Fed Up

I'm fed up
Had enough
All you did
Or didn't
Made me feel
So excluded
Hesitant
And distant
Never felt
Part of it
All your words
Simply that
Meant nothing
Falling flat
Never
Measured
Who's treasure
Was I?
Quietly seeking
And desperately
Needing
Bleeding
Inside
A few drops of time
Your hand held in mine
Letting me know
I'm not alone
People alive
For me have died
Thine eyes have cried
Done with trying
Take this pen
Strike the page
Ink and rage
Beautiful girl
They cannot judge
You are enough
Stay and be free
Be who you need
Let the beast sleep
Dark his mind weeps
Without you sleeps
Alone and scared
Let your heart dare
My darling child
Light up your night
Take back your life
Break free these chains
Be joyful again

***

Disconnected

Disconnected
Unaffected
Missing parts of me
Unplugged
Thwarted
Wishing just to be
Every part
Of my heart
Wants to feel
I belong
But you are
Long gone
I am still
Penny wish
Wanting to
Believe that
You’ll be back
Never left
Unimpressed
Forgive I
All your lies
Bitterness
Tears I cried
Failed tries
Punishing
All of me
Still seeking
To be free
Rootless
Fruitless
My truth is
Want of roots
To be part
Driving need
Making we
From just me
Feeling sad
Left for dead
Left nothing
Pain and weeds
Time please
Make me
Priority
Keeping faith
Linking chains
Making change
You and I
Side by side
Connected
In this life

***

Toy Soldier

Send me your children
Line them on city streets
Dusted impish faces
Too young to be scared
Lay them in shallow graves
Pray with their mothers
Cheat decency
Forget leniency
Herding cattle into battle
Scarred faces
Charred remains
Echoed waves of gunfire
Densely-fill the coal black night
False comfort in shadows
In numbers are huddled
Follow the leader
Buckshots scream like thunder
In sordid night skies
Mamas hold your babies
Close to breast as they cry
Weep for lost freedoms
Innocence of days gone by
Raggedy Andy playing soldier
Let us lay them down to sleep
Ravaged surface feeding fate
Suffer the sheep
Mourn the new dawn
Pelted by her mocking light
Fiercely played in battle grave
This game of capture the flag

***

Like

Pretty Woman

I hold her hand in mine

Her eyes tender and kind

Faded hazel they stare

Forgetting why I’m there

Each day blessed I am

This gift of time unplanned

I want for just her smile

Wishing for what’s denied

Her stories although told

Retelling gives her joy

Sometimes she remembers

Calling me her daughter

Quietly she regales

Stunning woman so brave

Cowardice the man went

Escaped what she cannot

Inside should she reveal

Memories vivid, real

Now I lay you to sleep

With love, she would repeat

In her arms, she’d hold me

Forever beholden

For the love, she bestowed

I will take on the world

Silent tears fill my eyes

This raging war in her mind

Dad you left her behind

She’s running out of time

This dementia

She’s absentia

Pretty woman

Time limited

Her mind filtered

God’s reckoning

Love delivered

She is my Sun

Always my Mom

***