He devoted his whole life
To people he called his friends... his family

He spent his time
His energy
His loving care
To listen and offer guidance

His family
Was perfect
From the outside,
Looking in

But no one ever
Gave a thought
To the pain that he was in

Through all of his struggles
He stood strong
The years had been ******* him for far too long
And he bore his burdens alone, time after time

Not a single friend
To confide

Not a single kin
To offer him wisdom

They were there
But they never cared
As they were always complaining selfishly
Of their petty qualms
To which he listened
Selflessly

It's not that he didn't try
To seek refuge in them
They were too consumed
Basking in their own greed

To hear

His

Cries

For

Help...




They never could see
How broken he was
Until it was too late

They should have
listened...

They should have
cared...

But they simply had no time to spare

I sleep with the lights on every night

For I don’t want to be surrounded by darkness

Suffocate in the blackness

For in the dark

Every outline sprouts arms and legs

Close your eyes and listen

To the gnashing of teeth and rumbling of low growls

For in the dark

Blind to hands and teeth

They invade my perception

Closing in an angry mob of outlines

For in the dark

Everything comes alive

Lurking along the edge

While I stumble over my feet

For in the dark

I am helpless and alone

My heartbeat clatters in my ears

Creating my own soundtrack

For in the dark

Anything is possible in the sea of black

Blind, unable to find myself

I am lost spiraling around and around in the unknown

For in the dark

Everything is strange therefore a stranger

Unable to talk, I wish only to scream

But I am told not to talk to strangers

For in the dark

I myself become unknown

Floundering within the outlines

Until they consume me up

For in the dark

I hear every word I don’t want to hear

Feel every emotion I try hide

I am unable to speak

For in the dark

Anything is possible

Blind and helpless

Until I am left with only tears

So I sleep with the lights on every night

I left myself behind
To follow you
Blindly.

I used to have a friend from
New York that was a lawyer, she once
dated a famous NBA star.
We drank ***** together.
She was a bit smug, but smart and
funny—a dangerous combination.

One evening, we decided to
go to a neighborhood grocer that
sold spirits and wine.
She had a black schipperke named
Bruno.
One drunken night I dubbed
him the Senator, after Ted Kennedy,
another smart and funny drunk.

We called a cab to get
more *****. I put Anna’s
Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses
on; I grabbed a broom handle and
hooked the Senator
up to his leash.
I said, “Look, look, I’m blind and Teddy is
my seeing eye dog.”
Anna laughed and said,
“Oh we must bring him along.”
She used the word, “must” a lot.
The cab pulled up and the
act began.

I worked the cane, and the dog out the
door, with those big white
sunglasses covering my eyes.
We piled in the cab,
and
tore off into
the sweltering July night.
We pulled into the
grocery store parking lot
Anna told the cabbie to wait.
She was beat red and big tears of
joy flowed freely down her face.
I grabbed her arm and said,
“Quit laughing, or they’ll think it’s a joke;
I’m ******* blind; it isn’t supposed to be funny.”
She laughed harder.

We walk through the sliding doors,
I’m waving the broom handle back and forth on
the floor.
The Senator immediately proceeds to
**** on a display case of crackers.
Anna cackles,
we walk on like we didn’t just see Ted’s
indiscretions. We headed for
the *****.
Anna yells, “Did you see what the
Senator did back there?”
I say, “Of course I didn’t see it honey,
I’m blind, what did he do.”
She screamed, “He ****** all over that display case.”
"I know, I know—let’s get the
***** and get the hell out of
here before they kick us out.”
Just then, the Senator slipped out
of his collar and began to
run up and down the aisles.
I chased him, he dodged me.
Anna tripped and fell, she laughed until
she wet herself.
That ******* dog had
more moves than an NFL running back.
I finally cornered him by the
milk and butter section; I reached down to
grab him, and the little
******* bit me.
I smacked his nose and said,
“Bad Dog—Bad, Bad Dog.”
He bit me again.
I finally had him in my arms;
by then, those ridiculous looking
sunglasses were on top of
my head.
I lost the broomstick, and dragged the leash and
collar behind me.
We made it to Anna’s and drank into the
night. Most poets wouldn’t know how to end
a poem like this
but I do,
bow wow.

Deep down below the veil
Through oceans deep and lands of hail
Lay there I, a god of old
Feet stood deep in the ocean's cold

A god of time I am to thee
For old I am and gray to see
A god of naught I am to me
For lost I at time's decree

Down a rabbit hole I go
As I am lost and full of awe
Taketh there thine heart to me
For without you I'm blind to see