Tear Jar
If I could take back every tear
that ran down your cheeks
because of me,
I’d save them all in this jar
to remind me of how love is
and that distance,
somehow,
makes us wise.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Tear Jar
Florida Days
Florida Days
I grew up in the land
Of sunshine and rain.
Never knew what to expect
Between lightning and hurricane.
My childhood memories are full
Of lazy beach days,
Watermelon on the 4th of July
Or soaking up the sun’s rays.
I can still remember those good ole Florida days.
Sunburn, sunscreen,
digging for clams in the sand.
Flip-flops, cover-ups,
sunbathing, magazine in hand.
Living in my bathing suit,
it was summer all year long.
Sticky heat, sand under my feet,
With Florida, you just can’t go wrong.
Driving over the bridge
on our way to Marco Island,
Fishing in my backyard
side by side with my best friend.
There were waterslides and football games,
or sitting on the porch blaring country music.
Yeah we talked all day about love,
but we didn’t know just how to use it.
Sunburn, sunscreen,
digging for clams in the sand.
Flip-flops, cover-ups,
sunbathing, magazine in hand.
Living in my bathing suit,
it was summer all year long.
Sticky heat, sand under my feet,
With Florida, you just can’t go wrong.
There were alligators,
there was barbecue,
there was the ice cream truck
in the late afternoon.
There were thunderheads,
there were waterbeds,
there was cool summer rain
washing over our heads.
We stayed outside til we were soaking wet.
Sunburn, sunscreen,
digging for clams in the sand.
Flip-flops, cover-ups,
sunbathing, magazine in hand.
Living in my bathing suit,
it was summer all year long.
Sticky heat, sand under my feet,
With Florida, you just can’t go wrong.
You just can’t go wrong…
I grew up in the land
Of sunshine and rain.
Never knew what to expect
Between lightning and hurricane.
My childhood memories are full
Of lazy beach days,
Watermelon on the 4th of July
Or soaking up the sun’s rays.
I can still remember those good ole Florida days.
Sunburn, sunscreen,
digging for clams in the sand.
Flip-flops, cover-ups,
sunbathing, magazine in hand.
Living in my bathing suit,
it was summer all year long.
Sticky heat, sand under my feet,
With Florida, you just can’t go wrong.
Driving over the bridge
on our way to Marco Island,
Fishing in my backyard
side by side with my best friend.
There were waterslides and football games,
or sitting on the porch blaring country music.
Yeah we talked all day about love,
but we didn’t know just how to use it.
Sunburn, sunscreen,
digging for clams in the sand.
Flip-flops, cover-ups,
sunbathing, magazine in hand.
Living in my bathing suit,
it was summer all year long.
Sticky heat, sand under my feet,
With Florida, you just can’t go wrong.
There were alligators,
there was barbecue,
there was the ice cream truck
in the late afternoon.
There were thunderheads,
there were waterbeds,
there was cool summer rain
washing over our heads.
We stayed outside til we were soaking wet.
Sunburn, sunscreen,
digging for clams in the sand.
Flip-flops, cover-ups,
sunbathing, magazine in hand.
Living in my bathing suit,
it was summer all year long.
Sticky heat, sand under my feet,
With Florida, you just can’t go wrong.
You just can’t go wrong…
Bang.
Bang.
Wait – I will peel the skin from my fingertips
and write our names
with the blood that remains.
And I will listen to the faint pulse
of my heartbeat in my wrists,
while you’re smiling at me
and we’re slowly dying.
I hate it when you call me scared,
like it doesn’t mean anything at all
when I drain myself for you.
This message is all you’re getting
at the receiving end of the barrel,
I’m pulling the trigger.
Bang, we’re dead.
Wait – I will peel the skin from my fingertips
and write our names
with the blood that remains.
And I will listen to the faint pulse
of my heartbeat in my wrists,
while you’re smiling at me
and we’re slowly dying.
I hate it when you call me scared,
like it doesn’t mean anything at all
when I drain myself for you.
This message is all you’re getting
at the receiving end of the barrel,
I’m pulling the trigger.
Bang, we’re dead.
Instructions
Instructions
This is what it looks like.
This is how you do it.
Color inside the lines,
don’t cross the line,
don’t step out.
Single-file.
Don’t speak out,
keep your mouth shut.
Close your eyes,
it will all go away,
eventually.
This is what it looks like.
This is how you do it.
Color inside the lines,
don’t cross the line,
don’t step out.
Single-file.
Don’t speak out,
keep your mouth shut.
Close your eyes,
it will all go away,
eventually.
Hey Brown Eyes
Hey Brown Eyes
Hey brown eyes,
come talk with me for awhile,
spend some time chatting about nothing,
shatter all preconceptions.
I’m a poet so let me
spin you a story,
of beauty, truth, justice, and love.
Come spin with me now
we’ll sparkle like the stars in the sky.
Laying entwined together,
our Converse knocking against each other,
our arms wrapped tightly around each other’s shoulders.
You’ll whisper “I love you”
and I’ll feel like a phoenix
rising from the flames,
being born anew.
Hey brown eyes,
come talk with me for awhile,
spend some time chatting about nothing,
shatter all preconceptions.
I’m a poet so let me
spin you a story,
of beauty, truth, justice, and love.
Come spin with me now
we’ll sparkle like the stars in the sky.
Laying entwined together,
our Converse knocking against each other,
our arms wrapped tightly around each other’s shoulders.
You’ll whisper “I love you”
and I’ll feel like a phoenix
rising from the flames,
being born anew.
A Mother’s Love.
A Mother’s Love.
She sits in a chair,
faded magazines by her side.
She stares straight ahead,
counting the minutes gone by.
The nurse calls her name
and gives her a smile,
but she’s so afraid
she can’t stand for awhile.
The doctor gives her the news
with a grim look on his face.
Mary just can’t hold back her tears,
as she prays for God’s grace.
It’s the worst of her fears,
a mother at 16 years.
She used to dream of a life
Where everything’s right,
where nothing is ever out of place.
Where every son and daughter
has a mother and father,
to meet them with a warm embrace.
A world where every child
will know all the while,
of the love that cannot be erased.
6 months down the road,
and she lets out a cry
as she lays in a cold hospital room.
The nurse holds her hand,
and says “push all you can
and it will be over soon.”
The doctor cuts the cord,
and Mary starts to cry
as she gazes at her new baby girl.
She grasps her to her chest
as the nurse pats her hand,
and all seems alright in the world.
She used to dream of a life
where everything’s right,
where nothing is ever out of place.
Where every son and daughter
has a mother and a father,
to meet them with a warm embrace.
And she vows that her child
will know all the while,
of the love that cannot be erased.
How could she ever think
of letting her little one go?
When she looks in the eyes
of her newborn child,
she sees everything she ever
needed to know…
Now she’s living the life
even if everything’s not right,
and there will always be things out of place.
She knows that her daughter
will never know her father,
but will still be met with her warm embrace.
She tells her in a whisper
of everything about her,
and of the love that cannot be erased.
Yes, this love cannot be erased.
She sits in a chair,
faded magazines by her side.
She stares straight ahead,
counting the minutes gone by.
The nurse calls her name
and gives her a smile,
but she’s so afraid
she can’t stand for awhile.
The doctor gives her the news
with a grim look on his face.
Mary just can’t hold back her tears,
as she prays for God’s grace.
It’s the worst of her fears,
a mother at 16 years.
She used to dream of a life
Where everything’s right,
where nothing is ever out of place.
Where every son and daughter
has a mother and father,
to meet them with a warm embrace.
A world where every child
will know all the while,
of the love that cannot be erased.
6 months down the road,
and she lets out a cry
as she lays in a cold hospital room.
The nurse holds her hand,
and says “push all you can
and it will be over soon.”
The doctor cuts the cord,
and Mary starts to cry
as she gazes at her new baby girl.
She grasps her to her chest
as the nurse pats her hand,
and all seems alright in the world.
She used to dream of a life
where everything’s right,
where nothing is ever out of place.
Where every son and daughter
has a mother and a father,
to meet them with a warm embrace.
And she vows that her child
will know all the while,
of the love that cannot be erased.
How could she ever think
of letting her little one go?
When she looks in the eyes
of her newborn child,
she sees everything she ever
needed to know…
Now she’s living the life
even if everything’s not right,
and there will always be things out of place.
She knows that her daughter
will never know her father,
but will still be met with her warm embrace.
She tells her in a whisper
of everything about her,
and of the love that cannot be erased.
Yes, this love cannot be erased.
Baby Cousin
Baby Cousin
She sleeps the sleep of angels,
eyelids fluttering
and breath blowing soft against the pillow.
I watch her sleeping,
silent, careful not to let the floor creak
so as not to wake her.
She’s so young, she knows no pain,
save for childhood scrapes
and bruised knees.
Weren’t we all like her once?
Weren’t we all so innocent,
so peaceful, with no cares in the world?
Back when the world was sweeter
and we thrived on sunshine
and early morning cartoons.
As I stand over her crib
and watch her chest rise and fall,
I feel truly blessed
to have someone so precious in my life.
She sleeps the sleep of angels,
eyelids fluttering
and breath blowing soft against the pillow.
I watch her sleeping,
silent, careful not to let the floor creak
so as not to wake her.
She’s so young, she knows no pain,
save for childhood scrapes
and bruised knees.
Weren’t we all like her once?
Weren’t we all so innocent,
so peaceful, with no cares in the world?
Back when the world was sweeter
and we thrived on sunshine
and early morning cartoons.
As I stand over her crib
and watch her chest rise and fall,
I feel truly blessed
to have someone so precious in my life.
You Have No Meaning
You Have No Meaning
Meaning,
Do you have meaning?
You spew proverbs at me
like I can understand
your ridiculous clichés
You make no sense.
I just can’t understand
anything you say.
You are not a prophet
and you are not God
and you will never be
as high-class
as you attempt to sound.
Meaning,
Do you have meaning?
You spew proverbs at me
like I can understand
your ridiculous clichés
You make no sense.
I just can’t understand
anything you say.
You are not a prophet
and you are not God
and you will never be
as high-class
as you attempt to sound.
This is a Heart
This is a Heart
This is a heart.
4 chambers,
6 valves.
Blood goes in
blood comes out.
Pump.
Beat.
Pulse.
In through arteries,
out through veins.
Circulation.
Left and right ventricle,
left and right atrium.
Networks of blood vessels,
keeping me living.
And right down the middle
there’s a jagged tear,
thanks to you.
This is a heart.
This is a heart.
4 chambers,
6 valves.
Blood goes in
blood comes out.
Pump.
Beat.
Pulse.
In through arteries,
out through veins.
Circulation.
Left and right ventricle,
left and right atrium.
Networks of blood vessels,
keeping me living.
And right down the middle
there’s a jagged tear,
thanks to you.
This is a heart.
Take Me
Take Me
Take me, take me.
I am
flawed,
I am
reaching,
I am
falling
hard
and fast.
I can’t escape
your eyes,
I’m
burning
please,
take me.
Take me, take me.
I am
flawed,
I am
reaching,
I am
falling
hard
and fast.
I can’t escape
your eyes,
I’m
burning
please,
take me.
Have a Heart
Have a Heart
i'd burn this motherfucking town
til it was nothing but ashes on the ground,
if you'd notice me
for just one second.
but since you look right through me
like i'm made of cellophane,
i get nothing from you but pain.
so thanks.
give me a second
to yank this knife from my back
where you shoved it in good and deep,
down between my shoulder blades.
if i had a heart,
it would be bleeding.
i'd burn this motherfucking town
til it was nothing but ashes on the ground,
if you'd notice me
for just one second.
but since you look right through me
like i'm made of cellophane,
i get nothing from you but pain.
so thanks.
give me a second
to yank this knife from my back
where you shoved it in good and deep,
down between my shoulder blades.
if i had a heart,
it would be bleeding.
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