The sun beats down
with burning rays
atop a desert sand.
Nothing moves,
there is no sound,
among the Earth's dryland.

The hard ground cracks
a little more
as the days get hotter.
Only a snake
sits by a pool
of freshly cold spring water.

The water provides the snake with life
without it,
he would die.
But the snake
sees something else:
a pool he can't deny.

For it had trees
that shaded him,
more comfortable a space.
But this pool
was not as pure
no not as much in grace.

Either way,
the snake moved on
across that pool of shade,
giving in
to all temptations
that the water made.

He was never unhappy
and stayed
for quite a while.
For the pool
was something new
whose looks would all beguile.

Until one day,
the snake woke up
and found the water gone.
For all that was left-
a pile of dirt,
and nothing to count on.

And so he went
back to the place
for which he had vacated.
Alas he found,
it too was ground.
The pool evaporated.

The snake grew frantic.
Filled with panic,
his life had reached it's deadline.
The warmth was gone.
He'd never see dawn.
So long, the Desert Sunshine.

You're the calm to my storm I've embraced,
I'm the void you're lost in.

It's been a while since we last spoke,
3 years to be precise, but who's counting anyway, not me.
Definitely not me.
By the way I unfriended you on facebook,
I figured it's about time, I mean after 3 years of radio silence,
a long term girlfriend for you,
and a series of unsuccessful hookups for me,
I figured it's about time I gave up the illusion of being friends with you.
Every now and then I look you up,
and thanks to your disregard for security and privacy settings,
I stalk you, and her.
She seems nice, positive, bubbly,
committed to all the right causes,
I cannot really find any reason to dislike her. Shame.
Perhaps if I said yes the second time round, or the third,
perhaps if we hadn't been so young and had another go,
perhaps if you said yes, when I eventually felt so,
we'll never know.

You think you slick
It scares me that you know exactly what to say
When I'm broken and losing feelings
You know how to make me stay
You give me that temporary healing

You think you slick
Because you no longer hear my cry
you think that **** is cool
But I know you and every time you lie
I ain't always going to play your fool

You think you slick
You only want me when I don't want you
when somebody else got my eye
You feel the need to slide on through
I don't even know why I try

You think you slick
Because we just on the DL
So why should anybody know
Loving you just seems to be hell
Maybe it's best that I just go

I can't escape you,
for your name is carved into my bones
and your smile is sewn into my memories.


I can't escape you.
there are scars on my skin where your hands
       have been.
there are blisters on my lips where you have
         kissed.


I can't escape you.
I saw you in the school corridor today,
and I felt myself gravitate toward you.
I wanted to feel your hair between my
         fingers;
I wanted to feel your lips against mine.
being safe in your arms is the closest to
home I've ever been.
I could feel my muscles ache to reach for
           you.
I was close enough that the smell of your cologne hit me hard.
your arm brushed mine,
and I tried to play it cool.
but all I want is you.

You left me in pieces
Never looked back
You never told me why
And treated me so bad
While I gave you all my love
All you cause me is a broken heart

So now i'll forget you
Try to stop thinking of you
What my heart won't allow
My mind can do
I'll have to cease saying "I love you"

But
If you knew how much
I've hurt
will you come back?
Those tears I've shed
All of these *****
Cause you know I want and I will
But you're not there
And life will never be the same again



Leigh Herondale  *2013

Counting down the days after that day
You said goodbye and walk away
If only I knew that it would hurt me so
I never ever should have let you go

Tracing back the steps up to your door
Where we'd lie awake up until four
We'd fight in your car and then make up again
Now my heart is torn, refusing to mend

I remember that day you played your guitar
Those nights we'd wish upon a star
Praying that this would never end
Now we aren't even friends

We were so many things, so many places
So many dreams, waterfalls of kisses
If only I knew it would be this way
I never should have left that day


©Leigh Herondale  *September 2015