You don't know what it's like
to be born under late june's sun,
even though it's dark outside
and the moon is shining so bright
it could claim the lion's throne.
You don't know what it's like
to be a Cancer's child,
to hear the lions roar.

Afterglow
by Michael R. Burch

for Beth

The night is full of stars. Which still exist?
Before time ends, perhaps one day we’ll know.
For now I hold your fingers to my lips
and feel their pulse ... warm, palpable and slow ...

once slow to match this reckless spark in me,
this moon in ceaseless orbit I became,
compelled by wilder gravity to flee
night’s universe of suns, for one pale flame ...

for one pale flame that seemed to signify
the Zodiac of all, the meaning of
love’s wandering flight past Neptune. Now to lie
in dawning recognition is enough ...

enough each night to bask in you, to know
the face of love ... eyes closed ... its afterglow.

Keywords/Tags: afterglow, stars, suns, planets, zodiac, moon, orbit, gravity, universe, love, radiation, night, exist, existence, time

Zodiac signs have failed to tell
of an epoch of limerence waiting ahead
neither could a compass navigate
a homesick constellation to its rightful cell
and yet I travel, swim, and tread
on a glimpse of you
on a foreign thread
on a beacon of fury to accommodate

Epiphany emerged
the world’s ablaze
mnemonic particles floated again
Astral projection took its toll
your skin reached out and took the fall

I oft hear sounds; my sonorous wails
my sword-of-a-body
and my serrated edges
drove them away
but there you were
a scabbard of steel
to engulf and congeal
to hold and to heal

Alpha Cephei has got nothing on you
you became the star that ruled the Earth
the right hand of the northern pole
the right hand I chant my paean for
you were 49 light years away
until you adhered to my directions

My roots will cease to loosen their grip
on your light rays and elysian touch
on what I crave, yearn, and long
for you are the home that got me stuck
and you are the space where I belong

There are times when I embrace exhaustion as my lost love.
His indifference
His frigid kiss.
We once again retreat
into restful
Silence.

There I revive my eyes with new visions.
Switch off the white noise.
I feel new; less sunken
By the weight of all the
Politics of this self.

Oftentimes I fool myself,
I make promises
to stop short of
empty.
Futile,
I am blue garnets.


The steps to this dance
were
written
By
the
Stars.

On golden strings hang both heart and mind
Ever chasing a taste of the divine
Sunrises weigh my dilemmas with care
Suffocated by waves of restless air
I drink up vast oceans of laughter and tears
Unfazed by wayward emotions and fears
And yet, I am still stagnant

Dissonant voices scream harsh choices
A beam for my love and another for my death
As above, so below, Justice weeps beneath

Child of Venus, she is calling my name
Corroded by both beauty and shame
Cupid feathers fester under her touch
O, if only love did not cost so much

tyrannicide is a beautiful word.
it is the felling of a beast.
the anger of the insurgent hordes.
It is just as much the killing of a dictator
as it is
the killing
of a god.
modern tyrannicide
is telling the boy who sits behind me to shove a sock in it,
and not feeling guilty about it.

All my seasons condensed
are here
and all of writers have passed
Winter Springs Fall Summer
all welcome to my shore
Watch out pounding waves old
like to splash as all of life is play this is my free will on stage
I am an actress you my audience
Entrance is free of charge
donations not required
Beware then
the sun here burns hot like me
no wonder everyone flies by
in their own orbit but few land.
My Aries fire must have some effect only cold bodies seek my heat as they pass careful not to land fearing to burn
The playful moon borrows light from sunny sign me tie in
and tie out
dancing round and about
glowing high all alone
shining best by days heat
waxing gibbous waning
crescent
first quarter last
like the pieces of me
mother Earth spins me
messangers notes uplift
or scorn me
beautiful in and out but many
Still fear the fire Ram me
alone but all seasons need me
only one twin celestial body
merged joyfully with mine heat
my once upon a life time partner
my old Irish cream!
I must be Mexican Irish
Perumpecha native
His Gin dubonnet
American with a hint of
Shamrock Trinity
~~~~~~~~~
By: Karijinbba
All rights reserved

You are the one
Breathe red and gold
Into my lungs
Dust
From a thousand stars
Falling prettily
On your hair

Grass
Green as those eyes
Too aggressive
Yet shy
Playing chicken
In the sun
Burning up

Forest fires
Clumsy hands
Subtlety
Was never your style
I was
Though
I was