Nobody knows me
I was naked, they clothed me
made me what I am
told me I was a man
it's okay if you're not brave
just don't be a slave
to others ideas
don't manifest their fears
you are free
you always were
accept your own beauty
for they tried to use me
but I said not anymore
I won't be your *****
I left at my own speed
because I needed to breathe
I needed to be
so follow my lead
or don't
you're strong on your own
we were born all alone
and will die all the same
they gave you a name
but that's not what I will call
I will see you as all
the love and the beauty
that's you and that's me

..and so I sink into the brink
one that lives to only think
the burden of word then
is heavier than most
to say I'm a poet
was never a boast
to say I'm a poet
is to say I am lost
I have all the words
but at what cost
to say I'm a poet
is to tell you I'm ******
that the words that I write
have my mind and my hand
praise me or hate me
whatever you will
just know that it won't phase me
the words will come still.

Run my child, please run
turn your back upon the sun
let the wind carry you home
where angels sing
and peace is known
dare to dream as dreamers do
face the old and embrace the new
for you will rise and crash like waves
because your heart knows not what it craves
be it love or be it lust
soon this world will turn to dust.

Lesson learned is not a phrase I am about to utter
because my teacher developed a stutter
told me I needed to lie low
let it blow over
I wasn’t one for sailing but I knew the wind would take me where I needed to go
so I blew kisses into the distance
asked for no assistance
but got well wishes as if I was on my last breath
lying in a hospital bed
the food is better than you expect
if your taste buds haven't dried out yet
I’m slowly coming undone
a dwindling of perception
I swear I saw you one time
trying to catch my kiss
I missed I know I did
having a direction was never my thing
I'm glad you were my compass
but now the needle keeps spinning
I cannot find my north.

4 A.M.
A body lays slain
facedown in a pool of blood
a halo to match her name
stabbed 4 times in the chest
a street worker
like all the rest
who would want to her hurt her?
- to put her to rest
your guess is as good as mine
she may have not been the best
but someone was prepared to cross that line.
————————
An innocent as far as I could tell
first night on the job
tell me who goes to hell?
- those who give or those who rob
her next of kin were called
so that they could name her
once at birth and now at death
twice they tried to save her
an umbilical cord wrapped around her neck
a noose just two months earlier
maybe now she got her wish
released back to the sea
this angel fish.

I could be the biggest romantic in the world
or just the biggest idiot
still trying to figure that out
maybe that makes me the latter
I could have had her
I could have had them all
but pity the fool
that puts heart before pleasure
what is his measure?
is it inches or love
when is too much enough?
are they tears of joy or of pain
I tried to explain I always do
but words are worthless unless true
so here it is my unbridled mind
watch me unwind its music box
the music stopped and now silence
hide me in your quietness, my love
no never mine, I lie
in memory and in bed
with words I wed
what never was
a never love.

You’re such a tease you ease between nonchalant and fervour • I favour the latter the scattershot words of intent • you invent new ways to torture me oh fortunate me to be the subject of such cruelty • what is a man to do that’s caught in the crosshairs of a shrew • to reciprocate with such hapless abandon or offer up random excuses why he must refuse this attention • my heart tried to stage an intervention but the other members rejected the motion • it's already had some wear and tear so please can you just handle with care.