shorties

(had trouble this week, at a loss for words. these are shorter ones, perhaps false starts, i dunno. whatevah.)

dip the toes

give one or two words, toes with which
to test the water

warmer than i expected
still murky, caution the word my feet
need to hear.




(too short for title)

i wait. i am still.

whatever will be,
I say, I'm standing
Here.

There is fear,
sure, always.

how can i pretend?




a little

a little desperate, i think
a little too much on a day like this
a little farther out than necessary,
a little louder than i'd like
a little cool without insulation
a little too sober for my tastes
a little twisted and pent.



four lines on exhaustion

eyes droppin closed of their own accord
my guts reached a rolling boil
other days i may be more self-assured
today i'm trapped in the mortal coil.



To be honest

deflated with relief.
your usually keen eyes
didn't seem to see my
mild discomfort.
knowing entire realms were
closed to me, i tried to ignore
the gate, wondering what the
citizens of that strange land
saw when they looked through.
did they sense
my embarassment? know
i was holding back?
i don't grudge your need
but it does chafe
just a little.



(untitled)

can't help but be nervous
on calm seas.
flat isolation of Great Plains, and
I'm chewin them old stubs again.
Stony silence of the ends of storms
in mountainous places, i wait
for figures hidden behind boulders.
the Other Shoe, some addiction to
action, some unknown inner Quest,
Fate?




termites

no infestation manifest
still the structure seems soft
all silent under the dryer
all silent behind the shroud
early mornings are
no longer suitable.



Burden

oh, the pain, carrying what you wanted.
when we were younger you would fill up
your eyes and never took it into account.
the possibility of problems.

into the bag on your back goes my trunk,
my limbs, all grown cumbersome to me,
the shifting colors of orbs, the matted skein
of hair and skin, once a pelt to keep us warm.

piece by piece you bag me up and shoulder
this burden, the weight increases, grows
your fear. i think you'd have me walk
except invisible and silent so i don't attract

attention.




bite it

bit my bitter tongue when
i heard of the burden
o fate worse than death that
you should get what you wanted.
and now since you spoke it,
my image is haunted, time warped
and ashamed of what you
taught me to be proud of.