#been
in my own mind;
au contraire,\to be fair
if i get up to
medi ochre
I’m so embarrassingly pleased
generally,
gotta lie down
and take a nap
after a violent
sneeze
as self punishment
for my outrageous egotistical
shame shame shame
on me he he
~~~~~
will somebody put this
on a t-shirt & pleeze
and mail it to me?
Mar 29
Mar 29, 2026 at 9:41 AM UTC
since I last
rode a bus,
no, poems aplenty
have poured and dripped
from ink-saturated fingers,
here there and everywhere,
disguised by many a nom de guerre
the bus riding infrequently,
as work no longer demands me,
I ride for the occasional occasion, when legs won’t
carry me the far away distances
they say violence in the city
is random, and just seems worse,
seemingly a newspaper creation,
but I know better, and random violence &
poetry inspiration do not walk or talk
hand in hand, not for the hands that write…
in every crack, lamppost,
festooned
with flyers for concerts years ago,
poems reached out to me, write, right?
I too am papered with memories of long-ago
city travels, picking up scenes & dreams
that became poems, instantaneously, scrambling,
to get home with them retained, untainted,
preserved with the freshness of city smells,
city swells, homeless, rowdies & oldies shuffling,
the interwoven of disparate desperate humans,
fodder once and now for Walt Whitman’s leaves,
each distinct needy for something else,
but for me,
just one city big view, a Cloister’s museum tapestry,
remade, rewoven anew every moment of every day
and a poem-rough tumbles from
without
&
within
,
Oct 24, 2023
Oct 24, 2023 at 8:55 AM UTC
DEAR PENPAL PEOPLE, old scars don't hurt anymore:--\
you think the stain is stained
maybe your pain is pained
the reason not the same
my mind not like before not sane
close to the ear
hearts too near to cope a fear
love you not stares been for the lot
natural expression without a but
really boring lacking a plot
-------ravenfeels
Apr 7, 2021
Apr 7, 2021 at 6:06 PM UTC
What words can work when you’re under pressure? and
What tongue can speak that my mind cannot utter? and
What will I be mute to and what might I mutter?
Don’t you ever wonder? and Don’t you ever think? and
Don’t you ever wish just what could have been?
Or whatever?
But what can I say? Hey, I’ve been better
This Sunday’s got me homesick but yet I’ve been home since last week
You reminded me of myself and of what might come to be
But I cannot judge because he’s just like me, a forgery
Don’t you ever wonder? and Don’t you ever think? and
Don’t you ever wish just what could have been?
Or something other?
But what can I say? Hey, I’ve been better
To see you here in person couldn’t be worse than not at all
I’d love to write a letter but you know no one does that as much, am I wrong?
Wishing we could see each other and wasn’t a young man’s brother, gained or lost
Don’t you ever wonder? and Don’t you ever think? and
Don’t you ever wish just what could have been?
And nothing lesser?
But what can I say? Hey, I’ve been better
Let’s go back to the old days where we could make each other laugh
Older now, but in our twenties, how long was that supposed to last?
Not much to look forward to except for looking up or looking back
Don’t you ever wonder? and Don’t you ever think? and
Don’t you ever wish just what could have been?
Or maybe never?
But what can I say? Hey, I’ve been better
What words can work when you’re under pressure? and
What tongue can speak that my mind cannot utter? and
What will I be mute to and what might I mutter?
Don’t you ever wonder? and Don’t you ever think? and
Don’t you ever wish just what could have been?
Or whatever?
But what can I say? Hey, I’ve been better
Dec 6, 2020
Dec 6, 2020 at 10:45 AM UTC
tis been quite a while since;
now that im back im at a loss
a loss for words, a little
clueless perhaps-- for some
reason i havent brought myself
to write til now. why now i
do not know. a calling-- no,
a brief revival, i say; a sudden
puff of air fought its way through
to the rusted innards of this
heaving engine… a momentary
spark, brief in its intensity but
eternal in that its light travels
ceaselessly; the legacy of a
blunt yet nevertheless discernable
moment of passion, barely visible
but somehow, just somehow, twas there.
Jul 6, 2020
Jul 6, 2020 at 7:50 AM UTC
I see you changed your tune
Fast as phazes of the moon
So true,
That you
Should-a seen it comin',
Should-a heard the hummin
Right through,
Bright blue...
Must-a been my voodoo
Cause I sure did do it to you.
Oh you,
You're through.
You're through.
Must-a been my voodoo
Cause I sure did do it to you.
Oh you,
You're through
I can cross the river
'Bout-a any time I feel.
Nothing's gonna be a break
A-slowing down my wheel.
I'm gonna take you out
Any time I want
And it won't cost a pretty dime
Because inside of you, I haunt.
May 2, 2020
May 2, 2020 at 4:08 AM UTC
For all my friends and family i know you are all feeling
frustrated, helpless, and ready
to give up. It’s not your fault. You are not the cause of our suffering.
You may find that difficult to believe, since we may lash out at you, switch from being loving and kind to non-trusting and cruel on a dime, and we may even straight up blame you. But it’s not your fault. You deserve to understand more about this condition and what we wish we could say but may not be ready.
It is possible that something that you said or did “triggered” us. A trigger is something that sets off in our minds a past traumatic event or causes us to have distressing thoughts. While you can attempt to be sensitive with the things you say and do, that’s not always possible, and it’s not always clear why something sets off a trigger.
The mind is very complex. A certain song, sound, smell, or words can quickly fire off neurological connections that bring us back to a place where we didn’t feel safe
, and we might respond in the now with a similar reaction (think of military persons who fight in combat — a simple backfiring of a car can send them into flashbacks. This is known as PTSD, and it happens to a lot of us, too.)
But please know that at the very same time that we are pushing you away with our words or behavior, we also desperately hope that you will not leave us or abandon us in our time of despair and desperation.
This extreme, black or white thinking and experience of totally opposite desires is known as a dialectic. Early on in our diagnosis and before really digging in deep with DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), we don’t have the proper tools to tell you this or ask for your support in healthy ways.
We may do very dramatic things, such as harming ourselves in some way (or threatening to do so), going to the hospital, or something similar. While these cries for help should be taken seriously, we understand that you may experience “burn out” from worrying about us and the repeated behavior.
Please trust that, with professional help, and despite what you may have heard or come to believe, we CAN and DO get better.
These episodes can get farther and fewer between, and we can experience long periods of stability and regulation of our emotions. Sometimes the best thing to do, if you can muster up the strength in all of your frustration and hurt, is to grab us, hug us, and tell us that you love us, care, and are not leaving.
One of the symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder is an intense fear of being abandoned, and we therefore (often unconsciously) sometimes behave in extreme, frantic ways to avoid this from happening. Even our perception that abandonment is imminent can cause us to become frantic.
Another thing that you may find confusing is our apparent inability to maintain relationships. We may jump from one friend to another, going from loving and idolizing them to despising them – deleting them from our cell phones and unfriending them on Facebook. We may avoid you, not answer calls, and decline invitations to be around you — and other times, all we want to do is be around you.
This is called splitting, and it’s part of the disorder. Sometimes we take a preemptive strike by disowning people before they can reject or abandon us. We’re not saying it’s “right.” We can work through this destructive pattern and learn how to be healthier in the context of relationships. It just doesn’t come naturally to us. It will take time and a lot of effort.
It’s difficult, after all, to relate to others properly when you don’t have a solid understanding of yourself and who you are, apart from everyone else around you.
In Borderline Personality Disorder, many of us experience identity disturbance issues. We may take on the attributes of those around us, never really knowing who WE are. You remember in high school those kids who went from liking rock music to pop to goth, all to fit in with a group – dressing like them, styling their hair like them, using the same mannerisms? It’s as if we haven’t outgrown that.
Sometimes we even take on the mannerisms of other people (we are one way at work, another at home, another at church), which is part of how we’ve gotten our nickname of “chameleons.” Sure, people act differently at home and at work, but you might not recognize us by the way we behave at work versus at home. It’s that extreme.
For some of us, we had childhoods during which, unfortunately, we had parents or caregivers who could quickly switch from loving and normal to abusive. We had to behave in ways that would please the caregiver at any given moment in order to stay safe and survive. We haven’t outgrown this.
Because of all of this pain, we often experience feelings of emptiness. We can’t imagine how helpless you must feel to witness this. Perhaps you have tried so many things to ease the pain, but nothing has worked. Again – this is NOT your fault.
The best thing we can do during these times is remind ourselves that “this too shall pass” and practice DBT skills – especially self-soothing – things that helps us to feel a little better despite the numbness. Boredom is often dangerous for us, as it can lead to the feelings of emptiness. It’s smart for us to stay busy and distract ourselves when boredom starts to come on.
On the other side of the coin, we may have outburst of anger that can be scary. It’s important that we stay safe and not hurt you or ourselves. This is just another manifestation of BPD.
We are highly emotionally sensitive and have extreme difficulty regulating/modulating our emotions. Dr. Marsha Linehan, founder of DBT, likens us to 3rd degree emotional burn victims.
Through Dialectical Behavior Therapy, we can learn how to regulate our emotions so that we do not become out of control. We can learn how to stop sabotaging our lives and circumstances…and we can learn to behave in ways that are less hurtful and frightening to you.
Another thing you may have noticed is that spaced out look on our faces. This is called dissociation. Our brains literally disconnect, and our thoughts go somewhere else, as our brains are trying to protect us from additional emotional trauma. We can learn grounding exercises and apply our skills to help during these episodes, and they may become less frequent as we get better.
But, what about you?
If you have decided to tap into your strength and stand by your loved one with BPD, you probably need support too. Here are some ideas:
Remind yourself that the person’s behavior isn’t your fault
Tap into your compassion for the person’s suffering while understanding that their behavior is probably an intense reaction to that suffering
Do things to take care of YOU. On the resources page of this blog, there is a wealth of information on books, workbooks, CDs, movies, etc. for you to understand this disorder and take care of yourself. Be sure to check it out!
In addition to learning more about BPD and how to self-care around it, be sure to do things that you enjoy and that soothe you, such as getting out for a walk, seeing a funny movie, eating a good meal, taking a warm bath — whatever you like to do to care for yourself and feel comforted.
Ask questions. There is a lot of misconception out there about BPD.
Remember that your words, love, and support go a long way in helping your loved one to heal, even if the results are not immediately evident
Not all of the situations I described apply to all people with Borderline Personality Disorder. One must only have 5 symptoms out of 9 to qualify for a diagnosis, and the combinations of those 5-9 are seemingly endless. This post is just to give you an idea of the typical suffering and thoughts those of us with BPD have.
This is my second year in DBT. A year ago, I could not have written this letter, but it represents much of what was in my heart but could not yet be realized or expressed.
My hope is that you will gain new insight into your loved one’s condition and grow in compassion and understand for both your loved one AND yourself, as this is not an easy road.
I can tell you, from personal experience, that working on this illness through DBT is worth the fight. Hope can be returned. A normal life can be had. You can see glimpses and more and more of who that person really is over time, if you don’t give up. I wish you peace.
Dec 26, 2019
Dec 26, 2019 at 12:30 AM UTC
just lie down on the smooth soil,
and rest beneath these grey clouds.
feel the rain pound your body,
and listen to its rhythmic sound.
You breathe in and out,
the sky capturing your breath,
but for once,
you do not notice,
and your veins dance with life.
you are calm, as the vines creep beneath you,
slowly pushing, tearing at flesh that was once theirs.
plants begin to burrow through your skin,
sprouting out your mouth,
your chest,
your arms.
Blooming up to the calming sky,
flowers stealing your life away,
so you can rest.
Nov 15, 2019
Nov 15, 2019 at 12:03 PM UTC
In a weird way, I'm okay
In a normal way, I've never been okay
Oct 26, 2019
Oct 26, 2019 at 4:49 PM UTC
It seems the harder I try
the less I prevail ,You know well
(Well )that water runs deep , an I’m knee deep in it
Only wanted to soak my feet
seems I’m in over the limit
It’s automatically assumed that you’d know what to do , if life handed you lemons
Implication
Nothing is ever easy an I tend to complicate things . That’s life
Aug 21, 2019
Aug 21, 2019 at 9:44 AM UTC
I always thought our paths would re-intertwine
But yours got cut short and mine is left wandering at night
Maybe it's the romanticisation of what I can no longer hope to have
The boy on the rooftop, gone too fast
Aug 11, 2019
Aug 11, 2019 at 7:41 PM UTC
for you, of you: you’ve been between my ears
close enough to being on my mind,
almost the same thing,
though that’s unfairly inequitable, we both agree,
for when in an ear one opines, too oft it escapes
out the other side, only a tree ring mark left,
someone was here, present
as for the Confucius confusion in
ok, who’s writing this poem to whom,
cause it’s never clear between us
who is
asking the questions,
since the answers come
demanded and undemanding,
fomenting newer questions and follow through,
before, as well as,
‘please sir, may I have some more?’
the mutualizing game tasking begin-began-begun,
for this, our lovely crazy teasing of our-thing, ago began,
don’t recall who or how intimated-initiated
this oil drilling exploration,
who is the annointer and who is the annointed,
who seeds the plants, picks the fruit, and who
gets paid with cloves of poems, by the bushel
you say I’ve been on your mind,
which we now have both pointed out
is somewhat extraordinary since,
the sight lines are drawn through
long distance cloudscapes that travel
through underground cables,
making everything said,
fallow and rich-ending, deeply frustrating,
impossible to see the outcome
clouds usually imaginary, (not like now),
making visibility normative poor,
unlike the real ones I’m flying at the moment through,
ensconced in front row seat 1F, heading northwest passage,
passing by so ridiculously close to where
you are minding the soil,
as I am
mining your soul’s soil, tilling it between the ears,
of you, by me, for us, and the excited sadness
makes me happy and yes, inequitably, again,
hopping-mad
because your breadcrumbs and dark Swiss chocolate bars are
scattered and defaced, bitten and chewed, lovingly licked melting,
we who cover our tracks too well;
but what I do have, makes me ravenous,
having read all your poems,
in random order and then one more time,
sequentially
I see your history, near escapes and resurrections,
in fine grained moody minutiae punctuated by huge gaps in between,
that we must cream fill with clouds of wondrous loving curiosity,
a torture so exquisite, only the gods could have invented it like
Sunday Night Football,
and crazy sayings,
like I love you too...
been on my mind and I imagine you
hot and sweaty,
bent over, aching tired, from
picking weeds (gotcha),
when sudden one of us stands up straight, back aching,
screaming out loud
this is crazy, and follows up with
a *** Darius type proclamation,
who’s writing this poem to whom
issued to the upwards-skywards,
but addressed to ourselves,
the poets
as we search clouds by the thousands,
is that you in that cloud, in that poem,
I look down thinking that, that must be,
the plot of green and dusted light brown ground
where she has gone into hidey-hole hiding,
disappearing for months at a time,
before arising for the sticking of me
in the sticking place,
wounding me fresh with brand new poems
scandalous and imaginous,
and our imaginations are both
too skilled
so here I close, overwritten, overridden, too long,
overshot my imaginary bounds, so one
pulls down the shade over the oval window
through which too many great stories have commenced,
and ended
the thick cumulus shouting
as we look up
as we look down,
saying “enough, you crazy people,
your poems tell too much,”
perhaps, find me in that
next bite of herbs buttered,
and then ask (of course)
who’s writing this poem to whom?
then breathe out, exhaling me a
breath-poem up above, to where I’m hiding
just as I, am sending one to you,
earth falling from thirty thousand feet,
coming to rest on your mind,
in between your ears,
friend
<>
8-6-19
somewhere in the sky, clueless, heading north by northwest
Aug 6, 2019
Aug 6, 2019 at 8:13 PM UTC
A dollar and dream is all I have
Is it enough to make you stay?
A dollar and a dream is all I have
I'm here for a reason and so are you
Out of a billion people, it's not lost on me we are in this room
There is more than what meet the eyes between you and I
Us, it's always been us
You and I
We
A team
Which carries no "I" but certainly promotes "Me"
Is this why you chose you and left "me?"
If you asked me, I have no regrets
I told you what to expect
Long nights, trials and crosses
A man on a mission but it'll take time
Many steps to Mile and I guess this is where you get off
Jul 27, 2019
Jul 27, 2019 at 11:37 PM UTC
“It is never too late to be what you might have not been.”
© Quote +/-
Jun 16, 2019
Jun 16, 2019 at 2:53 PM UTC
“It is never too late to be what you might have not been.”
Jun 16, 2019
Jun 16, 2019 at 2:56 PM UTC
Differences,
Fights,
Distance,
Arguments,
Distrust,
Jealousy,
Disbelief,
All have love as the cause and love as the victim.
May 22, 2019
May 22, 2019 at 8:43 AM UTC