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We see ourselves
as a house of mirrors—
each reflection warps
to fit its frame

What else can we do—
we trim the edges
smooth out the light—
If the curve is wrong
we bend our sights

Do I add too much—
a borrowed shadow
stolen tints and mismatched colors
remove too little—
leave out the seam

We are never as we are
only as we fit
within what we let others see—
patched by memory
tilted to survive—
from shame
from fears
from the raging battle
of wanting to hide and be seen
all at once—
never finding balance

I am tired
of self-adjusting—
I want to get caught up in the rain
with someone who can walk
through mirrors
No stranger to dope
fleeting social emotions
soul-tied to coke
today's night
tomorrow's day
acutely ajar
dreaming of hope
a needle maybe to far.
Hearts to the unconditional love,
Love that is without bounds,
Love that heals and mends,
Love that is patient and kind.

Hearts to the great friendship,
The wild cracking laugh,
The tears that flow when joy cometh,
To that friendship that burns it's ego and creates smiles for you.

Hearts to the pens that write with passion,
To the ink that never fades,
To the letters aligning with margins,
To the eraser that rubs away the pain.

Hearts to the goodness of the heart and smiles.
Hearts to the creativity of the mind,
Hearts to forever being happy.
So many things that
words can never say
                •
Too many words that
just get in the way
                •
©2025 Daniel Irwin Tucker
April came and with her hope
A little sunshine helps to cope
Her kiss sweetly soft caress
A heart frostbitten now be blessed

A simple smile of inward child
Takes the breath away
To calm the cold of bitterness
The Ides of March display

She comes to heed the mother’s call
Her air so fair and kind
April sings her early songs
Nature speaks her mind

Gypsy flowers peak their buds
Expose the coming season
Ducks and geese return at last
And life returns her reason
Traveler Tim

Caesar knew well
The Ides of March
The dread of anticipation
fell upon his heart
But we made it to April
And here a new beginning starts
What’s the purpose of it all
It’s only raining dust and grit.
The sky is weeping spatter
And the only sidewalk is
On the far side of the street.

They shined up Highway 95
But out front here is nothing
But deep breaches in the tarmac
And anything that doesn’t hurt
Me manages to itch.

All the good stuff is locked up
In upstairs rooms down endless halls
Where something has been splashed
Across the carpeting
And the door is always padlocked.

The book inside is second handed
And it’s marked up in random places
That don’t align with what
The index says should be there
And the Ex Libris page is missing.

The day is pecking at its shell
Of hopelessness and need
In hopes of gaining freedom.
The prayer wheel is no longer spinning
And the crimson candle has gone out.

There are reasons for it all
It’s written up in Sanskrit ink
And plastered on the backyard wall
That keeps it all inside or out
And I’m stuck in the middle.
ljm
Rampant randomness.  Befitting.
Remember they're monsters

Not just in theory, but really

It's no longer about the evidence

(If it ever was...)

But a call to collusion

They want you silent

Unless you recite after them

So they can write papers

On pipe dreams
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