Man, man doesn't meet me where I'm at
I'm an ugly duckling
but definitely not a swan

I look around at all the bluffing faces
and I don't even trust the one in the mirror
His gait straight, his words soothing
his posture inviting, his smile inspiring
yet the eyes
both deep with pain and erratic with fear
both exhausted and terrified of the next step
yet the powerful play goes on
and every experience wears and ter's
every meeting just another person added to the lists of:

I'm not like them
I don't fit in
They're nice, but...
I just wish someone got me






I'm alone

Soft cool sand beneath my feet to ease
and the sun setting, fire to the sky
the whisper of an insensible breeze
weakly gasping a final goodbye

And yet, the splutter and cough of motors
The clanging chorus of corroded swings
trampled sand and left drink holders
As uninvited company sings

And am I the only one
Who sees that I am one of a score
A beauty decimated and overdone
the all-natural, turned urban horror

The Moaning of gale-speed winds
sends mountain snow to it's knees
while formidable boulders stand their ground
The lake, foaming and writhing
      The erosion opponent scraping for revenge
krummholz and scrub bend
but hold fast
hands rooted in the soil

my coat billows
my ears whistle
Me; surrounded by the power of a giant sneeze
forcing tears from my eyes
joy or fear, I know not.

A downfall on the horizon
Flashes of lightning warning distant travelers
Flying Foxes fighting to find food before the storm
             that most certainly leads to famine

Two lonely souls find each other in a forgotten world:

One on two, looks up, and gazes with fear
fear that soon, all of this will be washed away
by drenching rains and thumping boots and stereos

The other on four
instinctively curious about this forgotten traveler
knowing that they will face this storm together

Though species separates them
the look in their eyes is interchangeable
Fearing what the future brings
The unavoidable downfall
that will confront them both

But for now, we stop and stare
take in the fresh air
and breath
Lest we forget there's always
lest we forget there's always peace

A final breath, before impending doom

I drape the heavy robe over my body
pulling my hood to keep the attire dark and brooding
      but also curiously alluring
the poison oozing from my mouth just visible underneath
my eyes masterfully manipulated into "wisdom" and "care"
my arms outstretched
so that each embrace ends with a knife in the victims back
My body, once beautiful
corrupted by lust and infatuation
a shell of my former self

Sincerely,
Love

somehow the smile squirms onto my face
simply squealing my satisfaction to the standers-by
silently shielding citizens from the sorrow stuck to my skeleton
scarcely saving sidekicks from similar sadness
In some way stopping the shameless self-destruction
sequestered under the smirk

down deep darkness develops
devouring doubtful delight that daily diseases my dour identity
Done. I Declare. Indefinitely Done
death a door to destroy my desperate dismay
despite, the demon endures to deride
deeming my demise de rigueur

a feint fulfilling my fate
finally finishing the fallacy,
from which life flooded
finally finishing the fallacy,
flicking freedom from the frame
Stopping Death From Stalking Despondent Folks

She was shielded by the thin layer of chalk
That hid all emotion on our infrequent walks
Her lips quiet, her eyes attentive
A break in the silence only missing incentive

My mind went blank, her beauty shone
My nervousness rattled me to the bone
I asked her "Prom?" my eyes were pleading
Scrounging for hope on the face I was reading

She sighed so big, and smiled bigger
I thought I had attracted this quiet singer
She said "I'm flattered" and "Thanks so much"
But it only hid the sucker punch

Her "no thanks" rung in my ears
Breaking my heart -- and bringing the tears
My one try at love, a **** good attempt
ended in failure, and therefore, I wept