It's 3:23 am
and I can finally
say that I don't miss you

Once upon a time,
in a land faraway,
lived an Oreo biscuit.

Everyone judged him--
he was black on the outside,
and white on the in.
He thought he would
never ever fit in.

Now in that land of biscuits,
where most were brown,
they all thought Oreo's
the strangest in town.

But little did they know
he was the favorite of the lot.
For in the human world,
his kind was the most bought.

Everyone learned to love him,
even the Fita guy.
But he told Oreo,
"Don't trust humans;
you won't want to know why."

But the Oreo boy,
he was a curious one.
He thought he needed to enjoy,
go out and have fun.

Later that night,
someone grabbed him, behold--
fear glazed over Oreo's eyes
over what he was told.

He was twisted and dunked
in milk till he drowned.
Then broken forever
and his life was summed.

For whatever Fita said,
it became so true.
Whatever happened to Oreo
Hopefully, won't happen to you.

Soothing soothing melody, soul-embracing lyrics
There was nothing her dimpled smile couldn't fix.
Her thoughts were joyous rainbows, her sorrows balloons
With every verse they burst and fell into ruins.

His smiling eyes stared only into hers,
In her head she could hear the delightful verse.
Their walks infinite, their talks ceaseless.
Like the rhythm of her melody- a pleasant weakness.

Curiosity, confession, chaos.
Silence in her mind and silence outside it.
Misconceptions, melancholy, mistaken.
She paid for her actions in tears.

Black balloons in the black sky surged one by one,
Her thoughts were rain in a sky sans sun.
Her departed dimpled smile nothing could ever fix,
Painful painful melody and emotionally deafening lyrics.

Take me with you,
where the wildflowers grow.
Let's travel to where the sun sets;
somewhere only we know.

To escape the pain,
the bitterness of reality.
To indulge in freedom,
and the sweet serenity.

I found an old love on a social site
Opened up the book and saw her face
Can't help but notice the years have been good to her
And the life that she has made

I foolishly went and messaged her
Said we both seem to be doing well
But on these sites we sometimes lie
So that can be really hard to tell

She took it on herself to traveled North
As I left home to grab the world
It must be cold where she placed her feet
Me, I'm back on Florida soil

We both have families now going on 30 years
Her a Grandmother, me two daughters and a loving wife
Seems just yesterday she was standing here
A big part of my life

We exchanged our pleasantries
And at that time we realized
There was still that spark in our heartbeats
Something we could not deny

She said it's been nice but feel that I must go
I said you probably are right
That we're both happy that's good to know
As we both said our goodbyes

After the smoke clears
I survey the damage.

Or rather the lack
Thereof.

My eyes have grown.
My mouth narrowed.

I'm all ears; all hands
Unclenched.

I've learned to appreciate
A hug from my father,

Felt just how well
My mother knows my pain

Without a single drop of hint.
Silence. Ah, the silence.

To do what-, when-, however I want.
The freedom of a King Size alone.

My God, the things I gained
In the fire.

Dirtiest mouth this side of Hell.
Ocean horizon eyes, laughter like
Galloping horses thundering by;
Making everything else
Shake with blissful amusement.
Like me.
Man...

We talk for hours.
You place a feather on
My fresh stitches; blow gently
On the burns and smack a good-
Night

Kiss from half way across the
World so directly onto my
Forehead,
I turn over and sleep like a
Bear cub momside.

You are more than you'll ever
See yourself.
You shine with shades of
Beautiful not yet
Mapped by those who do.

Your words attracted me.
Our attraction helped healing me.

We stand in sunlight, under
The silver sails
Of our friendship; cutlass drawn,  
Spyglass raised towards the
Adventure.

I'll write with you until
We're both blind.
I'll laugh with you until
We suffocate,

I'll tell you a secret
Every time you want.

Until we share them all.

Then we'll make each other
New ones.

The time has come to hang up both
My party going boots.
35 and still alive, now
It is time to choose.
I've lost a little, still I have so
Much I yet could lose.
Hang those habits one by one,
Refuse to not refuse.

It will take a lot more than
An apple every day
To keep the doctor and the reaper
One scythe's length away.
I like it here, to live and breathe,
But how long I can stay
Depends on just how well I turn
And change my poison ways.

So here I sit, a bachelor fresh
With best friend at my side.
We drink and sing and celebrate,
And toast to those who died.
The final little binge, a bang,
Like last time that we tried.
(Sobriety is better faced
With alcohol inside.)

Wondering whether
I have.