To my good friend, Sue
Stay safe in your chrysalis
I'll be here waiting

Keep your mind on you
I'll stay true to the promise
to write for us both

You are not alone
You are a kind and sweet soul
So regenerate

In your chrysalis
I will await in its glow
and for it to crack

The winds will sing sweet
And the Northern Lights will dance
And you will emerge

Shining, born again
With strong, bright, velveteen wings
With love as armour

With all your wounds healed
And all your scars now faded
And we see you smile

I know you'll come through
People may have struck you down
But you weren't destroyed

To my good friend, Sue
My hand's on your chrysalis
Just know I am here

Paint my porcelain skin
To look like steel.
This is my armor,
Fragile beneath
It’s metallic sheen.
Paint my face
With my blood
Like warpaint
In the form of adrenaline
coursing through my veins.
Forge my sword
With the splintered pieces
Of my dignity,
For my wit is sharp
And my pride is strong.
Heed my battle cry
The song of words once trapped in my throat.
I am a siren, a Spartan, a warrior for the silenced.
The blood
Running through my veins
Is toxic.
So bite me.

Give                                              
life  and                                              
truth to words                                              
Let   your    poems                                                
roam                                              
♡                                          
f                                  
r                        
e                        
e                                
l                                
y                        


              I
               write  these
                 poems          to    
                    to    touch   the  hearts    
            of
             ♡
         m
  a
       n
y

In                      
my mind                    
poems      are                  
        true   emblems   of                            
  a                    
♡              
s    
o      
u            
l  


                                              These
                                               Lanterns
                                                 are  meant  to
                                                  be    my   way    to
                                                give
                                                 ♡
                                           m
                                y
                                        ♡            
                                               t                  
                                          h
                                                    a
                                                         n
                                                     k
                                             s
                                      ♡


These                                
Lanterns                              
are  meant  to                              
be    my   way   to                            
share                              
♡                            
m                        
y                
  ♡          
   d    
  r        
e              
a                  
m          
s
        ♡

                                                      These
                                                   Lanterns
                                                    are meant to
                                                     be  my  way  to
                                                     share
                                                      ♡
                                                         m
                                                              y
                                                                    ♡
                                                                       p
                                                                       a
                                                                      i
                                                                  n

These              
Lanterns              
are  meant to            
be   my  way   to              
share              
♡              
m          
  y    
   ♡
    s    
    i      
  g          
h          
t  

                                                  These
                                                Lanterns
                                                are meant to
                                                 be   my way   to
                                                   share
                                                   ♡
                                                 m
                                                      y
                                                             ♡
                                                                    p
                                                                        l
                                                                     e
                                                           a
                                                    s

But                                  
most of                                
all, Lanterns                                
will always share                              
my                              
♡                          
i                          
n                                
n                                  
e                            
r                    
♡              
l            
  i                  
   g                          
h                                  
t                                
♡

You left a trail of treasures
for me to find or lose
you are all about free will
you left it all to fate
everywhere I look
you are standing near
in every mother to be
I see you cupid in utter joy
your the lover of life
best lover husband and father.
In every lullaby playing
Its you who sings to babes
in their cribs you are
the best father on earth
a beacon of light
in every child life
In every poem that paints and sings the songs of trees of life
a new paradise is born
poetry caresing lovers.
weddings diamonds and gold
I feel you every where
beloved of my soul
every rose and wild flower
bows in reverance to you
Richie Rhett lover of life
legacy of true love
In every grief Eve gave Adam
I see my world
forever transformed;
In every poet's ink
I bleed I live or die
but in your ink
I find the ink of God's
willful stride
you are my favorite poet
on the whole wide world
your INK has power
pulling the enemy daggers
left in my heart
let this powerful queen's
INK in hand
pull your sword
out of your stone
with my mouth my sinner lips
and my hand's tongue
my poet's ink.

You call yourself fire but you are the water that quenches my flames
You are the dirt that snuffs out the coals
And Buries me.
And the dust that coats my throat
Until I’m choking
And coughing up the coals
I swallowed
Trying to keep the flames alive

But it worked
And they are still flickering inside me.
Keeping me alive

Because I am fire.
But only for myself.
Though I’m sure I have left a few flames in my wake.
I wonder I they’re licking at you
Threatening to swallow you?
I hope instead
you take them as a lend
Bottle them up
In your darkest hour
And until my light, I’ve left in you,
Flickers out,
I hope you let those flames
Left in my wake
light your way.