a plastic duck in the middle
of a fiberglass and resin expanse
there's still a swarm of water
dripping lethargically
down, down, down
as if they have nowhere to go
sinking but never completely disappearing

the tile is cold under my feet
no steady movement this early at dawn
the window outside equally
tells of a deluge
frightening even the pebbles that make up a gravel road
but the birds are frantic with delight
a screaming song that could electrify
a sizzle more than whistling
almost burns my ears

domestic life under a wooden roof
my eyes always half closed
in contentment or excessive worry
i can never tell the difference

a pattern of small footsteps approaches me
a mop of hair and dreamy eyes
always reminding me that this is me
a grounding technique personified

scattered clothes grazing
that curious part between ankle and sole
reminding me that i am here
everything has paused
there's no reason to look at the clock
what once was midnight could be noon

the plants croon as i brush
their dusty leaves with neem oil
drooling over all the attention
a freckle in my arm spends an eternity
prancing around the fact
that I've had the same repetitive thought
for an hour now
but we are alive
that's all I can know for sure

I walk home in the
Dark of the night
From the school to my car.

Terrified I call my mom
And now I feel a little safe.
I think,
"Who's gonna hurt someone
Talking on the phone?"

Still it's not enough,
I look back
Every chance I get
To assumed my scared heart
That I'm safe.

The dimly lit street
Don't help!
The horror scene
In my head continues
To unfold.

Finally,
i get into my car
and drive home safely.

Maybe I need to
Stop watching thriller movies
Or
Maybe women's safety needs
To be taken more seriously.

I Pray Tonight
by Michael R. Burch

I pray tonight
the starry light
might
surround you.

I pray
each day
that, come what may,
no dark thing confound you.

I pray ere tomorrow
an end to your sorrow.
May angels’ white chorales
sing, and astound you.

Composer Mark Buller used the lyrics of “I Pray Tonight” in his musical composition “Erasure,” a song cycle for baritone, clarinet and piano on the theme of gun violence. “I Pray Tonight” was later performed as “Elegy” at the Hurricane Harvey Relief Concert by the Apollo Chamber Players in partnership with Musiqa Houston and Jazz Forever @ the MATCH (Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston), on September 8, 2017. All proceeds went towards the Harvey Relief Funds. Keywords/Tags: Pray, prayer, angel, angels, divine, protection, safety, starry, light, mercy, grace, comfort, shield, buckler, safeguard, charm, talisman, white magic

Draw nigh
wounded starling,
dwell among
the woodland fastness;
come under its canopy,
upon the bough's
fractal patterns;
mend your wings,
rest your thoughts;
in time you too will mentor
fledglings, the jackdaws
and sand martins,
teaching them
to safely yonder fly.

Please take me
Bury me
Hurt me
Nothing can save me now

Lit to me
Play with me
Stay awake with me
Nothing can save me now

Faint silhouette
Static back on a background
Actual safety
Came with your embrace
Then
You fled the complex
Too caught up
In what your movement manifested
Not what my soul thought...
Of your existence
Crucial
Critical to humanity
...
I wish that was what I thought of first...
Instead
I thought of how you affect me
Feral animal
Who else will comfort my flesh?
Trapped in shackles.

"Can you tell me what you really feel?"

He stares into my brown eyes. Confusion running heavy on his bloodshot eyes.

"I'm really trying to get the grasp of this, because if I can understand where your heart is, I don't have to stand here, worried and rumaging through my already dark mind", he sighs.

If I could find a way to let him Know how I am. It should be through poetry.
And if he can understand, I'm sure she will too.

I have had a lifeline of broken support.
In that instance it means that there's no possibility of someone being able to protect me.
I have given my heart willingly to what I assumed would love me back.
You've seen that backfire on me.
You've seen me retract back like a dog with a tail between its legs.
And I know how it hurt you.
It hurt me too.

Knowingly you took it upon yourself to create a barrier of protection between our friendship. Forming something that could offer some sort of relieve to us both. And in it's own way it did work.
Surely for a very long time, I could bare my heart break to you.
And you could allow me to be overwhelmed by your pain.
We did that.

"So are you saying you don't need my protection?" His voice breaks.

I'm saying that you need mine more than anything. I have a bruised beating heart that is protected by a soul that I've never quite met and thats okay.
She makes me feel safe,
she makes me feel protected and she makes . me smile and laugh.
I am more alive with her. Her love is remarkable. So what do you say?
Let me protect you?
My heart is in safe hands.

"Okay"