When an angel gets their wings
A flightless bird is born.
It's when I think of these things
That my belief in god is torn.

Her skin was cold as ice
And pale as winter snow.
She tried to make it right,
But it was time to go.

How do you say goodbye
To everything you know?
She really did try,
But it was time to go.

Don't waste your prayers on the dead.
The living need them more.
Close your eyes and bow your head.
She spreads her wings and soars.

Like an angel she flew,
Said farewell to the world below.
Left everyone that she knew
Because it was time to go.

write gospel in radio waves
find salvation in city smog
coax angels out of brick and dust
asphalt streets and concrete husks

1)
An Angelic Hymn
(minus the fear):

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The -- made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
-- made their glowing colors,
-- made their tiny wings.

Gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell

That the -- didn’t do this
so we’d forget the God in ourselves.

2)
Like, is it cool to be “grown” and still have a soft heart?
Na, I’ll just be a chronic cracking dehydrated mirror
I’ll just beeeee
that guy who wastes his entire year...
Procrastination’s cooler than empathy huh?
and I tried so hard not to be in this poem
my laziness tried so hard to turn me into
the dude in the back with his head down
pretending to check his phone during any sign
of vulnerable
any sign of real

25-
the year I met my angel
the year I found out burning bodies smell like
burning bodies
the year I found out I’ve spent my whole life
thinking and leading with my 2 heads instead of my heart

and she had the audacity to ask me if I have a soft heart?
in public?
…
am I a broken thing?
or are we all just trained to be ignorant of our angel wings?
we are all angels for each other without even knowing it

my angel has a strong name
my mama always told me Benjamin is a strong name
I just have trouble remembering it

3)
Dear Benjamin,

little boy
cocoa skin
dry mouth
holy shoes
Summer smile
gap tooth
loose too
heaven’s proud youth

little boy
unironed shirt
muddy shoes
****** knees
scraped cheeks
paycheck teacher
aint pleased

But

crayon creations
self portrait
proud artist
proves darkness
must believe
in itself
or else
who will?

baby boy
with my strong name
child who was born in fire
you’re an angel
and you ask me if
I believe in angels…
tell God even my neglected heart still recognizes
that oldest trick in the book

and when you’re done
serving this undeserving world
your golden miracles
earning those wings
you were born with

we’ll only remember the time
you brought us all together
to sing songs and cry tears
and not even realize
that your life
and death
are proof
that our fears can not survive here

they can’t survive…
in the sun
in the rain
through the fire
through the pain


Rest in Peace
Protect in Peace

Praise Them,

The Angels who lift the heads of the bowed

Who tread the oceans of fallen tears

To renew hope in the hearts of the broken    

Those who lead the lost home  

And remind us

That we are never alone...

They always taught us that angels were beautiful golden haired creatures; pale skin, soft features, the warriors of the big man upstairs.
I always thought that angels were just bright, bright stars; who come down to earth to help us shine brighter.
I've met many angels in my life.
One was a kind older woman, my mothers age, that wore scarves and bandannas to cover her shaven head. She liked going out for corn dogs when the chemo was too much.
One was a rounder taller woman, a booming voice and a smile always on her face. Whenever I thought of her, I saw copper pennies.
Angels come to us when we need them most, they say.
But they never said about when they go away.
When all that's left is a feather and a few precious memories.
When they're reduced to a spark compared to how much they shone.
When all that's left for you is a feather and memories.
They never said to me what happens when they leave, yes.
But they never told me that more come our way.

As the night falls dark, my heart beats hard,
for without you, love,
the demons are free to feast upon me

Come you and your sword,
come you and your strength,
come you and shield me,
from demons around and demons about,
from demons that feast upon me

As the sun sank deep,
and the stars shone bright,
the moon became sinister
and the demons were let out the night before

Came you with your vorpal sword,
loved me and kept all harm away,
the sun came back, the stars smiled,
the moon grew gentle,
and the demons turned angels

But tonight, my love, the demons are free to feast upon me.
Come you and take me away, I cry...
Come you, and bring the sun again.
Come you, and shoo the demons away.
Come you and kiss these tears dry.
Come you, oh. Come you, again.