As the adrenaline seeps away
In small amounts
You sit in stunned silence
Thinking of how
This could have happened.

Remembering
Just moments before
How there was chaos
Everyone on the edge of anger
Or concern
Wondering how much it will be
What was damaged
How in the world could this happen.

In the stunned silence
Driving away afterwards
You think about your life
And if it had happened differently
Your family may have lost a son, brother, sister
You think about how grateful you are
That things didn't go worse.

It is a quiet night
After a tumultuous day

The river bubbles
The wind howls
A lonely train car whistles
In the distance

But my thoughts are elsewhere
I am mourning the passing
Of my little brothers grandfather

I can only imagine
His numbness
His weariness
His sorrow
Someone he held so dear
Is gone

A deep well of compassion
Opens within me
My heart goes out
To him
His family

This is for them
I can't do much
But love them.

"I have seen the night torn into thin darkling strips and woven into shapes too bleak for dreams."

For some unknown reason
This sentence speaks worlds
To me

Deep within my "soul"
You could call it
I feel it

Like a distant memory
Something long forgotten
But still itching to come up
For air
To be thought of again

Like we have scaled
The walls of Thermopylae
Or Constantinople
Through the darkness
Taking no prisoners
But lives instead

We have fought in battles
That would make today's wars
Pale at the bloodshed

Perhaps this is why
I feel so peaceful now
At ease with most things

I did my killing
Served my time
Saw enough bodies

Perhaps this is also why
I know exactly what to do
In almost all situations that
Hold violence

So let's put this to rest
Perhaps these are demons
But not memories
Past lives perhaps?
Or just my imagination.

Here inlies the question,
What ones own child must face;
To look into thyself,
And conquer the human race.

For battles are won and lost with love,
And there we shall really see,
What ones own love will do,
Or is it hypocrisy?

For this shall be the stage, my friend;
And though these wars are waged,
I ask myself the time-old tale,
Who of us are phased?

Goodbye my friend,
I said at last.
I knew this time would come.

You were my best friend,
My confidante,
My furry little companion.
The one that always led the adventures
And rarely followed.

Your fur was unruly,
Your ears were always perked,
And your attitude was always the best.
Coming and finding me when I was down,
Poking me with your nose.

I love you my little friend.
You were the highlight of my life
For so many years.
You will never be forgotten.
Je t'aime, my little shadow.

Clouds
Drifting across the cerulean sky
So quietly
So serene.

Forming shapes
But only ones we recognize
Our minds are interesting organs.

Funny how a little floating moisture
Reminds us of something we saw
As a kid.

8Km
You see this sign
And your heart begins to race.

Almost to town
So close to your destination.

But even going 140Km/h
Its still the longest 2 minutes
All you can think is
The traffic,
Slow speeds,
Unloading the car,
But the thought of finally being home
Eases all that anxiety
And you're grateful
You took the trip.