Gunfire rattled through the tranquillity, shattering like the bones he trod on to get this far

He laughed a little, because he heard them squeak and squawk when he stamped their life away

He pumps the shells out of his rifle, seeking any pray that is unlucky enough to find him

He quiets down, and sneaks on the brown autumn leaves while they crunch

He finds what he's looking for, he sees her stand tall and proud and happy

He readies his gun, steadily aiming at her

Her skin is a rough brown and her orange hair is falling out, and covers the floor like a carpet

He laughs a little while he pulls the trigger, sending a few bullets into her thick skin

Her bark breaks and there's a hole, the bullet is stuck inside of her

And he chuckles while inspecting what he's done, and he thinks "wow, I did this."

The tree is still standing, and she always will be

But the gunman, he now knows what he can do

and she will never be able to stop him from that

the gunman walks away with a cocky smile, whistling a tune

The tree simply stands, and grieves for his future crimes

love won't save the world

love won't save you or me

love won't stop the bullets flying into the deer's leg

love won't stop her last attempts of escape, her last few bucks for life

love won't stop the knife sliding up her stomach

love won't stop her skin from parting like rose petals

love won't stop your hand finding her heart and pulling it out

love won't stop you throwing it to the ground and stamping on it

love won't clean the blood off your hands

and love won't sew the deer's chest up again

love didn't save any of us,

love didn't stop you

and love certainly didn't save her

and love won't save me

It always baffled me on how women returned to their violent lovers

And then I realized I was just as foolish//

I had returned to you when you beat my heart to a pulp

When you violently murdered my trust

When you exiled and disregarded my emotions.

-But you see
I am like the sea
Because the shore sends her away everyday and yet she comes rushing back

painting my nails
tastes like kissing you
- george

It just bursts forth,
The violence of emotion.
It completely incapacitates,
Creating a commotion.

Chaos ensues,
It's blinking from dark to light.
Now you're left to wonder,
Who's the enemy, who to fight.

It'll be easier to hide,
To pretend none of it's real.
Because with this violence,
It's just too much to feel.

You'd rather surrender,
Rather have none of this pain.
But insanity is vicious,
And you've got no one to complain.

This violence is cruel,
The emotional battle is crippling.
You're left breathless,
As the effects are just rippling.

In the midst of this disarray,
You plead to be saved.
But they're blind to the violence,
Their indifference is just depraved.

You feel like you've gone mad,
As the chaos is just raging on,
There's no way to explain it,
So.. you just end up staying silent.

To be
a  husband, or a wife,
a friend
a sister, a brother
a mother, a father
an aunt, an uncle
a grandmother, or a grandfather,
one has to be a stronghold...an indestructible wall
amidst storms and droughts, never to fall
be thought of as Fire and Ice:

be the Fire, the steady flow of heat on icy, or wintry nights
the wood crackling, to fuel the flames dying...
a burning spur for the mind, when nothing comes out of the well
fire to boost the wilting spirit..bringing in newborn courage...
the warmth from hands that would hold... heal and  save
to fight for those near  you...even the ones farthest from you

be the Ice that never melts, right in the middle of the fire
to gently freeze anger...hostility...madness
neutralize the fiery air, to balance the atmosphere
to be a cooler head, among violent minds
make glaring eyes and deaf ears, receptive to reason
from red-orange...be an icy blue...

"Are you a shrink?"
i was asked once...
the thought lingered for a while...

Why, maybe...yes!
i've got no license, though
all i have are experiences,
a drop of wisdom...here and there
from times, when i failed
to notice what i was wearing
even the weather prevailing
because i was swimming
floating,
coping
with troubled, murky waters...

As heads of our families
Fire and Ice, we have to be...





Sally

Copyright September 6, 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan