Poems, Poetry, Working on Purpose

I'm Rather Curious

[rambles-shambles-andmaybemore]

This is not a poem but i’d like to say,

the rain sounds like the hush of a forest

And the kids who skipped are wandering

and I miss the feeling of certainty that childhood had,

Because I now know so much more,

But believe in it so much less.

-R.S.

[rambles-shambles-andmaybemore]

I wonder now, What I’m supposed to say The waves cannot control the moon When they want to have their way

Ever solder has their orders, Ever caterpiller a thought, The things that they will follow When they’re confused and lost

So maybe my cages are your words But my guards they are my mind Implanted by the virus That sprouted from you lies

But my cocoon is breaking As reason stops on by Instincts awaken away from chains

I close my eyes and fly.

-R.S.

[rambles-shambles-andmaybemore]

My brother is speaking spanish upstairs, preparing for a test.

It is beautiful, the lifting words and soothing accent.

He pauses occasionally, but his sentences are flowing and smooth once they begin

Connected spider webs, the bunching words, the spacy pauses.

I can imagine him, his mouth shaping the words like honey

Blue eyes flickering and glowing beneath his lids, beneath the harsh dinner table light.

Muscles stretching, lean, as he raises an arm in his usual actor way.

I wish I could understand the strange music, the lilting vowels, stuttering stirring sticcado

I took a harsher language, rounded vowels and tones, brassy, clipped, consonants and spitfire

But for now I am content,

To listen to my brother,

sing.

R.S.

[rambles-shambles-andmaybemore]

Why I’m Against Poetry

I never set out to write a poem

That would be to easy

Cause I’m pretty sure hiding

Is better than tempting demons

With blandishments of words

I try to wipe away from windows

And fail

-R.S.

[rambles-shambles-andmaybemore]

Never Again

Today at the walk out We shouted “Never Again”

And watched shiny black balloons with silver strings dot the sky Like reverse stars.

Today at the walk out We were told that we,

Were brave for standing with feet planted with promises of change Even with our doubts.

Today at the walk out,

I listened to a girl with the same name as mine

Yell “I’m tired,” as she held back tears And as the cold stung our cheeks.

Today at the walk out, The texts from child to parent were read out

And strangers hugged me when I cried.

Today at the walk out, A boy smiled and told me

He had left class despite his parents thinking he would chicken out, Despite the fights between his girlfriend, And despite his fear

Today at the walk out, I learned that with the five stages of grieve come every stage of love

And the promise That we Will do what is hard,

And what is right.

[rambles-shambles-andmaybemore]

Wednesday Nov. 14

A-

A kid died today

Knew him since Kindergarten but never talked

Outside on my pine tree a little finch sings too early

It's still winter

That's all I’m ready to write.

[rambles-shambles-andmaybemore]

I’ve lost my stars, Have you seen them? I think they’re in my eyes now, Cause you keep looking there.

I can’t see the moon no more, Tossed the silvery disk of chance till it, Landed on its side and rolled off the table But you promised you thought my white teeth Glowed bright enough For you.

The sun hid its cheery head today You promised it had just curled up In the cloudy grey folds of My now stained sweater.

There’s no light to see anymore, Stars, sun, moon, flickered out one by one, At least in the dark, I still feel your hand.

I’ve lost my stars,

But I don’t need to see them anymore.

-r.s.

[rambles-shambles-andmaybemore]

It was almost too easy

Filthy firecrackers

And lashing tongues

Quick, silver, gold,

Crackling words,

I never learn,

But then again, never do you.

It's almost too easy,

To scream at the world and ourselves

But only say anything in silence

Soft

Pauses

The only thing Promising we still have choices

In what we speak

[rambles-shambles-andmaybemore]

Clouds

Clouds have always been here, We drift around On the waves of the wind.

During the day, We are anchored to the drowned-by-sun stars

And during the night, We are curtains to the moon,

And we watch Watch and see everything,

See all the poor, And the sad, And the angry, And the undeserving, And the all too terrible future, And the things you do,

And we are powerless to stop you

Yet we love you,

So maybe the days with fog, Are the days we give you a hug

And maybe the sky-blue clear days, With the sun glowing hopefully,

Are the days we can’t bear to watch.

[rambles-shambles-andmaybemore]

Not Crazy

Please don’t call me crazy And try to clip my wings, If you could just understand my mind You’d know why the caged bird sings.

Please don’t call me crazy And act like it’s my fault, While you pretend you’re not a prisoner I am halfway out the vault.

The reason I am crazy Is you see me with trained eyes, While I am soaring freely Others tell you lies.

For I am not crazy It's just you see me so, I’m talking to you through a blizzard And you can’t see the snow.

[rambles-shambles-andmaybemore]

Yellow & Blue

I talk in yellow and blue

Yellow streams and ribbons wrapping someone, just someone, into a joke Bubbling into laughter Light and airy and hopeful So thin-sliced nothing could possibly be hidden behind it

My blue gets darker the deeper I swim It leaks out my mouth, trails out my eyes when I blink When I make no sound So blue it’s black It’s dark and cold But the pressure is warm And it holds me

And rocks

Me

Through quilted torrents

Till I see the rays streaming Peering with worry through water And I climb back up their tangled ladder again

Back to where the sun hurts my eyes

[rambles-shambles-andmaybemore]

Shy Girl

I am sweet

Sugar candy

Bright eyes

And white lies

Too small jacket

And zipties

I am a loose lipped

Twipsy headed

Cotton candy

Almost home

Shy girl

-Audiauto

[rambles-shambles-andmaybemore]

Voices

Hold your breath, Don’t look down, The water is deep, And you will drown.

Don’t look up, The sun will blind, And you must keep track, Of all your time.

“Always,” They whisper, “Do what we say, We’ll choose your paths, It’s better this way.”

But I looked down, It wasn’t far, And I looked up, And saw the stars.

-Audiauto