She recently had a flash story, “What I Really Meant,” published in the very cool HOOT Review(April-May 2018). 
She was so very generous in choosing a figure of mine for her excellent flash story.
Tag Archives: emotion
I am vain
This piece inspired by my face, currently a disaster of stress rash. Apparently, holding back, in an attempt to be monstrously strong, isn’t good for you. I can now use my face like a 70’s mood ring. Never believed I was vain, but lately I’m hiding in the shadows along with my creatures.
this damn place
my beautiful mom continues recovering from a major stroke, a long journey indeed
dark thoughts
the marrow of his bones
so intense was their passion
he swore
the marrow of his bones rocked
in his bed
streaming across those ship grey sheets
the moonlight
and her body luminous
and imperfect
an asymmetrical face marked with smile lines
before her watch caught on his cuff link
much of his outward life had shifted by
in speeding cherry sports cars
with bouncy passengers who wore stilettos
instead of socks
now he had this woman
who saw him with eyes beyond
what he reflected
those fitted Italian suits pressing on his heart
gave way to the gentle hands now removing them
he fell more in love with those hands each day
as they unlocked his chest turn by turn
softly releasing
the fear and trepidation
confidently protected all these years
he’d been hiding
a beautiful man
whose mind penned introspective thoughts
when no one was looking
five cent pump pencil
beneath those shoulders
the shoes beneath those shoulders
can’t find a way back
faces perplex
especially your own
failing to recognize
too familiar eyes that have shown you the world
in your small space
and when smiling out there
they hold in other things
you are not who they think you are
but you were yesterday
or so they would have you believe
perhaps tomorrow
you will be someone else
or maybe
the shoes beneath those shoulders
will point homeward on loose gravel
Blue Tale
this blue guy is a friend to all:)
(away)
you arrived late
I sent you
(away)
you came back
sat there
and chipped into my circle
in your eyes
settled long ago
was something vague
I could not reach
yet
those watery surfaces gave
(away)
the clearest understanding
there was a suffering
your sweet mouth sealed from escape
and continued to do so
despite my knees on the floor
sometimes
there is the sometime
when no words
touch
or thought of any dimension
can worm into a wall
like only words can
line after line of cyan rope heaves its burden over the side
to lasso our floundering bodies
and guide us back to shore
delicate symbols the birth children of ups and downs
sleep with us through the night
and convince us the day is not over
fierce inked fingers untwist our knotted spirits
straighten the crooked paths
our meandering feet struggle upon
elegant expressions lick our wounds
despite their own situations
transport then devolve into code
as ethereal elements
they rise above the false light
escaping their one-dimensional fortresses
to comfort our human condition
and ease our lives
in the way that only devoted words can
Paper Shadow
pushing
how much can I push my
words
into your head
they need to push hard
there is so much I need to cram in there
inside you
I want to fill you
with my words
my thoughts
my images
of places I want to take you
and things we can do
you and I
so open your head wide
because I’m quite strong
and I can push
really hard
everlasting impression
I don’t want to be the person
who makes your face look like that.
I don’t want to be the lover you
desire to forget.
Can I kiss you once more?
And this time–
I promise,
my lips will make
an everlasting impression.
Cloven
