Yes, Again.
As I walk into school, I imagine seeing couples kissing, holding heart-shaped cards and candy.
Instead, I'm seeing black and orange, ribbons being held to hearts.
Not again.
The morning announcements confirm my suspicions:
"...Today is February 14th, Valentine's Day and anniversary of Parkland. Please take a moment of silence."
It has never been so quiet.
No one stands for the flag.
The silence perseveres with us.
Inspired by the stillness, I begin to write:
"Oranges and blacks
will not stop their bullets.
Our silence
will not stop their silencers.
Are guns
worth more than daughters and sons?"
Interrupting Breakfast
Timber creeks beneath bare feet, splintering the silent scene viewed from the weathered front porch. Night’s brushed with hues from Morning’s pastel palette. Bristling breezes echo against the steel-blue drum of the heavens and rustle through canopies of wooden brush drumsticks. Coffee warms like sunlight, piercing beaded rain that dots blades of emerald grass; saturating slow-warming air with the familiar fragrance of the forest’s terpene tonic. Pine needles crackle beneath the hooves of elk, dining on foliage lacing the gnarled branches of manzanita trees. The screen door squeaks and the elk freeze — watching me, watching them.
Princess
The granite walls are a flawless white, cool to the touch save for the warm ribbons of blood trickling down their surface. Once this palace of stone was a paradise. Now it was a prison. The girl shook violently, wishing she could run, but footsteps were already drawing near. Black combat boots paused inches from her bloodied hands.
"Get up." The girl crawled to her feet, silent tears snaking their way over her cheeks. There was blood. Blood everywhere... but it was not her own.
"Finish what you started," the voice whispered, pressing a cool blade into the girls hands.
My head throbbed, as my heart began to beat much faster with each passing moment. I tried to control it. But the smell of the human by the lake~ was driving me crazy. My nose twitched, I sensed fear— I waited for the human to start running.
Let me give my prey a head start- there was no rush. After all, tonight was a full moon & I would catch up in a matter of seconds. The feeling of running with the breeze, and howling at the moon was thrilling!
#SceneChallenge.
a remaining piano
Looking in the window, you’d just see the shadow of a girl. An arching ceiling, an unlit chandelier. The slanted shape of the untouched piano.
Stillness. Dust has collected on the sparcely decorated shelves. The corners of the room spill inky black dark, seeping inwards, threatening to devour the girl.
Just a silhouette, statue figure. Black dress, limp hair. A hand hovers over the keys.
Closer. Her eyelashes are wet, and so is her face. Fingertips frozen, lips parted. Eyes welling.
The piano: suspended. Her eyes unblinking. Memories lingering... haunting melodies, ghostly repeatings. She hears his songs, his love.
What Am I?
Mouse, horse, swine, and dog
Came across a figure sunk in the bog.
"Alas!" Neighed horse, “I believe it has fur.”
“Nonsense,” grunted pig, “A mossy rock as it were.”
"A rock?" Pipped mouse, "A mountain more so."
And dog only sniffed, the stench making him groan.
"Well, I know I’m right," horse said with a whinny,
"Egads!" Shouted pig, “No, you’re the ninny!”
"Hey!" retorted mouse, "I saw the thing first”
"You're all wrong," dog barked, “Your brains are burst.”
The four continued walking, bickering into the night
Because who cares what it is, as long as you're right.
Philadelphia Freedom
Red octogons, yellow triangles, iron fences crumbling like gingerbread. I observe my kingdom from the tenth floor, watching the fly-crusted bodies drift in their deflated kayaks. There's the yellow line, shimmering beneath the water, the line I weaved over as I rushed to stock food, to survive. Now I slurp my last bites of brown-sugar beans. Three extra weeks. All I did was eat and wait for the helicopters. Nothing.
With a finite sigh, I toss the can out the window. Then I climb, curl my toes over the sill. I think of Philadelphia, of rainbowed swimming pools, and jump.
Easter Bunny
The young man in
the Black Sabbath t--shirt
waits his turn
to be photographed
with the Easter Bunny
in the Price Chopper produce
section. The girl
in the bunny suit
feels like shit. She
stayed up way too late
drinking with her oldest
friend. They drank themselves
shit--faced, peeled
off all their clothing and
explored each other like
children. The friend
is smiling in the bathroom
painting her toenails. The rabbit
will try to let her down
gently, and still
the snow
isn’t melting
fast enough for anyone