Taking Aim

Does the cure exist?

To quell this frail woman’s aim?

O’er hardened ramparts

I loosed flaming darts aloft

In hopes of igniting you

My desire confessed

I see now; I’ve missed the mark

Your eyes tell volumes

These arrows return to their quiver

Lest, in my fall to despair
I pierce my own heart through

An Angry Man

"Anger" by Charles Le Brun  c.1660

there was an angry man

born of an angry clan

all his kin were angry

ere since time began

he lived an angry life

he even took a wife

eventually she left him

for she craved peace; not strife

his angry days drew to a close

yet even in his final throes

his seething, raging, anger boiled

he found no rest in death’s repose

he ended up in angry hell

you must admit, it’s just as well

for anger's burning cancer kills

when invited by a soul to dwell

A Sign of Our Time

It’s a sign of our time

So many dear ones

Used up their last dime

It’s a sad commentary

I no longer read headlines

Their jolting makes me wary

I have surgically cut out

All luxurious “extras”

I abhor this burning drought

Has prosperity passed?

Grim-gritty-grunting-grind!

Can ingrained spunk outlast?

Or is poverty … a state of mind?

Triflin'

Urban Dictionary's Definition of Triflin': Consistently lying. Always up to no good. Sneaky. Suspect. Whorish. Always scheming. Conniving. (Should never be trusted)

Triflin’,

Triflin’

Makes me grateful

For barrel's riflin’

Lord,

Help my shot

Ring out

Straight and true

Gonna rid my life

Of triflin' you

A triflin’ man

You’ve been

Triflin’

Triflin’

E’cept you didn’t know

Who you was

A-triflin’ with

Tell it to

Da man,

Da man

‘Cause he don’t care

No more ‘en I do

He know’d too

Just as I do

You was just

A triflin’ fool

Who got caught up

In all dem lies

Oh, so lady killin’

Shockingly a-chillin’

Ain't never said though
I wasn't a willin'

You ...
Oh, so stiflin’

Predictably triflin’

That is much too

Pitifully true

Sneaky-snaky
I'm dyin' if I'm lyin' 
Or exaggeratin'
'Bout the story of
Rotten old,
Irresistible ...

Triflin'
Triflin'
You

Space

I need some space

Glued-glommed

Onto me

You are

Ever present
"In my face"

So closely
You do

Walk behind

Often stepping

Onthebackofmyshoe

I yearn for room
To turn around

Without tripping over you

Struggling to get a breath

Your neediness squeezes me

Like the Anaconda's dinner
I'm longing to be set free
Frankly,

Somuchtogetherness

Ain't all its cracked up to be

Insomnia

I hear rhyming-chimes

As grandfather sounds  

He ancient, tolls the hour --- BONG!

Unknowable tick-tocks pass

Tock-ticking-tick-tocking

Could drive one to madness

Cheeky tickity-tick-tick – infernal mocking

Grandfather,
Thou,

Precise machine

Plugging-chugging away

All the night through

I tossing, do ponder … what (the tock-ticking) else can I do?

Where are you tonight, my Lord?

Am I so far from you?

Bing – Bong

Streeeeeeeumph! – At last, the clock strikes two

Have I not sought your face

Oh, creator most divine?

Be near me; most dear to me

Galloping heart keeps tempos time

Alone, with fitful frightful thoughts

So strange, they only haunt at night

My nerves, a tangled ball of knots 

I will time's hand to move for me

Bing – Bong - Bong

Streeeeeeumph! – At last, the clock strikes three

Watch over me Lord

(My soul does pray)

In your loving care do keep
Chase this restlessness away
For I've counted a flock of sheep

On the pendulum I swing

From drowse to aware

 ... Drat it all!

Why can’t I sleep?

If You Must

Go now,

If you must,

To conquer the world

Though it lead you far from me

Think me cold,

If you must,

With my cool, smooth façade

(Though inside pummeled blue)

Go now,

For I see you must,

The die has been cast

Alone, you'll cross the Rubicon