As a child, the backyard was
my sanctuary and my
playground.
I climbed the soft
pine tree and crawled to
the top of the garage.
I stood and gazed at all the
houses and streets.
I felt rich.

My mom had a brown
jewelry box shaped like
a treasure chest.
It reminded me of
pirates and adventure.
I filled it with
football cards
gum
candy bars
family pictures, and a few
coins.

I found a small shovel
and buried it in the
backyard close to the
pine tree.
I pretended to forget
where it was.
A week or so later, I
suggested to my best friend,
Wally, that we should
search my yard for buried treasure.

Of course, we found it.
I acted surprised.
We celebrated.
All these years later,
I realize that my treasure,
then and now, is imagination.
I'm a wealthy man.

I can't help but wonder
when I am walking along,
why I'm not meant to have a family,
why I was born on my own.

Hands in my head
I pace back and forth,
The storms are long
my mind is a mess.

I screech through the night
but no one can hear me,
Asking myself
What am I good for?

I look in the mirror,
to see something familiar,
but all I can see
is hope that has gone dead.

I gave up long ago,
looking for a home.
women like me are
meant to roam.

She sits still in a corner
He juts in to the room
White butterflies adorn her
He carries darkest doom


She keeps her feelings hidden
He knows of them and sighs
She cowers as was bidden
They both eye up her thighs


She loves those undeserving
Ignoble hands, he grasps
She holds his gaze unnerving
He takes without an ask


She mounts a throne of wounding
He spouts a light impure
She counts the nights in bruising
His will to shape contours


She bathes herself in shadow
He takes with him the light
She dreams it a fandango
He lets her think she's right


She makes her home the corner
He makes her house a hell
She smiles inside her torpor
He knows she'll never tell

Memories are like clouds—

some are like the white fluffy ones

floating carelessly in the sky

bringing happiness and joy

putting a smile on the face

                    and

some are like the dark clouds

that stays, bringing with them

thunder and lightning

causes pain in the heart

and bring tears to the eyes.