...a diary of the falling dominoes chapter

invisibly dying from the inside out
no one is looking into unseen eyes
no one can hear a muted voice fading
no one is close enough to be near

the deafening thrums echo
anxieties’ racing heartbeat
within morphing flesh shell ,
gasping for new breath
in a hovering stale silence

from a distance
the broken mirror ricochets a subdued light ;
much closer the reflection reveals
someone I once knew by heart

now an unrecognizable mask
enshrouds a terminal emptiness
inconspicuous at a fleeting glance ,
impossible to discern what storms rage
from the inside out ,... unnoticed  

an uncontained wildfire
smoldering within,  lies in wait
for the imminent winds of change
to fan the flames into the final
eternal silent ashes

a poet reaches out demurely
offering a candid look
into the window
of the imperfect human soul

there is no poetry
met by indifference
just gathered unread words scribbled,

squandered time
dripped slowly on an empty page ;
moments turn into days
days turned into years

invisibly dying from the inside out
an unfinished life trickles out
like seeping blood evanescing
from a bottomless puncture
wounding ... penetrating the heart,
leaching out the slow death of a poet

for poetry is only words unless they touch someone ...

befallen to indifference is poetic death
by salted paper cuts ...

a muting suffocation
that hiddenly erodes away,
silencing the passion
of a musing soul
one unread word at a time ...


© harlon rivers ... all rights reserved

"Nah...

                                    *she just..

          *reminds me of someone."

Cloud formed above with a cold shade
Walked with his heads down, humble
He put smile on every face, never fade
People adored his honesty, they mumble

Whether you disagree the fact, he told it
Said it for the grace of the people, he loved
Got the message and he put his life for it
They spat spite inspite his honesty, hated

The believers, the supporters, they failed
Couldn't help the prophet but to obey him
Never atttack back, just defend, then exiled
They sieged lands, helpless, went with him

Years later, commandments descended
Won their land back, no more bloodshed
Freed the slaves, freedom for all, but laws
Women be brave, you're safe, no more bows

Except for your God

My wild bird has flown away
Gone to that island in the sun
On her way and carried with her
My heart, my only one

We lived a dream
Ethereal, we realized
How perfect love can be
What we encountered
Under cloudless skies

There beneath the palm trees
We achieved peace and understanding
Sweet and sensuous sighs found at last
Consigned to be in the past perfect tense

For dreams must end
Birds must fly
Carried on cool winds
My wild bird cruises high

The love is not gone
Just her presence
The feelings shall always remain
I'll just have to carry on
They say tomorrow will be a day of rain

When our young days are far behind
No mountains left to climb

Will you look back across the hills
And see me standing still

When our eyes meet, it's understood
I would follow if I could

But I'm tied down by memories
That I could never leave

You'll fade from sight, eclipsed by light
Of a path you follow true

But I'll stay here for the both of us
To remember me and you

My phone beeps
And my heart leaps
It's him, it says
Stupid heart,
I feel guilty almost immediately
Why would I still wait,
hope, want?
A year has passed,
And five days.
Stupid phone,
Stupid memory.

I swear to God,
I can still remember
the constellations on your back.
I trace them
over and over
again in my mind.
I look for them
on every other body
I have seen since.