to go
empty this
bedside pan
I tell her
holding a
commode pan

she moves back
from the door
lets me pass

***** smell
filters out

it stinky
she tells me
old men stink
make me sick

best go then
I tell her
waving the
commode pan
towards her

she goes off
in a huff
her fine ****
swaying fast
as she's off
and away

I return
to my work
safe at least
for an hour
or a day.