#withinthebrain

[eakwithoutasound]

Dog Road Trip

Load the car. bags of clothes, dog food, only what matters stacked in the back.

The dogs curl into the leftover space, a puzzle of fur and cozy. A cold nose finds my elbow from the backseat.

Drive.

The first stretch is easy, the road still wide with promise.

But somewhere between miles, the lake becomes a mirage, slipping just out of reach.

The last stretch, chaos.

Restless bodies, whimpers like small questions rising from the back, "are we there yet?"

Then, it fills the air.

The smell of the lake sweet as cake, a magnetic pull. Noses lift, pointed toward summer joy.

The door opens.

SPLASH!

[eakwithoutasound]

A Non-Terminating Lullaby

I recited the pattern against my pillow, 3.14159 sheep leaping behind my eyelids in the slow rhythm of a dripping faucet -2653589 fractions of a moment when infinity no longer frightens me.

And then the digits slide down the roof, -793238 fear pouring in a never-ending storm, fractures of lightning split the night, -46264 thunder in my mind drowning out the tessellating fear.

The sea expands beyond the horizon -3383779 waves colliding endlessly I drop my anchor into the unknown -5028841971 gently swaying repetition my favorite grouping of the ungraspable.

This fear of an eternal cosmic slide, -693993 sprinkles on my Cosmic Brownie, banana splits and frozen yogurt, -7510 licks to the center of the Tootsie Pop, at least the numbers taste of pi.

And in sleep, the phobia tightens its grip, 3.1415... repeats again to infinity, a memorized lullaby to ward off apeirophobia.

[eakwithoutasound]

At Last

Fingers tremble, discovering hovering and hesitant.

Eyes widen exploring tracing the imagery of words, your flesh now warm to touch a lucid description before me.

At last, a lovely, silent breath, to finally know you.

[eakwithoutasound]

Restrained

The miles between us keep touch restrained, And the enigma of us prevents opening up,

Behind these screens, our fantasies are framed, Like secret flavors steeped in your favorite tea cup.

The real and virtual brush in a noncompete, A boisterous tender dominance behind blue light,

Our parallel worlds collide, but never meet, Some unsent words slipping softly into the night.

[eakwithoutasound]

Just Live

Live life like improv.

Yes, and… you fail, you flail, you rise, rewrite, call it art.

yes, and… be wrong, be strong, be weird regroup jump in.

always answer: yes, and…

[eakwithoutasound]

Love yourself like your favorite pet.

[eakwithoutasound]

scrubbed clean

In a timid, tepid shower, tiny, taciturn screams rained down of flighty, fury; fodder for our thoughts.

Salty, sadness drowned in water, scarlet, sodden eyes of sorrow, dissolving, dainty; droplets of our secrets.

A tear, scrubbed clean.

[eakwithoutasound]

Rotisserie-Sweet

Hen Henry hears the knife blade slicing, and thinks, What luck for me! The humans prep the fresh, green veggies, and set the table on the patio. Charcoal sizzles in the silver chimney; Hen Henry gulps and keeps on snacking on four-leaf clover in the yard.

Smells incredible strutts through her mind, as she paces through the flower garden; Hen Henry kept ba-gawk-ing at the sky I’ve never seen them this excited for my birthday meal before.

The humans laugh, Hen Henry trembles, jittery legs dancing among the tulip sways; the guest of honor, rotisserie-sweet, sings proudly in the evening chill; as the humans call Hen Henry nearer.

The grill was glowing hot and ready, humans gathering at the table now, almost ready for the pomp-n'-circ'; around Hen Henry the family gathered, to deliver a delicious birthday feast: wilted kale and crunchy broccoli ends, a supper-favorite of the pet chicken.

Hen Henry savored the tasty nibbles, of the summer family barbecue.