I LEARNED WHAT I LIVED

If a child is made to feel unwanted, she learns to live inside herself

If a child is treated roughly, she learns that the world is not a fair place

If a child is not rescued from a traumatic home life, she learns not to trust anyone

If a child is told what an adult does is secret, she learns that the worst things remain unspoken

If a child is told she is a bad person, she learns to doubt herself in all things

If a child is surrounded by negativity, she learns to fear anythng but joy

If a child is treated like an unwanted animal, she can still learn to find love in the world

COTTAGE

There you are

Surrounded by wildflowers

Basking in the sun

My home in the middle of the woods

My cottage that has become my sanctuary

A lovely part of myself that will never go away

There you are

The pungent smell of lavender

Wafting through my bedroom window in the morning

Reminding me of the beauty

That exists in the world

And within my tiny home

CITY STREETS

The city called me

I walked down the city streets

I felt so alone

IT'S NOT TOO LATE!!!

There is still time to enter the July giveaway of Worthless: Poems Of Sadness and Reflection. Just give me your first name, email, the name of a poem of mine you enjoyed, and why. The contest closes at 11:59 pm EST. Good luck!

BIRDS

I gaze up at the birds flying overhead

Wishing I could be up there, too

A bird's-eye view

To see the world

From this perspective anew

A wave of envy enters my head

How dare they fly

Up there so high

When I am stuck down here below?

But like angels, they soar

In chains nevermore

Across the evening sky

ANGELS

There are angels all around us

If we only choose to see them

The acts of mercy from a stranger

We move on, smile, and thank him

A small, sticky hand

Buried deep inside your palm

Solemn dark eyes stare up at you

For some reason, you are feeling warm

There are angels all around us

We are never truly alone

I look up to the heavens with gratitude

There are no words - no, there are none

GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

During the month of July, I will be giving away AT LEAST one e-book copy and one paperback copy of my latest book, Worthless: Poems Of Sadness and Reflection. To enter, all you need to do is give me your first name, an email address where you wish to be contacted, the name of one of my poems, and why you liked it. The contest closes on July 31 at 11:59 pm EST. Enter today!

BAD HABITS

You are my worst habit

Leaning against the red brick wall

Covered with graffiti about the government

And how they are leaving the country to starve

Fifteen feet from me, a couple of dissidents are injecting themselves

Unaware that a cop is strolling by

You are my worst habit

You speak of rebellion from inside your gated community

Attending private school all your life

After school, you throw on your leather jacket

Grab your smokes and head out

Someone has to prove you know what life's all about 

THROUGH IT

"A river runs through it" - 

That's what they say, laughing

When they see where I live

They think it's funny

To live indoors but not really

The way I live

"A river runs through it" - 

It's not that funny

Yesterday I saw a fish

Full of panic, wanting something familiar

It's not that funny

If you live next to a river indoors