Oh, it's you again

Curiosity my old foe
How quickly you defeat me
Though I try, I cannot fight
You are like a beau
You know what makes me me
And entices wrong from right

Why can I not defeat you
I only want to know
What can I ever do
to escape this mental limbo

I cannot win, that is certain
So I'll tame you ere I'm bitten

Stop

I stopped thinking sometime last year
I stopped my hopes, my joys, my cheer
I stopped dreaming and gave up hope
I stopped striving and now only cope
I stopped it all, the growth, the living of life
I stopped the battle, the trying, the strife
Stopped it, Halted, Ceased to be
This is my path, Land of the free
I stopped it,
And it stopped me.

I have done nothing

The field is plowed
the wheat is sown
the wood is chopped
the lawn is mown
My chores are done
my flesh is tired
though the results golden
my mind is wired
I know in my soul
my inner voice screams
though it took its toll
it was all but dreams.

An image

a vase of crystal
refracting light
holding the sun
intricate pattern
calm
clear
serene
complete awaiting completion

'A pearl of light'

A pearl of light
solid and unblemished
trapped in pools of beauty
the splendor of the soul
made alive by its presence
and the perfection of which
makes the stars weep.

Paper Angel

tear my mind and rend my soul
light dancing feet 'round the maypole
tired little troubles, dingy and gray
carve a niche in worlds of clay

screaming furies of heaven above
promises of lust, hate, and love
tortured contours eased in place
mar the eternity of the face

And oft forgotten the remembered past
speaks of what has been, come at last
precious gold of new found leaf
innocent of it's coming grief

unspoiled growth, unshattered dreams
what isn't is, or so it seems
and through it all, mind to mind,
is passed the creation of it's kind

Premonitions

What words are there within me
what dreams dwell within my head
what wind blows to set me free
what visions come upon me in my bed
in the darkness of my mind
I travel the realms of sights unseen
I hunt the golden hind
and create worlds never seen
but once from a deep dank pit
darkness comes like some unholy birth
perverting what imagination lit
tarnishing things of worth
and though the sun banish
them, they are slow to vanish

'Silent clacked the rosary'

A word of explanation: This is a poem that I am constructing.  I say constructing, as I am working at it to get it to follow a plan or blueprint. The meter and rhyme and even the order of the lines changes as the poem nears completion. I thank the Book Club for all their hard work and support in this endeavor. Their suggestions, advice, and critiques are invaluable in this process.
This poem is inspired by a work that will be named later, and aside from the inspiration any semblance to the other work is currently coincidental. I do not seek to retell the story of the other work, nor give it a new spin, but rather pick-up where the author left off, and honor the author in some small way with my words.
Any suggestions, opinions, and ideas are welcome. Thank you.

As the poem now stands:


1.  silent clacked the rosary upon his fettered wrist
2.          battered bloody by the sea they sailed into the mist
3.  slinking through the morning gloom, the darkest part of day
4.          seeking to escape their doom, the good ship sailed away
5.  Swigging droughts from Titan's cup, the Devil threw the dice
6.          and fostered within the Captain's breast, a more sinister self-indulgent vice
7.  the sweet young maid of secret charm, fostered by the night
8.          came unbidden to his arm, and dwelt within his sight
9.  boiling, churning, within his heart, the burning lusts of man
10.          the Devil's demons for their part, valiantly worked the fan
11.  the wise old boson saw the harm, and the trouble that would come
12.          should the young maid give way to charm, and drink of Cupid's venom
13.  a poor young Father knelt by them, then blest 'n set 'em free
14.          And eulogized with mourning hymn their hard-won victory
15.  the battle had raged long 'n hard, their lives for pirate's gold
16.          … 

Shadows of heartbreak

Shadows of heartbreak
from chances untaken
dance in my mind
in the quiet of night 

Pains of remorse
from love unexpected
burns my cheeks
hidden by the rain 

Shadows of heartbreak
Pains of remorse
Agony, tears, and sadness
consume my day 

If only courage had
lived within me
I would have been your
Lancelot 

Shadows of heartbreak
from chances untaken
tear at my soul
in the still of the night 

Pains of remorse
what could have been...
what could have been...

Shattered dreams and broken wings

Shattered dreams and broken wings
the whole world 's comin' down on me
broken glass and torn hopes
bloody oblivion, set me free!
battle weary and time worn
life itself steals my breath
faltered heartbeats and stumbled steps
fighting slowly the embrace of death

Shattered dreams and broken wings...

fighting slowly the embrace of death
life itself steals my breath
bloody oblivion, set me free!
the whole world 's comin' down on me

Shattered dreams and broken wings...

Splice the words

Spite and venom, demon's tongue!
Evil hateful cutting words.
Cries for solace gone unheard.
In your anger and your malice
you place yourself in ivory palace
never thinking how it's made
you with your heart of jade.
You scoff, you scorn, you kick, you scream
you rip asunder and break the dream.
You break my arm. You twist my limb.
Stealing breath from her and him.
And now you would reign supreme,
or so it does ever seem.
But this one thing you have not learned,
power can't be taken, it must be earned.
Split the hairs, splice the words
come back for seconds or even thirds.
But this I tell you and tell you true,
this dream will never be ruled by you.

Long ago

Surrounded by friends I sit alone
an ocean of force surrounds me
and yet seems to part around me
like soil does a stone

I can see the smiles, hear the laughs
and I think I can see through them
to the shadows that truly haunt them
then... then I see no one truly laughs

The darkness comes and consumes
corrupting all it touches
all powerful, all seeing, such is
the way of the dark as it presumes

I gave in long ago
I turned away and shut my door
I closed my eyes to sleep evermore
I was washed away . . . long . . . ago.