31

The fortress of solitude

Hallowed and haunted 

I soon will join their ranks

Restless souls and

Tortured hearts reside there

Yellowed parchment is the

Only tattered decoration

Never again lonely when 

Everyone there bedevils my nights

TwitterShort Challenge 6

 

 

 

 

                I’d been drinking at the local dance club for hours. The Pepper Mill had its fair share of patrons, but I found it lacking for a standard Saturday night. I stood up to leave and was stopped dead in my tracks.

                She hit the scene like a Betamax player: born in 1975 and like nothing I’d ever seen before. With her hair all in place and the perfect smattering of makeup, she could pass for late 20’s. Her curves were perfectly insane. She had a rack that stood out like a prism at noon on a cloudless day. The slight sheer in the black material of her top hinted at a ruby red bra. Her jeans were nearly painted on her generous backside. The platform heels she was wearing had no business on the dance floor unless you were on Dancing with the Stars. 

                I tried to gather my jaw off the floor. Her confidence and youthful looks left me feeling like an antique typewriter missing the letter Q. How could it be that she looked like that? I panicked and headed for the door.

                Unfortunately, I couldn’t make a clean escape. Her eyes caught up with mine. She half strutted – half stalked her way over to where I was standing.  She gave a crooked grin and said, “How’s it going, Buckaroo?”

                I cringed at the old endearment. Over twenty years had passed since high school, and in that moment I realized the error of my ancient decisions. Back then, she had been quiet and plain. I dumped her for the head cheerleader because that’s what was expected from the star basketball player.  I knew it would crush her, and I felt badly about it. Now here she was looking like a million dollars. And me? I just looked old and broken.

                “Hey, Kansas,” I replied. 

                “Buy me a drink, you fool,” she teased and headed to the bar.

                Maybe it just takes a couple decades for second chances to roll around.

 

Futures

When looking ahead

Anticipation and fear

Sit on each shoulder

writerLust

Romantic notions

Of ladies in heels

Of gentlemen in hats

Of pay phone calls in pouring rain

Of candlelit dinners in darkened caves

Of hand written love notes

Of frustrated tears

Of wine at midnight

And I watch it all unfold as 

The storyteller

Never the participant

Formality

Rabbit holes and tea parties

Ribbons and glitter

Tiny little pieces of china

And matching silverware

It's all so small

I wonder why it even exists 

For surely nothing can be so small

And sustain 

Except a sliver of love 

Hopeless

Darkened tunnels and 

Eroded passageways

Vacant places so

Old that time forgot 

Tears of ghosts

I knew long ago

Only you understand my 

Need for your arms

Sink

Earth on all sides 

I keep looking up 

But the sky gets

Farther and farther away

No matter how fast I claw

The circle of blue

Gets smaller and smaller

What will become of me

When that spot finally disappears

Hangover

Moon up 

Moon down 

Another night 

Long and cold

Empty and hollow

The imprint of stars

Burned into my eyes

Making it impossible 

To see the sun

And unable to

Feel any warmth

Stoned

Do it 

Throw that fucking stone

Just don't forget that

I'm quicker than you 

And I have the arsenal of rocks

You've already thrown 

Kettles

Percussion drilling into my brain

I can't escape your name 

I've right turned so many times 

I find myself back

To where I was

And the tympani keeps pounding

Never allowing my feet a silent moment

Or my soul a minute's peace 

blownCandle

A simple wish that my words

Could reach your heart

Really and truly make you feel

Once upon a time

Seems like a fool's dream

Time will tell 

If I will make this

Candle wish again next year 

New

The blank page

Untouched snow

Unsharpened pencil

Wrapped package

Unopened wine

Fresh manicure

All just waiting

For me to ruin 

Tipsy

On top of the world

Put together

Careless feet

And lofty thoughts

Suddenly the world tilts

And throws me from my perch 

I've landed in your lap

And it's the most beautiful 

Accident

Burrows

It's quiet here

Familiar and comfortable 

My fortress of solitude 

A cave kept hidden

Where I store my

Feelings 

Thoughts

Soul

I've lost track of time 

Have years passed since I last

Ventured out

I don't recognize the

Landscape anymore 

Drift

Before you sleep

Whisper a prayer

And hold my name close

So if my tomorrow doesn't come

I'll still hear you

From the clouds 

Husk

Hollowed out

Alone and 

Unwanted

No one hears 

The tears fall

Exhaustion claims another

Doomed soul 

Siren

I don't even realize

The dribble of blood

Leaving a trail down

The beach 

All I know is 

My wrists are on fire

And the water won't stop

It's sensuous call

It wants to smother me

Finish line in sight

And everything becomes silent

Even the heartbeat in my ears

Chase

Running to get away

I close door after door

Praying for the distance 

To grow enough for my safety 

I fear for my life 

Death hot on my heels

Eternity finally has me cornered 

Bird

Off goes the light

You leave the room

And I'm alone again to

Trace the walls and

Walk my circles

Counting sun ups and downs 

Through my bars

I wait until you return 

With my song and 

I can sing 

Once more

Voiceless

Never a centerfold

Simply plain 

Average smarts

Pass me once in a crowd

And you'd pass me twice

There is nothing to draw your eye

Hidden treasure

That isn't even hidden 

Taste

I want to leave you on the verge of restorative tears

I want to leave you harder than when you got here

I want to hone and grind and define that edge until it's sharp enough to cut without being felt

I want you to miss me while you can still hear my footsteps fade

I want your heart to pound when you see me return

I want your collar to be emblazoned with my name

And I want to never again wake up from a dream I've conjured from shredded wishes and ridiculous hope

Welt

Still

Still yourself 

The blindfold doesn't come off

Until you listen to me

And swallow the truth

You will see your beauty

When you are stripped

Of doubt

Of bias

Now take this marque 

As your reminder

Clandestine

Lighting a fire 

In the darkened places

A heart burning

So fiercely that

Only the cool of

Night's air can

Stop the flames

Fractals

Flawed mirrors and 

Broken eyes 

Both lie

I scratch and peel

At my skin until 

My exterior exposes

That all important 

Inner beauty 

For all to see 

And finally prove

I'm not what you see

I'm more

dreamFog

Asleep and safe

A dream curled around 

Your finger

Softly tugging

A memory from

Dream to reality 

As scent and song still linger 

Nautical

So sits my Love across the sea

Yet close at hand

Master and Commander

Poet and King

However far away He sails

Only brings Him closer

Napping and dreaming

Yearning for this harbormistress

Screen

She watches

I don't mind

The laugh she doesn't hear

The smiles she doesn't see

Those are my secrets to keep

So I'll watch her

Watching me

And do my best

To entertain 

New Grey 4

 

            I tried desperately to make sense of what The King had said.

            “Who are you?”

            The question rang in my ears over and over. How could my own Father no longer recognize me? I used the edge of my war torn cloak to wipe at the tears and dirt that stained my face, praying for Him to see me.

            “Father,” I said softly. “It’s me. It’s your son. Your lastborn.”

            “You look familiar to me. News had come my lastborn was dead. You look nothing like him.” The King said as he leaned forward in his throne. His eyes narrowed as He looked hard into my eyes, searching for the answers held in my soul. When finally a spark of recognition reached His eyes, it was all I could do to not weep from joy. 

            “Lastborn, it seems you speak the truth, but your form is not as it should be. Tell me of your time on the fields.”

            I explained how my courier mission had taken me to the front lines. I told Him how the angel stood above me ready to strike but stilled his sword. I left out no detail when describing how the angel’s mortal wound mixed blood into mine. All the while, He stared with calculating eyes as I relayed every piece of how I found myself to be here.

            “You speak truth, Lastborn. But you are no longer one of us. The angel’s blood that courses through your veins will only grow stronger as it binds with yours.”

            The King sat back and rubbed his fingers against weary eyes. “It is no light decision that I make. You must know this. But we can no longer support you here.”

            I felt like I had been kicked down an endless well. Banished. From my home. The thought was near unbearable. “Father,” I pleaded, hoping beyond hope he would change his mind.

            “Have you not seen yourself since battle, Lastborn?”

            Suddenly, the question pulled me from my free fall. I hadn’t. I don’t know why looking at myself would make any difference. Surely this had to be a trick question of some sort. “No, I haven’t, Father. But why…”

            The King cut me off and waved toward polished marble floor surrounding His throne.

            I slowly tilted my eyes downward.

 

 

 

Spotlight

Smile and laughter everywhere 

I can't wait to leave

Be the perfect guest

Can't even focus on words

Everyone thinks you're happy 

I don't want to be here

Pay attention and nod

I don't care what they say

Thank the hosts as you leave

Wait until you get home to cry

And the show continues

No one can ever know

Hiding

I'm fine with the lights on 

But come the dark and

Monsters lurk

Demons hunt 

I'm afraid

And alone

Life's trebuchet has

Destroyed my defensive line

And I can only watch as

Enemies stream into my sanctuary 

To steal my soul

Battle

There's a vein

Just below the surface

The blue runs up my arm

I'll sit for minutes and stare

I wonder how long

It will be before I let

Blue run red 

winterDark

So far away

Minutes versus miles 

Matters not

All I know is that you aren't here

My arms are cold 

And my heart beats slower 

And tar blackened nights

Feel like morning may

Never come again 

Security

Somewhere there is a

Thought that dances 

Along the darkness

Reckless and

Fierce 

Always searching for that

Lover who understands 

Locks and keys

Fresh

All the promise

Of an unwritten future

Page after blank page

Waiting for words

To inspire 

To motivate

To make me beautifully die

I scribble letters

Over and over again 

Until a single voice 

Cuts through the din

And adds the color and pictures

To something once black and white