A robin pecks at the ground.

An Earth Worm mistakes it for rain.

I look on sadly, feeling the poor worm's pain.

he wiggles out of the ground towards his grave.

If there was a way to save

the poor little worm; I would.

The tears are coming, I'm about to cave.

For it isn't fair You came like rain.

But you chewed me up and spit me out.

Filled my hollow mind with doubt.

I shout out to the void.

But I think nothingness is getting annoyed, You know?

The Robin fly's off with the Earth Worm.

It was such a Lovely show.

© copyrighted Nicole Ann Osborn

You hung up on me mid sentence.
But I continued talking, Rocking back and forth on my bed.
Blurting out all the things I should have said.
I convinced myself you could hear me just fine.
But there was no voice on the other end of the line.
There's a boy by your name, who looks a lot like you too.
He used to be a good friend of mine.
I've lost touch with him (with you)
I still know everything there is to know about you.
And I don't believe I can carry on without you.
my bone's ache.
And no, this isn't my first heart break.
But I'm a t
                a
               l
               l
tree. And they're just a broken bottom branch.
You're more like my root system.
You're throwing more curve ***** then I can catch.
I'm acting more on emotions than on wisdom.
No, I didn't mean to get this attached.
But overtime the cigarette in your mouth
became the chimney to my house.
and the smoke you exhaled made me feel at home.
That's all hypothetical.
Maybe I'm not being sensible.
But I still love you.
Isn't that sad?
A skipping stone in love with a boy who hit rock bottom.
the same boy I once had.
Everything is dying.
We act like it's something beautiful and refer to it as Autumn.
But there is nothing beautiful about Dead things.
Nothing is beautiful about dead tree leaves.
Or dead feelings you have for me.
That used to thrive.
And I can't **** mine,
my feelings for you.
they're very much alive.
Maybe more so than I am.
Maybe I'm dying too.
I mean, It is Autumn.
Or perhaps you say Fall.
But I don't think I could fall any harder for you.
I've broken more than just bones.
Why does Love make us feel so alone.
There's no warmth of a fire place in my home.
My chimney is missing.
But Baby, If you're listening.
I'm tired of feeling alone.
I'm cold.
Why won't you say you love me too?
I'm cold and I need you.

© copyrighted Nicole Ann Osborn

Sorry We're Closed*
I hope you understand this isn't something I chose.
You knew My Heart's  business hours.
you used to come in and water the flowers.
My heart was always open back then.
It's been closed for some time now.
But I reopened it again,
today.
I wondered why you never came.
Now I'm wondering why I even invited you.
I'm sure you have more enticing invitations don't you?
All you ever did in here was break everything.
But, I wouldn't mind being broken by you.
come play my heart strings like your guitar.
could you play our song? I forgot who we are.
I know, you were hoping I'd believe you when you said you didn't know when My Heart was open.
But I wrote the business hours out on an advertisement.
Made it into a magnet and stuck it to your soul.
with my luck our magnetic field isn't as strong as it used to be.
Or you just simply forgot about me.
So this is the last time I'll call you open heartidly.
My heart's been closed a long time.
And now that I opened I had no customers
Even you didn't want to live here now that you live in hers.
But I can only have so many closing times before I have to shut down.
So I'm down on my knees begging you to come around.
Please...
You don't have to stay.
Just come in and visit me.
I'm sorry it's just my heart wasn't made for this vacancy.

© copyrighted Nicole Ann Osborn

When I met you, you were wearing piggy tales and fairy wings.
outside with a magnifying glass held over a beetle you poked and prodded with your mothers sewing needle.
Trying to direct the sunlight through the glass.
you were so witty, clever and full of sass
I asked what you were doing and you said.
"I'm being a fairy. and making fireflies out of these boring black bugs that are nothing out of the ordinary."
You jumped back when the bug caught fire.
I'm not really sure which one of us jumped higher.
Your eyes were wide as the flame quickly died.
As did the bug.
I started to whimper like the cry baby I was.
You just stood up and gave me a hug.
You said
"It's alright, he's a firefly now. He'll be shining bright, flying around by night."
Like a fool, I believed your story.
After all, you were just a little girl.
And I a little boy.
What happened to you?
I miss your piggy tales
and your fairy wings.
I miss your chubby chipmunk cheeks.
now they're rosy and defined.
You tell me all the guys want you and I should consider myself lucky to call you mine.
What happened to you?
You used to collect rocks. Arranged them by which made the best chalk.
I helped you test them on the sidewalk.
We drew each other because you never liked hop scotch.
And you got mad when I drew you as black.
"What are you doing? I don't look like that"
you handed me a white rock and took away the piece of charcoal we got  from your grill.
"You may not see me like this now"
you said.
"But one day you will."
So I tried,
I tried with all my might but it was hard to draw you white.
You didn't act like them and I think you knew
What happened to you?
Remember the summer your skin tanned darker then my mom's?
You said it was the first time you felt like you belonged.
What happened to you?
But you said you didn't care about ethnicity.
You were part Rock and part Roll.
You told me so every time you turned the **** on the radio that made my ear drums blast.
You hummed along, driving to fast.
What happened to that?
once you found a mushroom and you popped it  revealing powder inside.
wide eyed, you popped one on me.
"Fairy Dust" you said happily.
and popped one on yourself.
"Let's be like this forever.
Lets never get old.
I wish I'd have agreed
I wish I hadn't been so cold.
What happened to you?
Yesterday, I saw you with another man
I guess you do it cuz you can.
It was a shock because I thought we were doing alright.
But he had big bucks, a nice car, and his skin was white.
I got out of my car and stepped into sight.
You said something to your new guy and walked towards me.
I tried not to cry.
I knew you wouldn't hug me this time.
Or tell me it's alright.
instead you said.
"You and I've tried everything. I'ts time I give you back your ring.
I'm sorry I'm not good enough.
I'm sorry I don't feel the love.
I'm sorry we couldn't make this work.
I'm sorry our kissing lost it's fireworks.
I'm sorry my eyes lost there spark.
I'm sorry that my skin's not dark.
I'm sorry for how I've made you feel
And I'm sorry Fairy Dust isn't  real.
But I'm not sorry if i lead you on.
Because you knew one day that I'd be gone."

What happened to us?
we should have never grown up.

© copyrighted Nicole Ann Osborn

Knock Knock Knock
On my trailer door.
More work to be done, I'm too sore and too tired to do more.
A little young lady stood there, her face painted white.
What was she doing out here in the middle of the night?
Long Teal hair framed her face.
but why was she here, she's a little out of place.
Pink hearts were painted on her cheek bones.
I invited her in
it was stupid.
I was feeling so alone.

"How do I join the circus?"
she asked.

"Well you already look the part"
I said gesturing at her Pink face paint hearts
"How old are you little Miss?"

"Seventeen today"

"Are you serious about this?"

"Yes, Sir I mean business, okay?"

"Are you aware you're under age?"

"Who else but the circus would take a runaway?"

"I bet your parents are missing you."

"Yes, I'm sure I'm greatly missed, that much is true."

"Then what brings you here?'"

"I want to join the circus haven't I made that clear?"

"Why would you want to be here and scoop elephant dung? Look at you, Under all the make up you're most likely beautiful and Gosh, you're so young."

she wrapped her arms around me I was breathless from how tightly she clung.

"Mam, what are you doing"

"listening to your heartbeat."

"what's it sound like?"

"Like life, it sounds like life. I'd give anything to feel alive."

"What's wrong with your life what about your family and your friends?"

"I'm misunderstood by them, and the torture never ends. I know it sounds funny since I'm dressed like a clown. But that's all I've ever been to anyone. A joke, never taken seriously. Maybe they were Right. Because for me, being a joke just comes so easily."

"come on lets wash your face off, Let me see the real you."

She wouldn't stop holding me she said, "I just want to feel you."

I shook her off and took her hand, led her to the sink. In a strange way this little lady felt like some sort of missing link.

"What makes your heart beat?"
She asked as I was washing off her mask.

"What a peculiar question for you to ask."

"It's just my heart keeps beating, but for no one. I have no one."

I layed down the rag when I was done.
her beauty was unbelievable.
She was God's masterpiece and I was his scribble.

"I don't know what my heart beats for.
But I know it's skipping beats for you Mi Amor."

"So you'll let me stay here? You'll let me be a circus clown."

I tilted up her chin so she'd stop looking down.
"I'm not denying you the fact you make the birds in my rib cage sing.
But, listen to me. you need to go on home now Darling."

"What's that? I've had many houses but never a home.
Please, I'm begging you don't make me go.
I'm all alone
I ran away to join the circus don't you understand?"

I tried to calm her down as I took her by the hand.
"Cant you see that this is wrong? You've run away to join the circus but you don't belong here.
You've runaway to join the circus
But you're not a clown my dear.
I understand that you've run away and your not looking back.
You've run away to join the circus.
How about, instead, you run away with me. We'll follow the train tracks. It will come easily."

We've made a life for ourselves now, one not run by fear.
But every night I wash off her make up and remind her.
"You're not a clown my Dear"


© copyrighted Nicole Ann Osborn