Black bird flies wounded,
Crows ceremoniously  .  .  .
  .  .  .  Lone soul, endless sky.

Step on me, go ahead.  Don't see my blood?
Truth be told it is red.  Don't hesitate.
I've been laying here for effervescent scores of time,
drifting in and out of knowing.
My heart sewn by threads of chance.
So scared of pain and the hurts I've lived.
reluctantly the love I give, is taken greedily.
And selfish truths come into light.
Cry I have like never before,
my mistake to open the door.
Lessons learned I did not head,
now I lay here on the floor to suffer my fate and bleed.
Darkness enveloping hope.
Jumping through hoops with a noose around my throat.
Praying each leap lands me on my pedestal without a false step.
The fatal end I know, waits for the careless step I take.
You the thief, who stole the whole of me.
All of me.
Made me go where I swore I would not.
Made me live my dreams.
Made me step out into fantasy,
My reality,
Come true to me,
Unbelievably,
I, so foolishly!
No one will ever catch me, my heart will never be.
Never see a safe horizon.
Never be surrounded in true and trusted arms of strength.
I can not save you, I can not save anyone,
For I need saving myself.
Can you save me?
Will you try?
Will you support my misguided step,
before the noose pulls tight?
I am bleeding on the floor, and running out of strength.
Will you stop my blood from running, or will you merely drink?

© Crystal Erickson 3/09/08

There's red on Nandina,
berries blazing among
morning's mist

Years ago you were
a sprig, shiny green
hiding below the white spruce

Once,  nearly
pulled along with other
less worthy underbrush

Like the car that braked on
time, like the strike of lightening
that missed the cabin

Survival can show
bright, radiant
veil of flaws

Gone, times of trial
evasions of destruction
hidden behind the glare

Its funny how I got here.
On a streetcar named desire.
Down town I called to Fear
Ingiting the poets fire.
But through the flames,
Called born-again...
The Love I found within;
Called me.

Here I sit
In an empty watering hole
Searching;
For tidal waves
Somehow;
I see myself
Through vivid imagery
I'm freed.
Though mountains hover over me...
Just beyond's the Sea.

There is a fire behind my eyes.
All you have to do is look inside.
Choose the story you want to see,
it’s what I have to do daily.
I understand
flames are scary.
This fire is consuming me.
Look deep inside
see me,
the whole story.

There is a fire burning my skies,
whipping at my heart,
see it in my eyes.
After all the damage done
will there be a shining sun?
“Help..”
is it heard? In a forest of hate?
It’s all burning down
the flowers and the lace.

There is a fire burning in my eyes-
look inside,
can you see it behind the lies?
Do i mask it well inside?
What can you see?
tell me,
Has it burnt away everything in sight?
...Am I going out of my mind?
Maybe the flames have consumed it,
and there’s nothing left
but a useless pit.



But there is a fire inside of me
it is a light
for all who choose to see.
It is a warmth inside my heart.
Some beautiful kind of art.
The fire behind my eyes is real-?I will keep it bright,?so you can see
every single thing I feel...
Flames of hope flickering.
The fire of faith burning.
Love.
Yearning.
This fire is simply the flames of fate
leading me to my pearly gate.

It is everything in sight.?
So I will stand tall,
be a light.
I’ll spread brightness in this fight.
Because we fight a war of love and hate,
battling to set everything straight.
Look in my eyes
you’ll see that fire,
the burning hope and desire.

I hope that you can look at me
and simply see see
the entire story...

There is a fire behind my eyes.
Look inside.