24 Poems ~ 24 Hours
Alone in the reef-
The strain of time begins to wear on my flayed nerves.
The sweltering sun beats upon my frayed mind.
Fat flies buzz above my head, seemingly awaiting my impending demise.
I long to shed this disguise.
Swatting these pests has become a strenuous task.
Lack of sustenance has led to a hallucinations.
A sip of water,
A taste of beef.
There is nothing here in the reef.
looking up from my salad
four out of five people sitting at the next table
gazed at screens
cupped in hands
my cell phone rang
Chasing me
Its claws extending
I look back and shudder
Its flesh is shedding
I must get away
This creature
This place
I look back again
All I see is her
Reaching out for me
I stop
What is this place?
There’s a scream
I stare at her
She whispers ‘run’
But I’m stuck in place
There’s another scream
My skin crawls
I stare at my hands
Something moves under my skin
She screams ‘run!’
I turn and sprint away
I run and run
But I know I can’t escape
I feel I can’t escape
I abruptly stop
I see my reflection
I look up and I’m there again
I see the creature
Its claws extending
Yet no longer chasing me
Its flesh is shedding
I shudder
I close my eyes and open them
The creature I’m running from is me
Welcome, what would you like to know?
I will help as much as I can, I don’t get around much,
but I see things and pay attention, you see,
so, ask away, or better yet, let’s just start
on the ground and see how it goes.
1A is a single male (whispers; I think he’s bi)
will bench press all night when he is stressed,
had a dog, but lost custody to his “friend”
smiles when he passes, don’t talk though
and never, ever looks you in the eye
2A…ehehm…engaged is what she says,
likes her country LOUD especially at 2am
no pets, no visitors, no family I know of
will talk for a while if greeted first,
but would be alone and that’s how she stays
1B are married (if you believe in that sort of thing)
Blue eyes has a kid that comes around
Brown eyes disappears a lot, business you know.
They argue a lot about little things, but seem
to be nice, if you know what I mean.
2B has way too many friends. Most you won’t even see twice.
Such a beautiful girl too, it’s such a shame.
She should be more careful, ‘stead of playing THAT game.
She listens real good, has a nice smile,
always smells like she bathes in spices.
1C is the one you want to know all about, they still haven’t cleaned it.
So sad what happened to the couple that lived there,
I can’t tell ya, you would’ve had to be here
But the cops did their job up right, that charge will stick
All the evidence, not even Perry Mason could beat it.
2C, well, that’s me! Just this old worn out Grandma.
Nothing but time on my hands and no where to go.
I’m very accepting, not a prejudiced bone, but bless their hearts,
the people moving in these days, I don’t know where to start.
I find it is best if I keep to myself and just don’t get involved.
Can you smell it? The rustle of the crowd?
Can you feel it? The crackle in the air. Electrifying
Can you see the dust molecules swirling around the 1000 watt bulb, as it fades into life. Bringing with it illumination and promise.
Can you see them? The girls behind a mask.
Can you see them? The people you know and work with; looking so different as they slip behind the facade. The costumes. The hair.
You stand. I stand.
In the dark. A moment of solitude. Everything is quiet for a second of time. The lights are down.
The audience rustle and then they shush. There is a crunch of candy papers, but for this split second, it doesn’t register.
This is your time.
This is my time.
The lights fade in.
Curtain up
Most days I am far down deep
waiting
searching for clear sky through veiled layers
in hopes of breaking the surface for breath
drowning in BUSY-ness
then, in a dream of whales
I wonder
What would it be like to swim?
In the half light of the evening
I looked down at the shiny, black floor
And I thought,
It’s a dull evening, what to look forward to?
But, then, it came,
That reflection,
Of a tall and majestic tree,
That I hadn’t even noticed..
The floor turned into a painting..
The world into a beautiful mirage..
Mostly I wear sensible shoes
Conservative jewelry is what I choose.
My favorite shade of lipstick is light bronze.
Soft rock is the station where my radio belongs.
My life is khaki,
But I dream in “Piccadilly Pink”
I wear slips under questionable skirts,
“Oh rats” is the extent of my curse,
I watch 60 Minutes on Sunday nights;
Vanilla ice cream is my delight.
My life is khaki,
But I dream in “Cherries Jubilee”
I like to paint my toenails red,
I sing dirty songs in my head,
I fantasize about raunchy tattoos,
“Wild Child” inked above my stiletto shoes.
My life is khaki,
But I dream in “I’m Not Really a Waitress” red.
fishing…
troubling
the moon…
after the swim
of a few fishes
creating an eclipse
a red-eared slider…
troubling the fishing rod
only the wind…
the fisherman wakes up
from dreamy reflections
In a dream I see you,
clear as light of day,
the smoke surrounding you vanished,
walls around you disappeared –
and you are no more than a memory
for me to forget.