Inspiration
is fleet and fast
Look away for a second
and it has passed .

Looking out my window
the stars are mine to keep
The corner light lights up nothing more than
the asphalt on the street

I thump my pencil against my thumb
Whilst I wander aimlessly Lost in the past
not liking what I see

I feel my insides twisting tight
My breathing becomes restrained
while going over all the errors . . .
it softly begins to rain


I let out a confusing sigh
as the thoughts fade away to die
I long to confess on paper
giving answers to all my questions why


I'm looking out my window
The stars no longer looking in
Both are burning wasted time
Tomorrow . . .
I'll do it all over for the millionth time again

The creator designed earth as if its art
Humans thought they only have mind and heart
If the the slightest proportion was out of sight
The black hole explosion wouldn’t have lead scientists to fight

You know the lord loves beauty
But as they created what’s before me
I knew if your scent traveled to hell, the fire would cool
Eyes drawn to the desert making colors drool

I knew then.
If the devil laid his eyes on you he would feel the weight of his sins and repent.
Your lips hide mysteries I beg them to present
You keep thoughts running to “when?”

Lucifer was blind as the fear rushed
Lucifer the king was only made of fire
Only could see what has flushed
But the beauty before me

Will forever be mine

By: Zoulaikha

is a black cat
with white paws
one stitched back up
from where she finally burst
at the end of her long
silky black tail
is a white tip
that I would chew on when I was young
her eyes are green
her nose pink
I've had her since I can remember
My beautiful stuffed bella

Fingers—
laced in glow spill, dusk-slick.
tiny suns,
trembling—bodies of light,
trapped.

pulse-thrum,
hush-black air—
soft hymns flickering,
pleas pressed to glass,
breath-fogged, burning.

whispered tomorrow—
honey-thick, guilt-laden,
beauty begged to be held.

dawn—
bled dry.
cold palms, hollowed vessel,
absence like ruin.

I lied to the glass.
worse—
I stole their dying light.

& now—
I bear their afterglow
like a wound that refuses to dim.