Giving Space To The Inner Poet

Roused from my tranquil at night Indeed a witching hour We need to talk she says Where are we heading To dreamland I mumbled, duh! my view How long now? Why the delay? The inescapable, why prolong it? Today or tomorrow, no difference she sees Educate me she entreats Tongue-tied I seem Thoughts swirling Choice of words testing Mum's the word and mute is the order "Omerta" the mandate as sign language bereft  Sleep deprivation in mind, as the short arm, several full circles it executes A night lost as the barrage of questions continue Focus redirected Striving and scrambling for the right note and tone Gingerly walking on eggs Tiptoeing maybe I found them at last In humor of sort A peace brokered at last for now Conflict avoided Unsettling peace pact agreed, alas at the break of dawn Until the next time, when tempers rage for a temporary truce

Heard of him we have One form or another Not yet?, a promise in waiting Now more than ever, counting in the thousands An angel to a few The devil to most It plucks the loved ones at will It pardons not the cherished Nor does it spare the young A fondness for the old All races entertained Wealthy or poor alike, an audience it offers Discrimination is absent in langue Possess it does, icy cold hands at best It grabs at will, robs day or night It fears not the mob Grab in troves at will; if implored by the mass shooter, the impaired driver, the irate forest fire, the natural disaster, unbridled infections, just a few to name Bold it is, some balls it has Timid not I grant A few can see it coming Others barely aware, till their name is pulled, from the lottery basket of life As such timely for some, untimely for most Either way is a loss, too painful to bear Attempt to hinder the inexorable encounter, we strive each day anew

Psychedelic thoughts Mind bending warps Dreamy nights beset Fazed feelings tribute Stumbling men and babbling fools Summon to assemble at once Rivers of tears Silence of pain Jungle of thoughts Thinking aloud in jest Complexity of mind Scariness of nightmares Hoofbeat of horses Scuttling of feet Curious faces they peer Strangers they stare Vagrants on foot Randomness aloud

I am on the ground A man on my chest  Another knee on my neck Hemmed between tar and stone, and heavy bodies of my fellow men How can I breathe A few breaths I need I try to speak A breath of air is sought Alas, dust from the ground, I welcome My voice not heard The pressure remains Oppressively horrifying, to say the least A breath of air still me eludes Bystanders notice, the air I need The blue and black, duty to care remiss I continue to say “I can’t breathe” Still he hears me not Murder in public, repercussions not one, by those who swore to protect Barbarism on display Lynching days are back? Humanity is gone? Where art thou empathy? Now I begin to cry, my mother I call What am I? Who am I? A light to be extinguished? A life to be snuffed?  A person to be feared and executed on sight? My body becomes limp Another black and brown, dust becomes When will this cycle end? What became the promise to “protect and serve” Innocent until proven guilty, a jury of my peers? Dignity...

Knights thou are Galant soldiers you fought On land, in air, and sea The deep trenches your home Whether fallen or standing Your lives freely given, in civil and international combat Securing freedom for all In the name of the country you loved Lives shortened so others may live In blood the price is paid In battle, peace you brought forth Many a beneficiary, forever remain nameless to thee Heroes are ye, agree with war or not On this day we recall Ultimate sacrifices you made Visiting cemeteries, as flowers we lay Families will gather, nations stand in silence for honor your due Homage we pay, thou deserving, flags be hoisted In the annals of history, stones in town squares, statues in prominence, memories included   Your names shall survive

Relationship are tough of that I know Marriage more so I tender I’m not a guru in this for sure Failed at mine of course, can’t hide it though sore Lessons I learned, some I can proffer Goodwill stacks will help Gentle words and initiatives paramount Turbulent times expect Dual commitment the way  Harsh words are cruel  Cordial arguments feasible, even in the worst of times Personal attacks denounce  Demonize actions and issues often, not the soul Timeouts entreat, when hostilities at peak Open mind of benefit  Contempt and accusations anathema  Blame games are lame, oh what evil pleasure it leaves  Mutual respect why not  Genuine compliments soften Benefit of doubt not seldom  Love dearly I beseech  For all relationships are demanding  Most will not last  Few are forever  Chart your own course indeed 

Twenty four lunar cycles and more Babble is constant, silence is speech Most have a ton, none yet we see Eye contact a taboo Touch he yearns Attention span is fleeting Solitary play unbridled Evasive maneuvers the rule Some days are sunny Most days are dim Nature or nurture, not one can say Accident or not More questions remain Answers are sparse Denials appealing Too early for certain, but differences endure What can one do? Shout or scream an option To cry in silence, what if the tear drum is empty? Opinions are swell Entertain hope is all Despair avoid Optimists embrace  Naysayers circumvent For only time will tell