They said I blew
it out of proportion.
I was told to let it go
so I did the mature thing
and looped an uptight string  
around its neck, strangled
it in a vexed snaggle,
before setting it free
to float. I let it go;
(though, not really).

Good advice must be broken
into bite sized pieces
so as to avoid choking
on its well-meaning intent.

Now,
I carry it with me every day
but it is a weight off my shoulders.
They say it suits me.
I agree.
What a facetious accessory it is –  
maturity!

Thirty
by Michael R. Burch

Thirty crept upon me slowly
with feline caution and a slowly-twitching tail;
she waited three decades for the winds to shift;
now, claws unsheathed, she lies ready to assail
her defenseless prey.

Keywords/Tags: thirty, age, aging, maturity, time, creep, creeping, ambush, feline, predator

A challenge was set before me,red rose blooming,
But my feet refused to take a step towards the danger,
my hands refused to hold onto the rose,
although my heart wanted to.

My fingers could've bled,
and blood could've been sweet,
The pain would've torn me,
I would've found meaning as well.

I was ****** to be a lover of chaos,
destructive idealism,
and moonlight.

Born as a child of nature,
born and died,and will live again,
Mighty fragile and weak,
but inside is what flames are missing.

Familiar with all,
I awaken with a thirst for freedom,
In it I am caged,
just to feel the purity of this life.

Sometimes I wish I could go back,
To when I was a child, innocent and young,
To that dream like perspective, safe from
Pressure and responsibility,
When the world was bright and beautiful

How a simple walk through the neighborhood,
Brought excitement with the sight of,
The little birds,
Perched atop the liquor store,
Or the towering plan trees,
High above our heads

How the same sights,
Now ignored and meaningless,
As we walk by, now chasing 'dreams',
Now walking through the bleak abyss of maturity.

That took less time than I thought

- got old real quick

This is taking longer that they said

- still not grown up