The Story Of A Pen

Today my pen
Ran out of ink
I ran its' dry tip
Back and forth
Trying, hoping
It would run
In elegant lines
Once more for me
But after a while
I found my pen
Had finally
Run out of life
No haiku, song or limerick
Would I write again with it
Then, after time,
Had passed a bit
I came back in
Determination:
One more flick
I clicked the cap
I was surprised
To see a line
Black and curving
From its' tip
Alas, my pen
Had risen again!
I wrote the word
ALLELUIA
And this poem
Is the proof
That my pen
Has been renewed
Also, something
I have learned
From a pen,
So small
Is that people
Are like ink
When you may think
They're too far gone
Give them one more
Flick of faith
You may find
You were wrong.

Hannah

Hannah said today
With her 9-year-old
Brown eyes
That she didn't like herself
As she stared down at the floor
It cracked my heart in half
And tears ran, swift,
Behind my eyes
I looked at her
And tried
To show her why
She's beautiful.

Frozen In Your Veins

You could be
An astronaut
You could be
A poet
You could be
A lion-tamer
Or anything,
I know it
But right now
You are not yourself
Life is frozen
In your veins
So when you
Come out of this
I will be here,
Waiting.

Art

Don't give up
This thing you love
Just because
They can't see
How you hear
The way the world
Tilts its' head
And feels the sun;
There's magic
In your
Art.

With You

Don't come near
This healing heart
This fragile frame
Of just-built woodwork
Don't remind
This mixed-up mind
Of all the thoughts
And mem'ries he took
Just step back
Let me heal
Let me slowly
Mend my wounds
Let me just
Get back to me
Cause it's so hard
When I'm with you.

Fabric In The Sun

Every day you fade
Like fabric in the sun
The truth becomes
A blinding light
I see you're not the one
Every day I take a step
Away from cells and
Chains and bars
Every day
My soul breaks free
From what I saw
And who you are.

Listen To Me

I opened up myself
And let you inside
But you ran away
In distraction
And then yesterday
You came back so quick
With questions and hints
In your childish eyes
I'm sorry I can't
Keep me open forever
I gave you a chance
You let it fall out
Of a careless back-pocket
In your unknowing jeans
Maybe I'd listen
If you'd listen to me.

Worms

I feel like
I'll end up
Like worms on the pavement
Dried in the sun
Crushed to a pulp
And with no reminder
That once in this body
There was fresh
Life.

One Hundred Days

Looking back
One hundred days
I thought today
Would be the day
When I could look
Back at your face
And say that I
Am now okay
But in my face
The truth is plain
In shots of pain
That streak my eyes
And in my brain
A thousand nights
Of you and me
Play constantly
My heart still aches
To this day
My tears still burn
On scribbled pages
My hands feel cold
And no one holds
My heart as much
As you still do
And when I see
Your coffee eyes
And when I count
The stars at night
You still come up
And fill my cup
With empty hopes
And dying dreams
And pain so deep
A million feet
I pull my sheets
Over my head
To block out you
And all you said
Promises, words
Torn up neatly
You said that you
Would always keep me
I wish you would
Quickly come back
Maybe my heart
Wouldn't feel black
Maybe my tears
Wouldn't stain my days
As I write your name
On a thousand pages
But now you're gone
With lines of girls
Soon you'll be
With her or her
I guess that I
Just wanted to say
That I miss you still
After one hundred days.

Strong (Wisdom Teeth)

You stand in the fire
The flames won't stop licking
You shiver in ice
The cold keeps on burning
You can't sprint away
You know you must stay
But still you stay focused
You just can't stop reaching
Your lungs won't stop breathing
And now that you've felt it
Now that you've scarred up
Now you are strong.

Little Brother (For Joey)

A brand new face
That wears a smile
So pure and fresh
And free from cares
Little brother
So bright and small
With tiny feet
That run so fast
A laugh that breaks
Like shattered glass
And hands that reach
For everything
Eyes so round
That gaze at life
With wonder, joy
And fascination
And eyes that never
Drip with tears
From broken hearts
Or pained goodbyes
But only crying
From a fall
Or broken toy;
Little brother.

Opportunity

Green fields stretch
For miles and miles
Rain falls fast
In glossy puddles
Still we drive
Our tires spin
As opportunity
Lays ahead.

Haiku For You

Talk to me again
Without you I'm so crazy
One word and I'm free.