Scratches on my neck
And blood in my mouth as I wake.
Faces
I see faces,
Voices,
I hear your footsteps behind me,
Is my life at stake?

Eyes open
Laid bare
But I cannot move!
Flesh out my mouth
Snake bites my neck,
What have you got got to prove?

My mind,
A haunting ghost
Stares at me wide eyed,
Open mouth,
It’s a black shadow
Full of sorrow
And it feeds me
Guilt and doubt
Until tomorrow
Until tomorrow

Keep feeding me doubt
then I’ll start doubting
Then the deed becomes debt
then debt becomes debts
and debt of doubts be dead
and end in never ending door of doubt

Unity is needed in time of crisis,
We can beat this virus.
We need to trust than to doubt,
Don't let negativity surround.
We need to hold on,
Until it is gone.

You told me
"You could do better."
But all I could think of was
"Why would I?"

The Tender Weight of Her Sighs
by Michael R. Burch

The tender weight of her sighs
lies heavily upon my heart;
apart from her, full of doubt,
without her presence to revolve around,
found wanting direction or course,
cursed with the thought of her grief,
believing true love is a myth,
with hope as elusive as tears,
hers and mine, unable to lie,
I sigh ...

NOTE: This poem has an unusual rhyme scheme, with the last word of each line rhyming with the first word of the next line. The final line is a “closing couplet” in which both words rhyme with the last word of the preceding line. I believe I invented this ***** form and will dub it the "End-First Curtal Sonnet." Keywords/Tags: curtal, sonnet, *****, form, tender, weight, sighs, heart, doubt, presence, gravity, orbit

doubt wrapped up, she struggles but i soother her
for what do i know without her?
fear, the closest comfort. cradled like an infant.
when the light slipped through
arms exposed and shut my eyes
hesitancy to grow through the dirt of my mind
but caution in the warmth provided

Words cannot express
all the pent up rage and sorrow
that comes with a harsh exchange,
the apparent pain
as self worth shatters
in isolation and fear.
Doubled over with doubt,
words pierce deeper
than any wound,
and their voices
were never heard.
Doomed.

Gray skies, no sun.
All work, No fun.
That's not okay.
If you have passions,
And your parents say
"Don't waste your time.
You'll never make a living that way."
Please don't walk away.
Because in a world
Of so much stress and so much fear,
Balance is crucial to your health.
Even more so when you get closer
To your older years.
And when you have doubts,
And you feel like no one believes in you,
And you don't even believe in yourself, know that I believe in you.
I really do.