The times have me gobsmacked,
petulant observer, no more endearing
than anonymous audience.

My own visions, shadows on cave
walls, storytelling secret
animal lanterns.

i awoke, for no particular reason, sensing something was wrong, my lover was not in my in arms nor in bed. i sat up, looked around for her shadow or silhouette, neither of which i found.

i got out of bed, walked the chambers and hall, to no avail, she was not  here. “where would she go, in the dead of night,” i thought to myself, “and why.” i walked to the terrace, into the moonlight, felt the cool of the night, the slightness of a breeze. i looked out across the terrain to the horizon, all was still, only the crickets chirped unaware.

i strained to see, to hear, anything, for a clue to where she was. in despair, i turned and walked back into the chamber, when i heard a fading echo. i spun around, trying to hear more of the sound, to get a bearing, a direction which to follow.

i heard it again, low, far away, faded from the distance, a woman’s voice, crying, pleading for help. i jumped from the terrace to the ground, running in the direction of her voice. i ran, faster and faster, my heart pumping hard, till i could hear my blood pulsing in my ears.

i jumped a stream, into the forest, dark, damp and cold from the night air. the voice grew louder, her pleads more desperate, i could hear the terror in her screams. i ran oblivious to the branches tearing, ripping at my flesh, or the rocks and stone against my feet.

i started to recognize the landscape, the direction i was headed. i was going to a cave, that ***** gentle into the earth, giving the appearance of an amphitheater. i ran into a clearing, to the entrance of the cave, looked down, and saw her, curled up, fetal position, in the middle of the cave, laying on ground, naked.

i hurried down the entrance, to the floor of the cave, where the moonlight started to disappear. i approached her slowly, she did not move, i was afraid, she was dead. i got closer to her, when out of the dark, i saw glowing eyes, heard a growl. i stopped to assess, trying to understand what i was up against.

it stepped out of the dark, into the faded light. it was a wolf, a black wolf, walking towards her, until atop of her, growling, snarling, gnashing its teeth at me. i stopped in my tracks, not knowing how or what to do. i was unarmed, partially naked, barefoot, looking at a huge black wolf that could, would tear me to apart.

my chest heaved, back and forth from from running and now fear. i looked at the black wolf, our eyes met, i could feel, see the viciousness of this apex predator, sensing it strength and power. the black wolf, stopped snarling, stared back at me, his expression softening to indifference.

“was the wolf realizing who i was,” i thought to myself, “that i am here to rescue, save the woman that i love.” the black wolf lowered his head, until his snout touched her shoulder, licking her, as if cleaning a pup, then popped his head back up, meeting my gaze again, and what felt like an eternity, started backing up into the darkness, till he was gone.

i rushed to her side, cradled her in my arms, looking, feeling for signs of life. i felt her shudder, saw her breathing, her eyes remained closed. i moved her hair from her face, kissing her lips softly, tears streaming down my face. i picked her up, and carried her out of the cave of the black wolf.

The distant clock ticks

There is no place as rich
With love, art, and song
Though the dust covered
These walls ages ago

This cave is home

repression is a matter
of trust

if they'd trust me they
wouldn't repress me

yet they don't trust
me

there is no right
life in the wrong one

Hello dark.

The walls are wet
The cave is hidden
Legs cut through black water

Via rapid movement I reveal a face in the sand, a scar in the algorithm.

A body covers itself in lavender mist

Manly, soft and asleep, his eyes are emeralds buried by the salt of life.

The mans **** transforms into the fountain of lost dreams

Him
    He
       His phone is dead.
        Arms cool colored and heavy

A swimmers body.

The sand reappears around his face. The grains shape into a pair of headphones arched over his skull, like the sweeping architectural feats of those ancient cathedrals.

Lights of subway tunnels devour the faces of strangers  


Wet
   Glittering rock
The Nobel breast stroke
Head above water
   Feet kick past the abyss

Our naked bodies press against one another.  dancing to the glorious choir of nothingness

a ghost of west coast dreams  

He ***** himself to sleep every night
As he waits for future/past lovers
And dreams of ugly angels

each scrawling night,
i stumble to my cave.
moss walls dripping—
the ocean kissing the lip.

i scratch my voice
into the bare rock,
with the sunlight trickling
in with the tide.

i poke my head out
when the night seeps
over the horizon...
i watch the cave flood.

Lured into the cave
by curly hair
reflected on the ceiling
behind the entrance, I hope

to discover a wonder
not believing in an evil
spell that will **** me
on a chilly oyster bank

shivering I lie on the nail bed
that is cutting open my skin
while I repeat the mantra
It's not real, the knives

about to fall, the horror
of the maggots that slither
to my eyes and pop into
my head like dying fireworks

It's not real, It's not real
it's the cool of the mountain
it's ice drip and stalactites
it's the shiny glitter

of water on the wall, wonders
of pristine nature, feeding
my imagination with images
of what I don't want to do to her