She's Mine

I
am
Mama
Understand
If you hurt my babe
I will tear you into pieces
I would sink an entire ship
to keep the sea safe
for one fry
because
she's 
mine.



Artwork by Judith Clay 
 

submitted for dVerse Poets Pub, Poetics, Judith Clay and
Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, Sunday Mini Challenge, Fib Poem

Seeds and All

Persephone by Patricia Ariel

I believed that you loved me;

you dragged me down to hell.

I thought I was your queen,

but your kingdom had gates I could not pass.

What I thought was passion

was me being devoured by your fire.

Now all that’s left of me

is bone and ash.

I have only myself to blame;

I swallowed your lies, seeds and all.

inspired by but too late to submit to: dVerse Poets Pub, Poetics, Modern Day Mythology 
submitted for Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, Open Link Monday

Watch, Wince, Repeat

source

She lies

Bruises easy

A fall she can't recall

She lives in fear; she dies within

Silence.

................................................

Daughter

She sees it all

Can't wait to leave this house

She weds a man who hits like Dad

Repeat.



submitted for Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, Today We Scream
and d'Verse Poets Pub, Poetics, An Evening of Short Verse

Crossing Fences

“It's so hard to forget pain, but it's even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace.”
― Chuck Palahniuk, Diary

Hear with our ears

Listen with our hearts

It’s only our minds

That  keep us apart

Can’t hear what you say

When you talk so loud

Got my ego in my ears

Acting too damn proud

image by SueAnn

To cross the fence

To compromise

Don’t mean I’m weak

It means I’m wise

Just cause I’m different

Don’t have to hate

Try to understand

Communicate

Break down the lies that

Separate us

Alienate us

Trash, berate us

You might not like

Everything I do

But still respect

My point of view

Why can’t I hold 

My own god dear

Without holding your 

God in fear?

In the end 

What's there to gain

by causing people 

So much pain?

So many scars

That never heal

How long before 

We just don't feel?

submitted for Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, Sunday Mini Challenge, Poetry for Peace 
and dVerse Poets Pub, dVerse Poetics, Through the Artist's Lens 

and BlogBlast for Peace

Empty Spoon

Working Still by Borg de Nobel

  I hear your cries

like Spanish radio

in the apartment next door

I have no milk

I haven't eaten in three days

Ashes to ashtray

dust to rock

dreams to smoke

I cook my meals on a dirty spoon

I feed death to my bones

I saw your mouth move

like a hatchling bird's

My empty spoon

can't fill your hunger

I am nothing

I can give nothing

submitted for dVerse Poets Pub, Poetics, Borg de Nobel

If You Give a Mouse a Rorschach

Dewey

The professor’s name sounds pleasant

Early spring mornings

Birds chirping

What makes it look like a bird?

Or a bat

Or a butterfly

Wings

McCartney’s band after the Beatles

Looks like a beetle too, a little

Are my associations getting loose?

I wonder how many things I should find

“We’ll search forever more…”

This class is sorta stressing me out

I found that monster in my dresser drawer

I hate Number IV

Do you think I’m decompensating?

“Stuck inside these four walls

Sent inside forever…”

This is just for practice, right?

Submitted for dVerse Poets Pub, dVerse Poetics, Stream ofConsciousness Writing

What If?

"The best thing a parent can do for a child is love them and take them for who they are." Maurice Sendak

(Mr. Sendak lived with his partner for 50 years but was never able to tell his own parents that he was gay.)
 

What if I can't fall asleep

from the monster under my bed?

What if I miss dinner?

Will I starve until I'm dead?

What if I ran away from home?

Would you look for me?

What if I said I hated you?

Would you hate me back times 3?

What if sometimes I don't want

to have a baby brother?

What if I still suck my thumb

or wet my new bed cover?

What if I'm still scared of thunder

or afraid of the dark?

What if you love my sister more

and leave me at the park?

What if I do bad at school

and I'm really not that smart?

What if I think about you dying

or imagine us apart?

What if I make a bad mistake

and can't ever make it right?

What if I'm not good at sports?

do you think you might
Love me if I say I'm gay
still love me If I dared?
'cause I don't want to lose you
and I'm really, really scared.

submitted for dVerse Poetics, Sendak & the Wild Things, at dVerse Poets Pub

Obligation

source

What obligation has the tree to the fruit

the vine to the grape?

Having birthed the seed

what is the duty to ensure it ripens neither

too soon nor too late?

And what of the vicissitude of the weather?

Catastrophe has no feeling for filial dependence

no concern with parental bonds

Storms strike randomly

ripping progeny from stem and branch, leaving

torn, gaping spaces into which

Obligation's energy keeps uselessly flowing

spilled sap

submitted for dVerse Poetics, Duty Calls at dVerse Poets Pub

Tempt Me

source

Tempt me

You never know

the things I will

do

the places I will

go

if you tempt me

just so

Paint ice hot flames

around our bed

Dare me 

to enter

with a silent stare

and a guilty smile

Play me

slow smoky jazz sounds

with your eyes

Write me poems

with your tongue

down my neck 

to the small of my back

and dot the 'i' s 

with frost covered cherry blossoms

Tempt me

Master all of my senses

Take them from me

I confess 

I am no innocent

Use me

I am your canvas

I am your book

Bind me well

Keep me

tempted.

submitted for Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, Fireblossom Fridays, Temptation
Poetry Jam, Hot and Cold
Poets United, Vice Versa, Midnight Snack #5 (Sound/Silence; Guilt/Innocence)
dVerse Poets Pub, dVerse Poetics, Meeting the Bar, A Martian Sharpens His Knife

Little Celebrations

photo of leaf by  Mark Kerstetter

The New Year came creeping in

like the dog into our  bed

I smiled and moved over to make room

No fanfare needed

Every day

little celebrations

submitted for dVerse Poet Pub, Poetics, Endings and Beginnings

Poets United, The Poetry Pantry

Sunday Scribblings, #300, New