My soul’s a ship on a tormented sea,
Where jagged rocks of fury stand for me.
The winds of love, a gentle, fragrant breath,
Then storms of hate that promise only death.
I’m pulled between these forces, stark and great,
A fragile vessel sealed by cruelest fate.

A whisper of a name, a phantom touch,
A longing for a love that meant so much.
A memory of joy, a golden haze,
Then, broken trust that burns in bitter days.
The heart that bled for you now turns to stone,
A silent fury, all I've ever known.

The mirror shows a stranger in my eyes,
A frantic glint beneath a mask of lies.
A tangled web of thought, a racing mind,
A clarity I struggle hard to find.
The sane world spins, a blur of sound and light,
I'm drowning in an ever-darkening night.

A fragile bridge between two towering peaks,
One side of fire, and one of ice that creaks.
I try to cross, to find a solid ground,
But every step, a tremor can be found.
The chasm deepens with a mocking sneer,
And all I feel is overwhelming fear.

This madness whispers secrets in my ear,
Of phantom wrongs and sorrows held so dear.
It paints a canvas, violent and grotesque,
A twisted portrait of our life’s burlesque.
It tells me you were never meant to stay,
And justifies the pain I feel today.

But then a sudden flash of former bliss,
The faintest echo of a stolen kiss.
The warmth returns, a momentary glow,
A garden where our tender feelings grow.
I see the truth of who you were to me,
And hate dissolves, a river to the sea.

This fleeting peace is torn from me too soon,
Beneath the pale and unforgiving moon.
A sharp-edged thought, a brutal, stinging word,
A hateful vengeance that must now be heard.
The love is buried, smothered by the strife,
And turns to poison, dripping from my life.

My mind is now a battleground of war,
Where shattered hopes and bitter grudges soar.
The cannons of my rage begin to fire,
Against the embers of a lost desire.
I am the general, and the soldier too,
And every wound I suffer is from you.

The walls of reason crumble, one by one,
My weary fight against myself is done.
I surrender to the chaotic fray,
And lose the person I was yesterday.
The madness wins, a dark and final prize,
Reflected in my hollow, deadened eyes.

I long to free myself from this embrace,
To find a single, solitary space,
Where love and hate no longer hold their sway,
And madness ceases its unending play.
But every path leads back to where I stand,
A soul held captive in a barren land.

And so I wander in this constant ache,
For goodness sake, for my own spirit's sake.
I know the truth, but I can not make it hold,
My future’s story has been bought and sold.
I feel the pain, a constant, bitter guest,
Imprisoned in this never-ending test.

The world outside, it doesn’t understand,
The raging war that tears across this land.
A fractured mind, a heart in disarray,
A soul caught fast at the close of day.
Between the love, the hate, the frantic cries,
A person lost beneath the empty skies. ©

Michael Powers
"STYXX ON FIRE"

I just wish,my past would be set free,broken from these chains intangeling me.

Rapped around my soul,like a weight chained to my heart. Leaving me desperate to walk the plank, into perpetual dark.

No one knows,this struggle im in,or this raging emotional pain claustrophobic death strangling all hope,must go on,sunlight strikes my pell skin.

The world around me, dark and gray, colors escape my eyes, I'm at deaths external gates.

Is any one there? ©

The heart you show, a steady flame,
In every trial, win, or game.
You do not boast nor seek the light,
But stand for what is true and right.
A quiet strength that sees you through,
For this, my deep esteem is due.

The words you speak, a binding pact,
A promise made, a constant fact.
Your honest gaze, a mirror clear,
That casts away all doubt and fear.
You never waver in your stand,
A trusted pillar in the land.

You lend a hand, though none would ask,
And shoulder many a heavy task.
You lift the fallen, mend the torn,
And greet with kindness every morn.
A giving spirit, strong and true,
A profound honor is for you.

You listen close with open ears,
And calm a hundred hidden fears.
You weigh each thought, each voice you hear,
And keep a mind that's sharp and clear.
With open heart and wisdom deep,
The faith you've earned, you truly keep.

The path you walk, with careful pace,
Reflects a dignity and grace.
You do not rush, nor cut a line,
Your every step is a clear design.
Your patient soul, a gentle guide,
In whom all confidence can hide.

You faced the storm and did not break,
For higher principles and sake.
The easy way you cast aside,
With inner fortitude inside.
This firmness of a noble will,
Commands a reverence, standing still.

You treat each soul with equal care,
Beyond what they may own or wear.
You see the worth in every face,
And give to all a rightful place.
This fairness, shown in all you do,
Inspires a deep regard for you.

You own your faults when you are wrong,
And learn the lesson, making strong.
You do not hide behind a lie,
But meet the truth with an open eye.
This humble spirit, taught and learned,
A special veneration earned.

You build up others, help them grow,
And watch their inner spirits glow.
You do not crush, nor tear them down,
To wear a false and shallow crown.
Your selfless heart, a guiding star,
That's why you're held in such high regard.

So when I speak of honor's creed,
I think of you, your every deed.
A life of purpose, lived with grace,
A special person in this place.
For all these things, so good and right,
You have my full respect and might.

The final words are here, now told,
A story is more than fine than gold.
For all the grace within your soul,
That made my weary spirit whole.
I now offer a final plea,
That you extend the hands of grace
To others, as you did for me.
Much love and respect. ©

Michael Powers
"STYX ON FIRE"

If you find yourself wandering what this life is for,  look at your neighbor, smile, put wings on them, and let them learn to fly.

Pick that bit of ******* up, that dropped from the willing hand, replace the serenity in the one, who's off the wagon again.

Open and hold a door for  one, you never would dare.
Make a place at your table, for the stranger, sleeping under the walkway stairs.

Be kind even when  all around you, would disagree, cut out that root of bitterness, the people in your life, often see,

Work on being the master, of an honest smile, smiling rather quickly, than frowning all the time.

"Broken people break people," it's been said, but I chose to believe, " Healed people heal people," ©
Enough Said.......

Michael Powers
"STYXX ON FIRE"

You've asked if I want a great time,
With a poem that's truly sublime.
It gave me a message, a powerful strike,
A new path to follow, a feeling I like.

My sorrow was hidden, a burden so deep,
Secrets my heart was so longing to keep.
But your simple words broke through the old haze,
Removing the debris of my mental maze.

No more crisscrossing through threads of the past,
A new, forward focus is healing at last.
The drama-filled chapters have now been made new,
The future is bright, and the purpose is true.

I'll lace up my shoes and get ready to run,
For life's too short to let old battles be won.
No need to fake it or draw to a close,
I'll move with the purpose your message bestows.

A life of true peace, a feeling serene,
I'm glad to be me, a man made complete.
The reasons for loving myself are now clear,
Thanks to your words that have banished all fear. ©

Michael Powers
"STYXX ON FIRE"

How can I love when pain is all I fill?
Is this pain considerable like yours, or is it make believing, still?

What point is there? If love always hurts,
even a stranger can make me seem wanted, fill my hunger and thirst.

Should I give up? Continue on? Or just succumb?,
To a life of misery, love alluding me, love on the run?

The broken promises, the shattered lies,
a bitter lesson learned behind these eyes.
But in the wreckage, a small ember gleamed,
a different future than the one I'd dreamed.

I pieced myself together, strong and new,
a self-love that was honest, pure, and true.

No more running to and fro, stand up, chest out,
completely healed, yet love still eludes me, now pain is on the run. ©

Michael Powers
"STYXX ON FIRE"