the slow slide
down from the stars above. love,

it leaves so fast,
grows so quickly cold.

she had looked into the shark's dead eyes
and found the friend
that waits in silent shadows

that draw the dying
inside themselves and into

the lone, solitary ring
of the cold church bells song.

Sylvia stared with dead eyes
and rode the white horse of death into the fire.

Our last thread
is dead
closed for business
you too are gone
sending me back
to the time
midnight
beat back the clock
like grains of sloe ice
melting on hot skin
in cold air
where you ever there?
it's that time again
bleeding
and on the run
hard to lose
soft to bruise
when a sick belly
feeling for the *****
tied her desires to you
in truckloads
"the monster and me
are real good friends"
once again
all sunshine
ice cream,
big eyed dreams
not o'er here dear
more akin to
black knights,
hemlock &
screams
freshly pealed
for your sonic pleasure
take me home
to my father
let the river
wash me clean
so I may
emerge as a dove
this sentient wanderer
is in dire need
of some paternal love.

© J.C.

Losing you
before you died
was almost as hard
as saying goodbye

almost

when logic & reason
slipped the knot
& your beautiful mind
was left to rot

the fading in
and fading out
your stellar confidence
now scattered with doubt

your light would flicker
a dwindling flame
deep blue eyes searching
but still losing my name

it went on like this
bleeding out hope each day
fleeting lucidity until
all bright faded away

your crystal blue eyes
still lovely but now dulled
death room waiting agony
as your life slowly annulled

I miss you still deeply
after all these years
& the pain you suffered
still draws gnarled tears

©J.C.

If the world were to end tomorrow
It would be more than a decade
since I last saw you
I guess blood isn't thicker than water

we are all either a son or a daughter

have you ever thought of me kindly
or is it still all misgivings
at past sins unknown
no kindness & no forgiven quarter

we are all either a son or a daughter

I remember when as young siblings
how we still liked one another
you were my champion
before we laid it all to slaughter

we are all either a son or a daughter

the passage of time leads us nowhere
so these words laid bare on the line
be like feathers on air
tears dissolving as salt does in water

we are all either a son or a daughter


©J.C.

I want to see the northern lights
but I cannot say why

it is said that sometimes
if conditions are right
you can see them from here

but it never seems to work
for me

even if the sky is clear
I cannot see them
when I am told I might

others say they have seen them here
I don’t think I believe them

some set a camera
on very long exposure
to take their picture

I can’t stare at the sky
for a very long time
all at once
like a camera

maybe I want to see them
because I haven’t seen them before

there are other things I want to see
but never have

like the life I was meant to have
with you

maybe if I’d had
a better camera

it's cold here
in the shade
of your waning love
blue moon bruises
of the heart
left to rot
like fruit in the bowl
as the gnarl in my stomach
tightens
dark matters knot
to a widow black hole

© J.C.

2 3 1 5 (valentines day)

Valentine's kisses
blown by fists
set coordinates
as markers
of unholy tristes
days in lieu
spent chasing back time
fooling myself
momentarily
that I can run down
the night
trade in those seedy lows
for peakless highs
masquerading sobs
smiles to hide sighs

© J.C.