Vessel
a soul deeply flawed
ichorous and fetid cast
from a broken mold
–
bathing rituals-
filing ewers by
the riverbanks
Category Archives: Anger
Thread
puppets to a one-
dancing to unheard music
hung from tangled threads
–
skeletal fingers-
pulling taut
the threads of fate
Shoah
ashen metal sky-
slowly rolling cattle cars
descend into hell
–
chain link fence-
the walking dead
in black and white
Splinter
rid of you at last
cut from where you’d gotten lodged
just under my skin
–
last year’s maple leaves-
splinters from a
prior life
Missing
the bathroom door locked –
water covers the threshold
soaking the carpet
–
echos in the hallway-
your phone goes
straight to voice mail
Payment
one thing is certain-
with the taxes completed
l just wait for death
–
lights dim-
a life’s debt
repaid
Suicide
clutching thoughts and prayers
while we let those who suffer
slip through our fingers
–
predawn chill-
sleeping children
suddenly fatherless
Drip
rust stained porcelain-
hard metallic drips echo
off the bathroom sink
–
far from sleep-
the dripping faucet
maddening
Empty
an empty barstool-
I decide to take a risk
on conversation
–
empty glasses-
my napkin
torn to shreds
War
twisting in my sleep
I smell the blood and cordite
and lotus flowers
–
torrential rain-
countless lost
to take a hill