Equal?

All men, equal?

How dare you

indoctrinate so many

with lies!

I write daily

and have yet to

find the Yates,

Whitman or Frost

within me.

I languish.

I toil.

I starve

to be equal to

these giants.

Some find their voice –

imprint on humanity

their works of genius.

Meanwhile, others,

like me, find

that we are not equal

to the masters.

Equal?

No.

Some are quickened

with a gift that

we mere mortals

will never obtain.

       

“Space And Time” Published by Verse-Virtual

Many thanks to Firestone Feinberg, the editor of Verse-Virtual, for selecting my poem Space and Time for inclusion in the December 2014 edition of Verse-Virtual!  Firestone was fantastic to work with during the editing process and an awesome resource for any writer.

I’m certainly proud to be a part of this issue and to be among those who have been published by Verse-Virtual!  Be sure to visit this incredible poetry ezine.

Read the poem here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saving My Own Life

I.

Words I write, seem to

pale to the words I think.

Expectations unrealized

while standards aren’t met.

II.

Reaching for the brass ring

leaves me empty handed.

Seeking an audience

only leaves me lonely.

III.

Clever turn of phrase

achieved occasionally

but struggle to achieve

a literary greatness.

IV.

But in scribing I’ve found

the best therapy

and the means by which

I might save my own life.

       

Not Long

Not long

until the stroke of slumber

Not long

until release from prison

Not long

until reserved, fitting end

Not long

       

Be Alive

I.

The switch will flip.

The bulbs will burst.

The cord will snap.

Out

the lights will go.

II.

What is to fear?

Why is the dread

consuming you?

III.

The end will come.

But let it come

in its own time.

IV.

Meanwhile, be alive

rather than practice

for when you’re dead.

       

Mask

I.

All apologies but my mask

has somehow gone missing.

It may be tucked in the couch

or hidden with my keys.

II.

I’ll not be able to wear it

to conceal my real expression

so that you may be presented

with a comforting lie of a smile.

       

Time

I.

Yesterday is experience.

Tomorrow is longed for.

Today is all we have.

II.

The past provides memories,

gives us all we’ve known

but we don’t live there.

III.

The future ignites hope,

gives us something to long for

but we may never see it.

IV.

The present is where we exist –

the only time in which we live

and the only time we are given.

       

Psychosis

Drive the wooden spike

deep into my chest.

Propel the silver bullet

through my heart.

Hold the crucifix

in between us.

Drop repeated meds

into my veins.

This psychosis

is permanent.

       

Have I Lived

Have I lived?

Did I dispense love freely?

Were moments of joy cherished –

moments of sorrow embraced?

Have I been a true friend?

Were strengths used, maximized –

weaknesses improved, reduced?

Have I given of myself?

Have I served only myself

or have I helped those in need?

Did I fulfill a purpose?

Were days simply calendar marks

or has my time been spent to leave a mark?

On a day when, in honesty,

I can affirm the better of this

then I can be sure that

I have lived.

       

The Choice

The choice lay before me:

to accept or to reject.

Many years of study,

hours of reflection,

sifting through all the

fact, myth and fiction.

Belief for its own sake –

that’s simply not good enough.

I have chosen to live.

My mind will have no ruler

other than the one owning it.

My path, my direction –

those are my prerogatives.

My thoughts, my actions –

only I will direct them.

There is no need for a king –

Only I rule in my world.

Make no implication that meaning

is lost without divine guidance.

I alone will give my life meaning.

My choice is made

and it is the correct one.