I laid down
my own mask
My face needed
room to breathe
I remember
I was once a pretender
Jostled ghosts
With paper armor
Kept the
truth from
being haunted.
It’s not easy to show
The world my teeth
And the ugly cast for my
setting bones
to be self-liberated
in the land of make believe
than encumbered
by collective lies...

I used to be

frightened of dragonflies

until my husband

clued me in on

how good they are

for the ecosystem

eating mosquitoes

across the lakes

and such

but dragonflies represent

the horror of growing up

for me

how adulting brings

the innocence of

childhood to

an undeniable halt

I could feel the weight

of adult realms compressing

me into a condensed

little consumer all

pre-progammed and 'waiting'

for further conditioning

like an automaton

And me remaining in

a doe-eyed stance for

pretty much the

rest of my life

I tried to hide it

In layers of baggy peasantry

in mishap crinkles of sloppy

Nothing to adorn my face

but its earthy ashen glow



He found me despite this

false exterior

This plump mass of

flesh and matter



He followed the

trail of smolder

leading to my lips



Watched me lick

the air and for an instant

stood immobile

Mouth slightly agape

we betray
our bodies
fluid in nature
despite our bones

when we ****
the pure
waters with
rubber oil speak

we are She
dancing in
the blood
giving us life

remember Her
for She is the silent
waters within us
sometimes raging
sometimes calming

be soft and
whisper to Her with
a sacred tongue
then you shall
be blessed
with favor

And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit…~from, The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran

I
As a friend, I am
Your asylum from
A world gone ogre
from vile beasts
Who would assume
You prey

II
As a friend, I am
Your slayer of untruths
That haunt you
Wielding a double-edged
sword to protect you
From the lies that would
Consume your weary heart

III
As your friend,
I am your mirror
Sacred and exact
That you may
Understand yourself
Deeply to fully ponder
The waxing and to embrace
The waning of you with
An undaunted grace

If you were my friend
Your name would be silently
Exhaled from my lips
Like you were worthy,
Holy, and me…