Penance
mired in the past
endlessly forced to repeat
the sins of my youth
–
born of fire-
ashes rise
into the night
mired in the past
endlessly forced to repeat
the sins of my youth
–
born of fire-
ashes rise
into the night
a callous wind blows
through the cracks in these old bones
and broken windows
–
rusty mountains-
poppy fields in
a sniper’s scope
sensing acceptace
evil walks in the daylight
no longer afraid
–
sunlight-
insects scatter
from prying eyes
staring at myself-
the bottom of a shot glass
looking back at me
–
oasis-
an empty carcass
in the sand
hard conversations
and a tongue well versed in the
dialogue of death
–
cherry blossoms-
walking the garden
with just enough poison
staring unfocused-
bloodshot sky barely noticed
through these bleary eyes
–
cottonmouth-
a morning dove
splits my skull
arid desert sands
old leather cracking in the
unforgiving sun
–
rising smoke-
a candle’s
last remnants
curling up in pain
the taste of salt on my lips
from licking my wounds
–
echoes-
broken antlers on
the forest floor
years of wasted time
of opportunities lost
and then you were gone
–
ancient water-
black scales sink
beneath the surface
the window broken-
in the unlit house glass shards
crunching underfoot
–
descending silence-
a wizened elm
uprooted