Poetry Challenge Day 12: Spirit

When the Spirit

She was speaking in tongues again

Hands raised

Feet stomping

He had seen the show too many times

He was trying to get his bearings again

A new town

A new school

The new kid with the same problems

It wasn’t that he didn’t believe

In the spirit

Or the ghost

He was tired of the tithing plate changing

She won their hearts with her

Past story

Present smile

They told him how proud he should be

He bowed his head at the right time

Said amen

Shook hands

Even fell for a girl three rows over

Six months later, he felt the spirit

Packed bags

Said goodbye

He prayed as her voice faded away

Poetry Challenge Day 7: Lucky

 

Lucky in Love 

A field blossomed in green

Walking with no purpose

They stop to watch a hawk

Seeking a meal to surface

He wonders if she is the one

Smile shines, eyes hold

Him like a blanket keeping 

At bay, the winter cold

He glances down at

His feet to see a patch

Of clovers, he kneels

A four leaf clover he grasps

She follows the hawk’s

Flight through the sky

Wishing to be free 

Turns to him and sighs

He is standing up

Smiles and holds out

The clover for her

To see the leaf count

Silence between them

He feels happy, lucky

She understand she needs

freedom, that is the key

She kisses his cheek, leaves

Him falling, spirit now weak

Warning Label

I smile

You smile

Like everything else

  Terms and policies

   My Little Pony castle instructions

   The sugar content in cereal

We do not pay attention to other people’s Warning Labels

Smiles with turned downed corners

Eyes glancing with no contact

Their love with conditions

We know the labels are there

But we simply check the box

    “I have read and agree to your terms.”

Please email me your terms of endearments

I’ll save them in a folder

  That I can’t actually find

  I only know the shortcut from my desk top

.

I know I can text “Stop” when this gets out of control

Unsubscribe to the updates

But somehow I live with the pain

I understand it is my penance for not reading

    The warning labels

Nothing will change until my computer

    Or phone

    Or heart

Crashes.



 This poem was inspired by a work from A.J. Lancaster. His work is powerful and raw.

Didn't Know Forever Looked Like This

I believed in your whispers

 And words spoken in quiet moments under moonlight

I believed in your notes and cards

 Left on pillows and steering wheels

Forever looked different then

Forever was our fingers intertwined

Your head on my shoulder

Forever was a given

Never questioned

Always believed

But now

Forever looks like crumbling clocks

Rings that have broken to have a beginning and end

Frowns

Turned downed eyes

And unanswered messages

Whatever happen to kisses that stopped time

To holding each other until the sun broke through the blinds

I didn’t know forever looked like

Silent dinners

Stay late at work

Infomercials at 2 a.m.

I didn’t know that forever could look like goodbye

To the Teenage Girl Smoking in the Doorway

I see you

Life hanging hard on your lips

Eyes red from tears or drugs

Hate radiating

  for me

  for life

  for this cool fall morning

I am walking into a local coffee shop with coworkers

I am here for a conference about higher education software

You don’t care

After ten minutes I walk out of the coffee shop

Warm designer drink in my hand

My group jaywalks across the street

  smiling

  laughing

  looking forward to the day

At the curb I turn to look for you

You are leaning in the doorway

Facing me

Cigarette still in your hand

I nod

 Wanting you to know I see you

You frown

Turn from me

You don’t care

I don’t blame you