I know something
that you don't.
not a secret,
an experience
that you missed
well...
that you narrowly avoided
You know the gist, the facts,
but you don't know.

If you missed the taxi
and missed the plane
and the plane crashed
there would be relief,
but the disaster was
only in my mind.
Shot down, holes blasted,
things blown away
and people screamed.

I knew it was going down
but stayed in my seat.
Not afraid,
not like you.
I am both weak and strong
through this
knowing this
going down
only...
to be rescued in the water.
You will see me again
when I am home.

Jump in anger, stamp your feet,
you know you have the right.
It is not fair, it was taken from you
don't give up, you must try to fight.

Take the fragments, shattered pieces,
learn to breathe despite the pain.
Bring the feelings to the surface,
sing in the dark and dance in the rain.

Become the one who survives
Hold on like a stubborn ****.
Get to know you, the real you,
Find the new person who has been freed.

Listen to the dark, my dear
listen hard and listen well.
I know you are frightened, dear,
I know the dark surrounds you still.

The darkness is not absence, child,
the thoughts you hear are you.
And you are not all darkness, child,
But you must keep on breathing through.

The light will shine soon, my dear,
I know this weight presses on.
The dark will fade soon, my child,
And you will carry on.

breathing
can be hard
can be soft,
can be a sleep sound
or a waking sign.

breath catches
in surprise or wonder
or love,
bring feelings to your chest
and up the throat.

you breathe in life
and breathe out life.
you have no idea
how lucky you are.

dripping leaves drop the tears of my soul
snakes entwine in branches above
heavy and strong, they lie in wait
waiting for the urge to ****.

falling quickly into a spike-filled hole
stakes stab deep ****** gashes
no sound for the dripping rain
only pain and the time to fill.

heart, it beats out time again
solid gentle rhythm tapping
there is only one to listen
to that subtle inside sound.
they do not care for this noise
think it like a chain is rattling
bound to body and to life
no simple way to escape the sound.

Plastic shards burst from
tightropes
high above our eyes
Clanging trumpets played in the pit
by three dead children.
The conductor tries to lead an escape, but trips on dry ice.

Not everyone is trying to escape.
We paid for a show.

No one notices the smoke at first,
til it shapes itself a dragon
It gulps a wigged lady, in the circle,
and lands to finish the meal.
The strings lead the orchestra, making the tigers cry and carry on.

But death is a frequent guest at our parties,
so we're not phased.

A bunch of clowns handle a fire hose,
a pretend baby in a building
And the dragon performs a gust of fire
that they can put out.
The performers are as surprised as any and some have hidden.

But perhaps the brave, or the drunk,
still make the show go on.

No one is stupid or heartless enough
to attack the dragon, but
The small winged demons are fair game,
and have a taste for eyeballs.
We stab one with an umbrella and club one with a bag of canned stuff.

Better to be prepared, we thought,
and were proven right again.