mist

hope has crumbled into dust
blown away by the forces
of nature and destiny
happiness is a cloudy transparency
turning yellow with deception
ambition dusted heavily with doubt
layering itself with deceit
inside courage withering
reducing merely to particles
the light, the sun, the wind
distant, silent, soundless
an absence of success
with the meaning slightly there

pathways

regret swirls and smolders
deep inside the fiery pit
of humanity and lost dreams
sending out puffs of sadness
rumbling shakes the core
loosens the grip
yesterdays explode slowly
and deliberately
crumbling and tumbling
along the path walked upon
no backwards steps
no changes of distance
time turns into thoughts
painful and stabbing
releasing pent up emotions
burning through closed doors
and open fields
tattered beneath
the wings of mortality
absence of oblivian
darkens the senses
destroying hope and absolution
blowing loudly
against the winds of war
fighting desperately
to regain perspective
and breathe
the frostiness of tomorrows
bent slightly by details
smoking embers
leave a trail
that no one can follow

begin again

deep down into the crevices way below the surface of life and meaning,
way down,
where the river of fire burns and erupts with turmoil and frustration,
pulsing,
churning,
growing with the wildness of mustangs long left on the open plains without water and peace of mind,
with relaxation and stimulation a blown away dust fragment,
sun baking the pink white of emotions into a charred lump of coal,
black,
blacker than the night with no fireflies,
no moon,
no distant light of encouragement,
silence cloaking the fields and outcroppings,
silence loud and thunderous,
water heavy with salt and sediment,
drowning,
drowning the hopes and dreams,
drowning the helpless victims of unnoticed crimes against the soul,
against the grain that holds the land together like pieces of yarn strung along the wet sand,
slowly washing out to sea with a wisp of foam,
deep down to the caves of darkness where passion used to be but no longer can raise its head,
see a smile or breathe in fresh air,
passion engulfed by the flaming desire of the burn,
sensations smoldering and flickering,
beneath,
beneath the dark waters hidden in the slurry of realization,
passion climbing fast and hard,
upward,
upward toward the light of desire and contentment,
clawing fruitlessly at the slow erosion of time and distance,
eyes closed,
hope bursting with absolution,
passion beginning to kindle,
ready to burst forth with freedom and fright,
into a world cloaked in layers and layers of translucent cloth,
spun from rules and tied to the post,
waiting for the release.

pollution

the world spins
and I tumble
toward the darkness
toward the unknown
the wind blows
and I fall
beneath the willows
beneath the leaves
the rain pours
and I melt
under the pressure
under the cloak
the sun sparkles
and I burn
from the intensity
from the heat
the waves crash
and I drown
from terror
from carelessness
the earth accepts me
into her arms

just breathe

the balloon has deflated
the fog has descended
the air is milky thick
shadows spiral upward
the river stops flowing
water evaporates
time is warped
my heart races
thumping hard
a gasp for breathe
pulse slows turtle style
I fall into despair
hoping
waiting
trying to believe
the sickness
will disappear
restored health
will be my glory