Some days
She finds
Herself
Vacant
One
Self-destruct switch
Away
From
A life
Her own
But different

The steps
She takes
So delicate
As not to
Hurt
Still leave
Craters
In living room
Floors
Unmistakable

But better
Are craters
Of shrapnel
Than to be
Stagnant
Feet embedded
In a place
Where she
Finds
Only vacancy

She paints such things
That the world thought it knew
But in such a way
That each color, each hue
Each texture, so surreal
It transcended the real
And gave off the feel
Of Monique

Born of the embers
Of undiscovered stars
With eyes that would shine
Amidst streetlights and cars
And then outshine the day
With a brilliant array
As if this world, it spake
Of Monique

Emulating sunrises
With beauties of sunsets
A smile on her face
That no soul would forget
Each whisper a symphony
Embedded in history
The untold, renowned mysteries
Of Monique

Prophet and poet
Both will rise and will fall
The words of greats and kings
Will then fade, all in all
Yes the universe sings in praise
Compilations all raised
On the beautiful shades
Of Monique

My voice is cracking
My eyes filled with crust
These fingers will curl
As I venture to the dust
But I would wish nothing more
Than to write a score
Of the love that is stored
For Monique

Does the falling sound like waterfalls?
Can you hear your heart longing
Every note she wrote, she wrote to you
Pen fervent, pulse stalling

Does the falling sound like waterfalls?
Are you drenched? Are you dry?
Amidst the rushing life, stand still
See what so often eludes your eye

Does the falling sound like waterfalls?
Is the calling drowned and out?
Float like reeds or sink like stones
As words tumble out your mouth

Does the falling sound like waterfalls
When it echoes in your soul?
Will you let the floodgates open?
Or by the depths be swallows whole?

I looked for you
Amongst the pale and grey
As I saw you fading away
Melting
Into the concrete
Falling to defeat

So I bent a knee
Inaudible prayers for you
Then unlaced my walking shoes
Time
I placed into your cup
Hoping it would be enough

No plan to stop the tears
Inelegant, no grace
Shirt wet where you buried your face
Grief
I lost you in your pale and grey
But I know I’ll find you again in a smile

We’ll speak and measure
Only the amount you need
Contemplating long walks and sore feet
Rising
Don your shoes, pick you up
As you did for me miles before

Say aloud who you are
Is it who you pretend to be?

If happiness is such a lofty goal
Then why’s it’s aftertaste misery?

The shoes are on you feet
The road ahead of you is long

It’s time to take first of many steps
Don’t worry if they miss you when you’re gone

Say aloud what you see
And don’t believe it for a second

So many things in your memory
So many more worth forgetting

If love was all it took from you
Then we’d all be better creatures

Remember that even the strongest love
If not maintained, is still a feature

Say aloud what you feel
Feelings are leaves upon a changing wind

So many look to end it all
Because they’re too afraid to begin

Tie yourself to the firmest vow
Be what your wildest wild, your freest free

Say aloud who you are
Is it who you pretend to be?

There was ground under me
That now I can’t seem to find
A love within my grasp
That might have just been in my mind
A blooming flower
That turned out to be imagination
And a reason to live
That was of my own creation
I hear the ticking clock
And realize it’s my beating heart
I’m scared to find the source
‘Cause it might be ripped apart
So much life in front of me
If I could only live it
So much love in front of me
If my heart would just forgive it...

...self

Cracked is all I’ve known
Frayed lines my only home
My soul is pouring out like yoke
I find I’m not whole

I have yet to find a “why”
Too poor to live, too young to die
A tightrope walker hanging by a thread
A teacup continually chipping

And the audience applauds at such
My measures to see I don’t break too much
These words of crimson color pour
From gaping crevasses

I form each tearing truth to roses
Each biting ache I self compose
Compressed into symphonies of diamond
The wound unhealed, but heard

The piercing dagger now my pen
My mind plunging it, twisting again
To find the joy of my head sorrows
So beautifully broken