To Argue With the Vessel

A fragile crutch of flesh and bone,
Supports another wounded soul.
Water argues with the vessel
In which it is contained,
Progress made is infinitesimal,
Naught but vanity is gained.
A smile on pained lips and three
Unused wishes at days end may see,
This day again becoming night,
This tired form and I,
Simply wait for morning and new sight.
Where life and death combine.

She Doesn’t Know

She doesn’t know that I have seen her scars and
I have spent sleepless nights wondering how she got them.
More than a road map to pain, her blue eyes hide the tears they say
And there will never come a day where I can ask about them.
Her world is upside down, and he is there beside her.
All Of her restless nights, he sings sleepily to her.
I can’t tell if she’s still cold, I watch outside of this window,
She’s upside down, does she know, that I will wait for her?
There is no secret why she always wears her long sleeves
They all know and look away, all of them but me.
We both have the same scars, I know their roots may be different,
It’s been a long time since we could be called innocent.
Maybe one day she’ll see me and maybe one day she won’t.
Just maybe she will see how each of us, we’re broke.

My Shallow Sleep

Shall he remain fallen cold, buried here?
The various pains of living follow him.
And waking up to a grey sky so clear,
A midday light beyond the moon grows dim.
They were followed here, this is nothing new.
They know better than this untrodden path.
Before them, those that followed, they were few,
Fewer still who returned. Dim: this light past.
After they will break as water on rock,
They will scatter as shadows in the light.
Here the new headstones do nothing to block.
Various pains drive residents to flight.
I’ll dream of things unspoken, rest undone,
In my shallow sleep gift under the sun.

On Fears

The mad who remember
Weaken, succumb to pain.
The mad who forget
How careless and hasty they!
But rare the one who remembers
And looks fear in the eye,
And when it seems to take a hold,
To let it pass by.
The strength to examine fear
And prudence to let it go
Is something we should all aspire to
When I find it, I’ll let you know.