Sal Gelles

Sal Gelles Feb 2014

falsehoods spread like wildfire;
spreading like disease, consuming
every speck of hope and dreams,
leaving everyone emptied in the end.

Sal Gelles Jan 2014

Black Coffee Mondays

that dissident, bitter taste,
left in perfect circles,
circling keyboard and mouse,
cooking themselves down
to partisanship; put into words,
burnt bottom coasting,
blackened death enticing
as each sip brings on
another cigarette,
more anxiety,
and less objection
to the jazz spewing from my fingers.

Sal Gelles Dec 2013

Debacle

There's something about reading your tongues that keep me entranced;
that I know, but you will surely deny, as denial is your self-hatred.
You'll pass the time in every day finding new ways to fulfill it,
and once you've come to another ultimate conclusion, you'll leave
all of it up to somebody else to configure.

Sal Gelles Dec 2013

burning my own bridge across town

bathing can’t get me clean.
what you dumped on me
won’t come off with soap,
bleach, or gasoline.
i’m fading out of focus,
losing sight of my self
as what you've put on me
consumes, corrodes,
and entirely consumes
what was left of self-imagery.
sure, it was never sterling,
and it certainly wasn't gold,
but I at least had faith left
in most parts of my character.

now i’m just rusting away,
and soon they’ll come to start demolition.

leave little notes to linger in the mail
leave letters unwritten to wander your mind
leave songs ringing in the halls
and leave me alone, you're gone for a reason

Sal Gelles Dec 2013

sell me something

i never believe what you say
because you’ve convinced me
that everything i spew has been
lies, deceit, ****, self-hatred, abusive.

i never ask you questions
because you’re not there, still,
to even answer the phone when i need
somebody, anybody, are you listening?

i never look too closely anymore
at the things you have to show me
because you never wanted me to see
as much as you wanted me blinded

to everything you really are,
and that i could be.

Sal Gelles Dec 2013

slipper

i'm sorry if i was never subtle enough
          in letting you know you
       you don't cross my mind anymore.
     you're stuck on one side,
       and i've moved up the other,
     never looking back to see if you saw.

the road stretches on, and you've got a choice:
either you sit on the side you're on, waiting,
or move on down, with the occasional thumb
stuck for the traffic to see you're going
the way they're headed.  it's nice to get a ride.

bipolar disorder and a handful of pills to let me forget there's nothing left for me once the bottles gone.

Sal Gelles Dec 2013

pieces

just two lost hearts
wearing into each other
and tearing apart
the covers;
tangled in one another
before the start
of a lover's
dream; it's hard
to be apart.