It began, as these things often do
With darkened skies and all around
The night had paused to draw a breath
And through the streets rebounded sound
A slow and steady fall of foot
I stepped the cobbles free of care
My eyes were drinking vivid light
A fragrance tangled on the air

My purpose set
My heart a grim quartet

The door was mere scenery
A sight to see but not recall
The passing gaze is pushed away
And sees there, just another wall
No movement could I hear within
My knuckles whitened on the knock
Relief recoiled hastily
A scratching from the rusted lock

My fingers clenched
Anxiety deeply entrenched

The woodwork inched a little back
A brow bedecked in withered hair
A pupil sharp as autumn frost
Surveyed me with a butchers glare
Her voice, a blade across my mind
Invited me to step inside
A shiver shook my frozen bones
My feet took up a timid stride

Her tone shallow
Her skin like warm tallow

Within was soaked in tepid gloom
In candle light the shadows danced
The flames grew quick and paranoid
And leaned away as I advanced
Behind me scurried shut the door
And down my spine, an angel tear
A leather chair of ages past
Held consort with my falling rear

She sat near
And whispered in my ear

With lizards hiss and jagged tone
In fragrances of smoke and gin
She sprinkled such a parable
That tingles bounced across my skin
My mission lay ahead of me
But caution of a reckless choice
A curse that fed on failure
And menace edged her ebon voice

Salvation awaited
But hope swiftly abated

Away into the night I strode
My razor wits with terror blunt
I packed a satchel prudently
For sustenance about the hunt
A dagger dangled on my hip
A bow and quiver on my back
Its bowstring plaited spider web
Was ever strong and never slack

Horizon bound
I broke the ****** ground

My quarry was a worthy foe
And many days I tracked until
By moonlight on a starless night
I caught a glimpse and stopping still
A sight I've struggled to forget
My bounty and my nemesis
Was bounding past me heedlessly
As fear wrought paralysis

Eyes like death
****** hung on its breath

It stood a daunting seven foot
With talons jutting from its hands
A mass of quills and tentacles
With extra spleens and mucus glands
A mouth with room for seven men
And teeth the size of ironing boards
A single but enormous eye
With lashes like a row of swords

My face paled
My bladder faultered and soon failed

I faced my prey and crossed my legs
My stricken blood had turned froth
I ****** myself in abject fear
But stopped just short of touching cloth
I turned about and ran away
While screaming out profanity
And crying like a baby
And adopting Christianity

Pleading with fate
My pride a sorry state

I fled the county swiftly
Finding shelter inside a cave
My punishment for failure
Would see me to my grave
And so I existed in exile
Eating only what I caught
In time the wind grew colder
And the days were ever short

Winter grips
The solar zenith slips

I huddle to this very day
Amid the gloom with frozen breath
And keeping warm is paramount
For stretching life, postponing death
Though purely for survival
While I weather every storm
I've taken to bumming weasels
As a means of keeping warm

Blunt trauma
Weasel skin *****-warmer

As I had risen to the heavens,
and kissed an angel upon silver clouds of  admiration,
like turned to  love , for we were fated.
Every rising of the sun seemed powered by our uncompromising love, and our lust as strong.
Our love was our anthem,our love was our song.
Our love was mile upon mile, and forever strong
But in existence, something was altered,  your love changed,our love had faultered.
I am now in pain.
As before, I held you deep within my tear stained heart, two were one, and now one departs...I never even pictured, Our love's fatal demise, only the good parts, but again i shall rise!

I wandered far after losing my faith very young.
I was a pagan from twenty five to forty seven years old.
So far gone I studied it all from wicca to Carl Jung.
No matter what I found my spirit remained cold.

The reasons my faith faultered kept me locked in hate.
All things ugly found a place in my broken heart.
I thought life was about material things, money, food on my plate.
I lost everything tangible except what fit in a shopping cart.

God went to great lengths to bring me back into His fold.
In the street I ate only if I sat through a Preacher teaching us Gods word.
I fought against my narrow view of a Christians mold.
Spoke on how Christians were dumb, their beliefs absurd.

Flesh cannot out hold out when God has a path that He clears.
I began to open up, my heart and spirit starting to heal.
Slowly my walls came down and hope replaced fear.
Hungry, cold and wet a winter storm hit and I sat needing a meal.

Headphones on I paid no mind as the Mission filled with people like me.
I was interrupted by a man and woman tapping my arm.
She told me to pay attention as she felt her words would set me free.
I looked into her eyes, I knew she meant no harm.

I listened and felt every word this couple spoke.
They told my story from beginning to present day.
I knew that life left me the day my spirit broke.
I let my guard down and felt His touch as he lighted my way.

Becky Jo Gibson

Cedar armored walls.
Defined by addition.
These 4 walls are only limitations.
Multiplied by distance .
To equal a
Freedom cut down.
Chipped at with a dull ax.
Bring the house down.
Glory and drink in hand.
This carpet captures secrets.
The spills of wine and tears.
Stains on character.
This chair stands strong.
Faultered? Not today.
Antique like your bones.
Fragile pressure of air.
Pressing on your pores.
You light this room.
Presence of fireflies.
Light my will to the door.
Step into the world.
Through this lanterned heart.
Use your butterfly eyelashes.
Flick the snowflake.
Guide your melting steps.
Snow disapates into forever.
Your an angel through purity.
Lungs flushed of ability.
Stutter stepped stupid.
Beauty of freedom.
Nature flexing possession.
Captivated.