The sky was a painting of blood and steel

The sky was a painting of blood and steel
When they met on the barren plain below
The dragon with violet sails for its glossy wings
The knight with a verdigris spray for the plume on his helm.
Something had long been stolen, its return much ached for;
They’d meet to do battle and decide its final fate.
The dragon moved first, pouring to pass fire
In a great and terrible sea from its jaws.
The knight raised his shield as he dropped into a crouch
And weathered the storm before charging forth.
Sword met claws with a ringing metal cry
Lance buckled beneath the valiant swipe of a tail.
The dragon bled between scales, bellowed to the sky
And the knight wept as he burned in his armor.
The sky had gone black by the time the battle was won
The knight tumbled to the ground without any sound
The dragon, wounded and limping, dug through his bags
Drew out an egg, long-cold and unquicken, with claws as gentle as feathers.
The last flames poured from its tired jaws
To wake the young dragon down inside.
And so it waited, beside the knight and under sky,
For the future to hatch and come forth.

The lights, they bit at my eyes

The lights, they bit at my eyes.
My stomach noted and twisted.
As if the lights were causing the nervousness.
Then I felt the weight of a possible failure.
No not just me,
But the others just about to tell a story without words.
Then I looked down to my friend.
She was shining,
The light reflecting of her brass skin.
She softly whispered to me saying,
Tell the story.
Do your job, so I can do mine.
This is the time to shine,
Just like I do.
My strength came.
The lights retreated.
I told the story,
Those who listened stood.

Swift Concerns

She closed her eyes and blew a wind of cold air,
The thoughts on her mind turned like bicycle wheels.
A scoff, only thought on her mind,
What has this turned to? Our world has gone mad,
Bonkers and crazy some shall say.
We’re turned from ourselves,
Into monsters, a mere reflection of what we want to be.
Disappointed in what she sees before her
A world of tragic mystery,
No one will ever know what turned the people.
It was like a plague of its own,
Spreading until we all walk like clones.
Twerking and swag, yolo and gang signs,
Our kids have been brainwashed
Like mindless aliens, lost in a universe we know nothing about.
Created by a higher power, a man in charge.
 
Walking down the street she sees,
A man of wonder, and tragedy,
Seeing something no one else will see.
Sitting on the street corner, swimming in his tears,
He cannot muster the words to explain,
But he knows just how we live.
Like clay in the hands of a child,
Molding to the way he wants, doing what he like.
We will always do as we see,
Because this world has turned to hopeless tragedy.

The Ride of a Lifetime

A bright and early morning, the smell of fresh hay,
We were heading out for the first ride,
Two best friends mounted on their steads.
I could smell the fresh leather saddle, bridal, and hat
My mind in another place, I never thought it would end that way.
We were riding down the old dirt road,
I could smell the moisture in the air, fresh from the night before.
Patting her neck, Ruby was calm, happy, and mighty as ever.
We rode and rode, down the muddy path
I saw the house, close in range, not too far,
But as I looked up, Ruby began to prance, skittish
She got nervous, the mud was slippery,
I could feel her getting scared between my legs as she reared up.
I yanked on the reins, moist wet leather between my fingers
She neighed and whined until I let up
But just as I did, she jumped, I could feel the cold hard ground beneath me.
Just as I looked up, Megan was running,
Yelling and screaming to see my condition,
Warm blood ran down from my nose.
We ran to the house, finding the horses waiting at the trailer,
Jittery and jumpy they awaited our arrival
Running my hand down her cold mane,
How was I supposed to be angry?
She was only reacting to the world around us.

A Pink Kind of Mother

Shiny and bright, appealing to the eye,
she is always close to my heart, hanging in a way.
Bright and happy, no one can deny,
she is a pink necklace mother to me.
Like the jewelry, she hangs in my heart,
sometimes shiny in attention, but never too much.
She will listen, she will talk,
always in my company when I need her.
She is a pink cat mother to me.
The smell is contagious, as well as the looks,
she is beauty, radiant, and gorgeous, without even trying.
Reminding me of hair spray,
overwhelming but addictive, a unique kind of smell.
She is a pink hair spray mother to me.
The month of August, warm and bright,
it’s never too hot with a breeze that will welcome,
just like a mother and daughter.
She is a pink August mother to me.

Friends

though the craziness that this world is
the best thing God gave us was a friend
when you feel like you're going to frizz
they are there with a hand to lend
and your heart they can always mend
oh my dear friend thank you for being there for me
you happen to be the bee's knees.

Welcome, Welcome

Welcome, welcome to my mind.

A place were many things hide.
A place were only I can be unwind.
Its a place were I can peacefully abide.
But only when I'm inside.
Inside away from others words.
Away from the trampling herds.
So I decide to hide inside my mind 

It was cold out

It was cold out as I walked to my truck
Still dark as the moon seemed to be stuck
I had all my stuff that I needed for the day
Off to school I was bound. I'd soon be on my way
My red, overstuffed backpack slung over my shoulder
It was so heavy. I could have been carrying a boulder
In my left hand, I held my mug of coffee
It was steaming thick with the aroma of almond toffee
Read to tackle my day, ready to pursue
I had a my best sweater on, and a nice pair of shoes.
As I neared my old, but reliable vehicle
I noticed it was covered in frost and icicles.
I opened the door and set my coffee down
I got out my key without making a sound
Thinking to myself that I would turn the truck on
Then wait inside until all the ice was gone
But I forgot my truck was a standard, and to my dismay
I didn't press the clutch, and my truck was soon rolling away
It drug me through the dirt and almost ran over my leg
My truck wouldn't stop rolling, no matter how I begged.
I then let go and watched my truck roll down the hill
I could do nothing but sit positively still
My truck entered a field, then I heard a loud pop!
Into my neighbor's shed is where it finally stopped.
With tears welling up inside, I could barely see
I couldn't believe that my truck just took off without me.

Ice Skating and Waiting

I watched.
I waited,
With baited breath
as time stood still.

The cold air melted in my tights,
and creeping up my dress.
It seems all the eyes are waiting.
Expecting only the best.

My breathing stops.
the music starts to play.
Left, right, left, right,
Never be afraid.
Left, right, left, right,
You're doing fine, you're okay.

Time drags on,
I feel the eyes on me.
Then suddenly the music stops.

Silence clings in the air.
I leave my icy stage,
now decorated by my skates

I watch.
I wait,
with bated breath
as time again stands still.

A little house

A little house off of North Ave,
Grand Junction, Colorado.
Angriness at the fact that she
isn't good enough for her family
always does wrong.
Selfish, never caring for anyone
but herself.
A little brother watches her mistakes
& her mother the most disappointed.
She tries to stop her ways,
ends up messing up again.

I no longer understand spoken language

I no longer understand spoken language
Fever swells under my skins and behind my eyes
Making one hot and tight and the other ache even when closed
But I am so cold, and so I squirm under a butterfly cocoon of soft covers.
I think I moan
Softer than a cat landing on a stone counter at the end of a jump
And it's lost in heated blankets and used tissues and white grape juice.
I try to swallow down the stinger-filled thickness that covers my senses
But my strength has been sapped away by thermometers and their soulless clicking
My mother is talking
If only I could sleep now
The viral aches have spread to my brain.
Come back tomorrow.
Maybe I'll be human again by then.

I am flying high as a kite

I am flying high as a kite
drowning in happiness, but in
the back of mine,
dreading the crash.
Flowing with the wind
and gliding among the birds.
I know that this smile might not hold
but I'm too busy flying;
Or is it falling?
I try not to worry;
I try not to think
of the possibility of my crash.
of falling instead of flying
and crying instead of smiling.
Life is too short
just enjoy the ride;
for when you crash,
it won't hurt so bad.

Innocence Lost

I was 15 when I lost my innocence.
the world became black and white,
And the color had faded away.

Where did the magic go?
All the glamour had disappeared.
I couldn't believe what was said into my ear.

Was everything a scam?
Was nothing in this world true?
I sat on this for 5 minutes or so,
quietly sitting in my room.

When I did come out,
I had come out changed.
My whole world had caved in,
my mind now drawing blanks.

My mother said no dramatics,
that's when I lowered my eyes.
My father said, "Don't sass me!"
So I tried hard to be nice.

"Mom, Dad? I don't understand.
Why do I have to be the one
to clean up the mess again?"

How do you make something good?

How do you make something good?
Go ahead and believe that it's easy
or hard. I don't mind.
But it falls somewhere in between
(Change under the couch cushions.)
You make something good one minuscule piece at a time.
Breath by breath
Step by step
Line by line.
You may feel like it's magic as you work
Its undeveloped fetus may resonate in time with your cells
But you won't know for sure
(if what you've made is good or not)
until you reach the end of it.
Your life
Your dance
Your poem.
The final line is the decider
And I've reached mine.
(Have I made something good?)

Control

Annihilate your taciturn heart with
The words that threaten to erupt from
Your trembling lips.

Suppress your meaningless thoughts
By tossing secrets at
All who show interest

Breath deeply,
Feel numbness,
Let it envelope you completely.

This is the only way to
Maintain all
Illusion of control.

Waist Deep

Waist deep in the 40 degree water

The reflective pain unbroken

Except for the ripples

From an artificial fly

the peaks of the jagged mountains lie at my feet

the strong current

trying to pull my feet from underneath me

the occasional bite from a disappointed fish

Pulling the fly under and bringing life to the tenchenles line

bringing the fish just into view through the mirror

before they rid themselves of the imposters hook

there is now place I would rather be.     

Heart Pounding

Heart pounding
all those around could hear it
loud as a race horse
pounding and stomping its feet
waiting in line
my turn is now coming up
as if has a face
it now looking at me
hands turn clammy
 
Breathing coming and going
in and out
in small fast pants
as my turn is about to face me

as I step up

to the seat
clicking and snapping is all around
as if they are making music
music that might lead me
to my death

now sitting in the death trap

the seat that keeps you safe
looks more like death
the close space
making me want to run
and hide away

people around yelling out

some laughing in joyful calmness   
some yelling that we are going to die
a few saying prayers

then it becomes quite

quite as it we night
only the sound of the
count down
count down to my possible death

then the seat took off

the wind in my face
blowing my hair back
behind me like a cape
the feeling was if
I was a bird
taking flight

the fast seat took me left ,right

up, down
spinning in spirals
upward, then downward
 
my flight of the ride was over
only a few seconds
though it felt like years
now over and done with
as if ripping off a Band-Aid
 
a smile upon my face
laughing and giggling
to only say now
I rode a roller coaster

At age 7, to me then  
was a big thing
in third grade

Untitled

The was around,

as it was bound to
the outside town

Listen closely

in the distance
a pounding sound
can be heard
 
The sky roared
its lions cry
thunder making it’s know
as the baking light

Shines out its

stability  to the unknown
 
Colorful light
can be seen

To white

to copper

As the ground turns

slushily and mushy

The lion

in the sky
cries out
for its love

Above the heavens

to show its loyalty
lion has for its love

Makes light

in the sky
when the high clouds
above cries for the loss

Carnival

I’m here,

at this carnival.

I’m surrounded by laughter, shrieks, and giggles.

I’ve prepared for this event for two weeks.

My breath tastes like toothpastes, my hair smells recently shampooed.

I had cheerios this morning.

I make my way to the lemonade stand,

I’m parched from the warmth of the sun.

I sit in the shade of a bubble gum machine.

It’s rainbow colors make me

Cheerful.

I slip my sandals off and feel the cool grass with my bare toes.

I look around…

A woman is pulling her son through a line

Of excited coaster-fanatics.

 One of the boy’s bright blue Heart-balloons

Slips out of his clammy white palm.

I catch it

 and grip it tight.

I won’t let it float away.

 

Not today not ever.

Splendor

Microscopic grains of sand weld themselves onto my sunburned calves
As I wade deeper into the cerulean waters.
With every step, I kick up a tornado around my heels,
Instigating a wild frenzy of frantic fish.
With colors parallel to those of the sand,
The fish appear to be transparent;
Shadows devoid of a subject.
Like “Memory Foam”, the sand molds around my foot
Concaving beneath my sinking toes.
Anxious not to descend into the depths of the Caribbean,
I scuttle to the left,
Disturbing a petite crab’s midday siesta.
Startled by the sight of this “sand flea”
I scamper towards the distant shore,
Towards the safety of the other tourists,
Ignorant of the splendor of a crab.

It's strenuous to see now.

It's strenuous to see now.
When I was young how.
I could think love was for me.

But after the heartbreak.

Its more than I can take.
An’ now its clear for me to see

Through the music of love is very uplifting.

The sound of heartbreak leaves me reminiscing.

But time after time

I just can't seem to find
That one special connection.

So it's clear to see

That loves not for me
And I'm fine with that.

First for me

That warm September night
clear with the moon and stars shining bright
I meet up with him at his house
a few of our friends waiting
the smell of chicken and potatoes filling the house
(well what I would smell over the make up under my nose)
he handed my the beautiful flower
slid it on my wrist
it was purple and white even matched my purple dress
(and his striped tie)
 after dinner we went off the school
it was so cool
and beautiful inside
glossy white cloth with little ballerina pink flowers everywhere
everyone was dressed up the best they could
just like they should
we walked in
me and him
feeling the boom of the music in our guts
me praying I wouldn’t be a klutz
the boom subsided and the slow song came on
you know that I'm going to throw up but in a good way feeling
you get when you get nervous but excited
as I looked up at him it got worse
do you wanna dance with me he decided to blurt
the warmth of his arms and the smell of his shirt
his old spice and boy smell
made the night just that much more memorable
and him much more loveable

The Provider

It was dark as I toddled
Across the backyard,
Almost tripping over tree roots,
To the slanted shed.

Light beams peeked through

Cracks in the walls,
Letting me know that my father
Was indeed there.

After a hard shove,

And yet another,
The door finally gave way
And let me inside.

He looked up briefly,

Flashed a smile,
Before going back to
His task.

A meat grinder,

Speckled with green paint,
Sat on the table where he worked,
Alongside a container of ground beef.

I stood there,

My chin resting on the table,
Me on my tippy toes just to reach,
And let the feeling of contentment fill me.

My father was here,

Making sure that we had meals,
Any and everything we need to live comfortably,
Providing for his family

The Moment He Started Living

The potent words slipped off her tongue

Soon dancing through my ears

My body tightened, locking in agony while

My sister and brother both cringed in sorrow.

The day we heard those words

Was the day we lost part of our world.

Now on our way to say goodbye

To the Man who raised us so

One moment led to the next

Soon to a memory I will never forget.

Laying so hopeless

To be a man once of strength, so weak.

To tell you how it feels

Could never be obtained.

There was much to say, yet nothing sputtered

Just mutters, and moans.

His hand was cold and dry as I grasped it one last time

He could hear me, but could not speak.

“I forgive you daddy, I love you so much”

He lifted his hand, towards my face

Reaching but not knowing where

I bent over and embraced him

I felt the beat of his heart, following its rhythm

Slow and steady, but faint

I took all I could

Reminisced the last moments, making them last

He relived his tension

His fight was over, finally at ease

He left a world of pain

And now he has started living

Free to fly, free of temptation

Drifting through the clouds

No more sorrow, now a new man.

The Day he started living, was the day I started breathing

So much reckoning in past days

So much damage

To know he is resting,

Watching from above.

Is enough of a memory

To free not only him

But me.

I sleep in a bunk bed

I sleep in a bunk bed.
Of a sort, I mean; don't imagine two soft, inviting mattresses.
There's only one, above a desk
It makes a cool cave, a nest of safety and inspiration.
It's ten o'clock at night now, I'm on my bed
Exhaustion is weighing me down like sandbags roped to my limbs
Rough hemp digging into tender skin.
But I need to switch the router off
Because everyone else is already cocooned in warmth and tenderness
And I was the last one to use the internet.
So I face the cold air that smells thickly of cat fur
Almost fall down the ladder and set off a firestorm of pain in my knee
(When I strike it and make a resonating clang)
Stumble through the darkness
Feel my eyes ache as they strain for light
Hit the switch
And, swallowing stinging bile and swelling bruises, 
Turn around to go back.

That Night

Just on the side walk
at the Stocker stadium
a place we all know
night has already fallen
its the end of the game
still high off of my performance for the band
floating on cloud 9
but still oh so nervous
I should be ready for supper
but my tummy to full from the butterflys
reeking havoc,
robbing me of  breath
because I know whats coming
something is about to change my life
him and my friend trying to unnoticeably
talk about me and what he should say
how after so long he should finally ask
so I know oh I know
he just as nervous as I,

I go and meet him

by the pool
where the band is putting away their
Frutia blue uniforms
we go to hug good by
in his embrace
I feel home
I think to myself I never want to leave
but I know I do
and I know I wont get a wink of sleep that night if I never know
terrified he will chicken out
(I know I would)

I look up at him.

“so you have something to ask me”
I shyly say turning tomato red
and then
he tell me what I need to hear
a ear splitting grin spreads across my beat red face
making him laugh
I say good bye and foolishly say I love you
but he doesn’t care he just laughs some more
and as it may be dark outside
but
inside my soul it is the brightest best summer day ever
and to this day
a year and almost a half later.
that beautiful feeling has never stopped.

Moment Poem

In the oily blackness of night
                On 19 Road
I am invisible; running on not-there legs.
I materialize periodically; blue and red.
Sounds fill the air, but the night is silent,
Heart beating a rhythm of passion;
                Youth.
The roadmap of memories unfolds,
                Wrinkled, half-torn, and stained;
The geography of my being.
Streets extend  like veins,
Shot through by stories;
Dripping lessons and experiences
                 from open wounds.
They float to my mind as delicately
                As dandelion seeds
And grow.
A longing tug in my chest
                Gives way to melancholic happiness
And remembrance.
A night like this, moonless.
                Thick, black, syrupy dark
Envelopes surreptitious action.
Whirring wheels stir the night;
                A familiar play,
But one different tonight.
Heat in the cold silence
                Blossoms;
An exploding star.
Peacocks cry out in the black vastness,
                Their mournful wails shatter the stillness;
Grieving innocence lost.

A Moment of Silence, Please

Walking home far
Later than usual,
I made my way,
Twisting and winding,
Through the ally ways.

Pitch dark,

Or very nearly,
Enveloped me,
But I feared the dark
Far less than the bright, violent streets.

Safety belongs to those who stay hidden.

 
The skies cried,
Don't they always?,
Forming puddles beneath
Me that I made
No effort to avoid.
 
Garage lights flickered,
And the moon beamed down,
But it was still a
Chore to see through the
Thick, wet air.

I wondered if anyone could even see me if they tried.

 
Then, beneath the ledge
Of a decaying garage
I saw a little ball of fur
Who sat,
And stared.
 
Seeking a dry spot,
Perhaps even friendship,
I trudged on over
And kneeled before
The tiny creature.

I've never seen such boney anguish.

 
Its' fur was in patches,
Its' spine and ribs
Nearly ripped their way out
Of its' poor, agitated flesh,
And it barley managed a pur as I petted it.

It was there I sat,

For too long, I'm sure,
Caressing, nudging, loving
That sad creature.
It's purs were for so long steady,

I almost didn't notice when they altogether stopped.

 
I kept petting,
Hopeful,
But the warmth
Had already gone,
And I already knew.

At least the kitten didn't have to pass in isolation.

Moment Poem

Far within a dense Forest, just north of the Rocky Mountains
I sat curled and trapped
Surrounded by thorns and chilled wind
They struck my mind with cold, harsh pain
I couldn’t move
Each direction brought a jolting pain
Nowhere to go, lost in darkness
Then a white bird broke through the dense thorn mass
With every flap its wings brought light
It swooped and swirled
Mesmerized by its dance
My soul as if left my body and joined it
A Dove, a Dove is what it was
Warmth caressed my iced skin
Light crumpled the thorns
As I sat in peace
They shriveled around me
All darkness gone
I can see the forest again
Tears once of fear now rolled of my cheek
As they seeded the soil flowers budded in its place
The Dove now dancing around me
I could feel its presence shoot through my veins
I found myself dancing with it now
Opening my arms wide as I spun
Sun and warmth on my skin
The trees separated
Creating a path out
I left the darkness, the pain behind
Now reaching for the light ahead
Dancing with my savior
New light
New life
Now hope.