i tried drowning you as you spoke

with lips that would bite yours

you held onto tiny wrists

dandled me on knees

until i broke

out in

laughter

Call off this day.

For now, are the settling sounds of the rain.

It drums the rivers ice in a susurrus echo.

Being heard over my movements, as I rest.

Along the bark of this tree,

on cold still rocks I sit ....

watching the tangled leaves.

There, frozen in place

are the grounded roots.

Pulled away now in melts and weeps;

once laid and glazed in ice.

Uncovered at the start of winter’s end.

For out of the whispering woods-

a hunted hoof still warm.

A sparrow-hawk preening.

It’s plumage stained.

With eyes of pale lemon-yellow,

then sudden hints of red,

fresh off a finch roost taste.

I look up to see the fish-wire crossed,

mid-cast, the fisherman’s reel

calls to man’s best friend by the rivers edge.

While approaching slowly,

harsh chills of a billowing overcast.

It chooses to dance; swirling~

challenging the sunsets bend.

A journey through ravines,

pulse the water. Diverging spills-

side by side, as vital forces.

In a moment,

the day turns toward night.

The towers light with howling wind.

Edging decay purls-

pulling together, outward,

over the water and into the fog.

In the dark, we take our canoe up the river.

Out of these wet, hard-wearing clothes, we rest.

~ Jessi (poem)

thinking thoughts through

toying thus time

trembling through touch

turning to the torment

talking tales that tell the truth

timing tension

tactful tears trip the temptation

that tends to terrify the texture

this texture ties the tale

thus takes the thirst

takes the taste

the true tie that threats the thunder

the tone to the tragedy

this tone translates the trap

translating the tiniest truth

the turbulence

the tremor

the tyrant

Pain and pleasure drift in waves of heat

breathes of cold air chill on rooftops

the dazzle of thin spider veins in sky

ghosts of your soul entangling me

beating on the tarred paper of life

shivers of skin sense you are still here

quivering of our hearts goes on, bursting

through floodgates of falling words

illusions lost in sodden clouds

watery reflections of invisible universe

shuddering sighs from my breast.

saltine sweats.

self induced.

hollowed out bones.

light enough to fly.

never took off.

trembling limbs.

cry bile.

break the fall.

wipe the sweat.

pick yourself up

off the floor.

I wear this mask,

one of many faces;

my own,

never revealed.

It is a horror,

a face born from death.

The mask,

more pleasing.

To see the real me,

means the masquerade is at an end.

Your mind will cringe,

your heart will explode,

and your blood,

runs over my fingers.

I am anyone

and everyone.

Every day is my own Ball,

where death chants music,

and daylight becomes eternal darkness.

I ask you,

dare you see me;

the real me?

Do you dare risk your life,

for the sake of curiosity?

Foolish one.

Say goodbye.

Eleven minutes

before you go

dark railroad

out of town

Ten minutes

You slick your hair

start walking

out the door

Nine minutes

I beg

make love

once more

before you go

Eight minutes

you shrug

and keep

on walking

seven minutes

run after you

you’re down

the block

footprints

on my back

Six minutes

grab

your shirt

rips

right off

leaving me

nothing

Five minutes

I catch up

to you

shove you

into road

Four minutes

speeding car

runs over you

Three minutes

on stretcher

Two minutes

at ER

one minute

dead

and

my clock

starts

once more.

I pulled your skin

over my skeleton today,

breaking glass

lets me see within,

experiencing enigma

of exposed soul.

We are not less,

we are not more.

We all bleed the same

Our continuous circle

includes us all -

we hurt and scream

at injustice,

are empowered to

change the world.

Peeling off falsified truth

I peek under the skin

We all bleed the same

My friend, I donned

your skin today

feeling your pangs

of need and want.

We build tall wall

of embezzled emotions

but I am the reality

of you.

We all bleed the same.