The leaves burst into crimsons and yellows
A grand crescendo
Before the winter

The seasons change
And so do we
Parts of us fall off
Like the autumn leaves
Rather than saying “I hate the rain”
Or “I don’t prefer the sun.”
Find joy in them all
Rejoice in every single one

Slices of light pierce through the sky
The stars who’ve inspired poets time after time
They speak of unsurpassed beauty
They find hope in their light
But the muses oft forget
The depths of the night
How rarely, if ever, mentioned
The abyss so very far
How rarely, if ever, whispered of
The darkness between stars

Your persuasion is mysterious
Your power is an anomaly
I can’t find the reason you compel me so
You just burn for things
And it makes me want to burn like you do

I dream of the ancient heart of east Asia.
The nobel mountains of China looming overhead.
Their imperial peaks shrouded in heavy mist. Luscious earth and dense forests, the color of jade, surrounding me.
Fresh winds, exhaling through the mountain pass, dancing in my hair.
The smell of bamboo, dew and tender greens slips through the air.
An epiphany of Eden. A discovery of the divine. A flash of felicity. A revelation of paradise

I’m scared of my mind
Scared of spiraling depravity
The way I ache isn’t normal
Scared of dark capability
The monster most terrifying
Is the monster that’s me

He lit his cigar
And held it thoughtfully in his lips
The tip blazed
His eyes glowed amber red
The dark room
Filled with hazy smoke
He’s a dragon
Guarding his gold coins