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Korey Miller Mar 2013
remove the gratituous ending
from this shallow fantasy.
let me exist in the middle,
see the forest for the trees
and not the meltdown, pretend like
it won't all eventually
burn
leave me in ashes

i am victim to her sinister skin
numbing my former intentions
i have no eyes for consequence
i will stay, shaky, in the present
i am ignoring the signs
this path
i'm running
along will
lead to
my demise

the walls still bleed her jade eyes
the weight of when i was trapped
in her midnight vise
(i still am)
blinded, stone-cold, and still i weep

strip my heart with a fountain pen,
the scalpel to her inky revenge
untangle her sorry mentality from mine
do not worry about the aftereffects
when i cease to be tangible, spill my regret
so i won't be bothered to
when i come back down.  

when i prove myself worthless, i can say
it was all worth it
at the time  
when she catches me, i can say
it was dreadful in her arms
but i left myself nowhere else to go
Keiya Tasire Jan 2019
Who am I?
Why am I here?
How do I grow?
Where do the words that I utter spring from?
How do my actions unfold to take flight?
What are the roots of my habits both desired and not desired?
When did my character become undesirably ripe?
As defined by Another?

Piously pompous extruding expectations
We both wagged the tail of judgment from our respective roles.
Each casting the wands of incantations, illusions, and lies!
One to change the controlling illusion
Another to maintain it's web and power.

It was handed down from the very first mothers
It was handed down from the very first fathers
It was set into motion from the very first breath of the very first lie.
It created the very first shadow of darkness that fell upon Truth.

Tainted, "It" fell from realms of Light, the realms of Love and Joy.
"It" tumbled and rolled down the family Tree
Branch by branch, twig by twig, and leaf by leaf
Deeper into the darkness, grief, sadness and pain.

We were taught to ignore the dragon of dysfunction
Lying among the branches of our human family tree.
As "It" grew and grew, and grew.
"It" matured and gave birth to expanding prodigies
Who fained deeds of compassion, fained loyalties,
Fained emotions, and fained love

To twist and to alter reality,
Aimed toward total power,  riches, and total control.
Using the swords of Expectations,
Judgments, half truths and lies, they waged war!
With their army of
Every wolf in sheep's clothing
Every entitled the fair-haired child
Every hero - rescuer
Every "I am the victim"
Every fearful guilt burdened peacemaker,
Every misunderstood black sheep,
And all the unaware lost lambs.
The cycle of dysfunction turns
As a companion within the wheel of time.
We are told to never speak of It and deny It's existence.
This is the power that feeds It as It expands.
And we find ourselves beyond the ability to contain "It."

One day our eyes open to awareness
We come face-to-face with "The Choice."
Do we go back to sleep? Or do we get up?
And if we stand up, what is next?
When we see our unveiled past, will we fear and hide?
Or arise as a seeking warrior of Light?
If we choose the Light will Love begin to arise from the darkness
Will Love transform "It" to find It's-self Immortal & Eternal?

Give me understanding of Love!! With Understanding I will seek!!
Standing between the windows of time past, present, and future
With the root of addictive desire, laid upon the alter
Banished! Gone!! Released!!

Will the Darkness  release "It" from the depths of grief, sadness and pain?
Without a word "It" became a He
And He draped the blanket of courage over His shoulders
with the Light of hope in His eyes.
Refusing to never give up
He dawned His Innate strengths
Refusing dire circumstances
Letting go of confusion, ignorance, vises, grief, blame, and all ill desire
He stepped straight and firmly into the Light which expands!
He stood with joy in the Light and looked back

As "It" became a She
And She draped the blanket of courage over Her shoulders
with the Light of hope in Her eyes
Refusing to never give up
She dawned Her Innate strengths
Refusing dire circumstances
Letting go of confusion, ignorance, vise, grief, blame, and all ill desire
She stepped straight and firmly into the Light which expands!

The Light embraced Her and embraced Him
They stood together seeking understanding
Their hearts opened
Each to sing their own song of joy, of love, of peace
Together in harmony
Dancing  in the Light as One.

So with courage, do my actions unfold to take flight!
With joyful Love the words uttered within my heart sprang!
How, I do grow!
I am fully here, awake!
I know who am I, really!
Because  in silence I sat upon the earth
As He sat upon the Earth
As She sat upon the Earth
Looking toward the heavens
She female and He male
Focused in silence, they taught me how to breathe.

Now throughout the generations of Time
We began to breathe as One
Together in Love, in Peace and in Unity.
Reaching and holding each other
Beyond and through the Wheel of Time.
The questions of our life stirs each of us to some kind of action. The actions we each choose are unique to our own personal life path. We each bring to our personal path ofseeking - our personal understanding about truth, our beliefs, acculturation, and family patterns. Of which culminate into our strengths and weaknesses.
By choosing understanding in the challenges of life, we are armed to step into a path of increased love, forgiveness, heightened spiritual growth, increased awareness and higher consciousness and love.
If we choose the path of ego defences we continue the dysfunction and the further weakening of our humanity, families, selves, hearts and spirits. This poem is about becoming aware of this process and the choice we each have.
My own train of thought-is my own train wreck-
Heaven sent the failure- just trying not to break my neck-
The cold steel is the weapon but the pen is so deadly-
Signing to the lord,-praise me his melody-
The blood that drips from my tiny slit eyes-
Is the blood that burns from all my goodbye’s-
And I promised never to say c’est la vie-
But right now in this moment I wish I could be-
A better man-with a stronger hand-
A better human whose vises are less consuming-
I console among a counsel of fends-
Villains and demons-expression-and dreams-
Hands in your pocket-Empty like your soul-
The devil is here-disguise it like gold-
So chase your cheddar if that makes you whole-
But the whole ******* thing goes around in circles.
And what goes around comes around-
And what goes up must come down-
Like the train wreck of life-it crashes with no sound!
“You smell like you took a bath in whiskey.”

Josie wrinkled her nose.  Her words fell upon the shaded figure slumped against her doorway, silhouetted by a gas lamp across the street.  It was a familiar form; Josie couldn’t exactly remember the last time it had occupied the space.  

“It’s scotch, Josephine.”  
      
     The sentence bubbled out of the shadowed man.  He remained glued to the wooden frame, and Josie pondered closing the door on both him, and the night.  Eventually, the man straightened himself, and brushed off the wrinkled grey suit that hung loosely about him.  He performed a clumsy half-bow and stumbled past Josie into the living room, where he unfurled on the couch.  Josie grabbed some matches and lit the candles above the fireplace to mask the smell of liquor that had begun to fill the room.  

        “I have to ask, what brings you here?”  Josie said dryly, keeping a hand on the mantle, as she turned to face the undesired guest.  The silent void that followed her words was lifted by the man chuckling and sitting upright, bent forward with his elbows on his knees.

“Well, I was in the area, and to be truthfully honest the night’s growing old and I haven't had nearly enough to drink.  Unfortunately, as it were, I seemed to have spent the last of my coin.”

She waited for the man to continue, but he just stared sheepishly at her; She was not fully convinced that she wasn’t still asleep in her room upstairs.

“You picked the wrong home to come to.”

Josie muttered coldly and a small shudder coursed through her abdomen.  She wrapped her arms across her breast, and realized she was still in her silk nightgown.

“It was worth a shot.  Good ****.”

     The man grinned as he acquiesced her words, flashing ivory teeth which contrasted with the dark stubble of his beard.  He ran his hands through his slicked back hair before he locked them behind his head, then gave Josie a quick scan that made her shiver again.  

“So how’ve you been livin’ Josie?  It’s been quite some time.”  The man crooned.

Josie rotated so she wouldn’t have to look at him.  She wished she hadn’t answered the knock on her door.  

“I’ve been living.”  

She attempted to mask the strain it put on her to say the words.  

Josie stood there, holding herself, when a hand gripped her upper arm—she hadn’t heard him move from the couch.  The man whirled her around and grasped both arms tightly.  Josie tried to twist free but it felt as if she was held by two iron vises.  

He bent downwards and shoved his lips onto hers; the taste compared to taking a swig from a bottle and almost triggered Josie to gag. She didn’t have a perception of how much time passed before she was able to breathe again.

“Just like old times, huh Josi—”

She left a red imprint of her palm on his right cheek; the man stumbled backwards with his face held in his hands.  It was etched with confusion mixed with disbelief.

“Leave.”

It was an order.  Josie numbly walked over to the door and opened it in silence.  The man paused and seemed to contemplate whether or not he would obey the directive, then dropped his hands to his sides and trudged across the cream colored carpet. She kept her eyes fixed on the floor as he passed through the open frame with clenched fists hidden in his pockets.

Josie made to close the door, but was halted by a sudden urge.  She ran to her purse and fumbled inside, then withdrew her hand holding a small drawstring bag of change.  Josie stepped into the flickering spotlight of the gas-lamp and heaved the coins at the man; she aimed for the small of his back.  

“Buy yourself something better tasting next time.”  Josie hollered, then crept inside and shut the door.
a work in progress
Alex Apples Apr 2013
The creases in her hands
were ironed once
and iron-wrought
clutched like twin vises
blotched the hue of bleach
as she gripped the puppet’s strings
reigned them up
and made the beast dance

Wind shook the steel shell
bellowed at its underbelly
braced her back to leather straps
cringed her brow
over a sky-blue glare
crackling with lightning
until the basilisk beneath moaned
trembled
then settled in the stars

The stars hang higher from the patio
the furrow of the brow
has softened
accompanied by new furrows
as she gazes up
the shards of lightning
long ago dimmed to a pearly gleam
the hands that tamed the beast
now shake
under the weight of a glass of rosé

She has no say
nor have I
but I will recall someday
as she does now
the days when
the sky was her oyster
the engines her chariot
and the cane
mere misty imagination
To be published by Tahoma West Literary Arts Magazine in Spring 2013
Sander S Vatn Sep 2017
Pennens krigere
Vi som faller ved sverdet
Men som aldri dør
Våre ansikter blir glemt
Men ei de ord vi skriver
Vi er udødelige
Vi er pennens krigere

Pennens krigere
Vi som kan tape vår frihet
Men som aldri blir dratt bort
Våre ord lyster til opprør
Men vi tyr ei til vold
Vi er uovervinnelige
Vi er pennens krigere

Pennens krigere
Vi som flyr som fugler
Men som er fanget i bur
Våre drømmer er om himmelen
Men de blir lært i lenker
Vi er fanger i vår egen kropp
Vi er pennens krigere

Pennens krigere
Vi er små og store
Men det er ikke stort
Våre ord kan skrives for en
Men gjentas på tusen lepper
Vi er uforutsigbare
Vi er pennens krigere

Pennens krigere
Vi er brødre og søstre
Men ei av samme blod
Våre forskjeller er store
Men vi står alle sammen
Vi er forente
Vi er pennens krigere

Pennens krigere
Vi som søker svar
Men som våger å leve
Våre ord kan vekke lyset
Men bare i vises hånd
Vi er tankens venn
Vi er pennens krigere

Pennens krigere
Vi er helgener for de vise
Men slanger for de tankeløse
Våre ord kan gi sannhet
Men bare for de som ser
Vi er de som åpner øyne
Vi er pennens krigere

Pennens krigere
Vi er forsvarere av våre verdier
Men det er ikke alltid bra
Våre ord kan spre hat
Men bare om kjærlighet blir glemt
Vi er gode og onde
Vi er alle pennens krigere
I'll translate this poem to English later on. The poem is to hounour poets past, present and future.
Dan Hess Jul 2019
I need to get a grip
on these vices
So I can loosen their grip
on me

I need to
dismantled the mechanism
of my discomfort

I need to
unscrew myself
from the iron grip
of self destructive behavior
Lori Mack Sep 2018
Believe

Believe in happy endings,
And exciteful new beginnings.                      
Trust in your fate,
And grasp your awaiting destiny.                    
Shred your tightly gripping vises,
And dwell in your childs excitement.              
Put faith in your dreams,
Wish again,
Pray again,
Allow hope.          
Create your own fantasys,
Live again.            
BELIEVE,
BELIEVE,
BELIEVE!                        
Become a believer.                  
Believe that this pain we are going through,
Is to push us towards a
Serene,
Comforting,
Adventurous tomorrow.    
Become a believer.                                              

L. Mack                                        
7/13/11
We must believe again.

— The End —