Friday, March 28, 2014

Coloseum

yanked the club from its mounted space
waved it maniacally, shaking
from hairy-knuckled palm to booted
feet stomping, chasing
the foaming, savage beast
sometimes i wish
i could trade this world
for one with an arena.

~

RNH

hysteria

brushed with rainbow-colored death
by sugar, dressed
in its unicorn headpiece
the laughter
thick and illuminating smog
behind the glass curtain
Oz, with his green
twitching eyes.

~

RNH

waves

when the waves tumbled over
she wiggled her toes
in the scratch of the sand
and the warmth of the flow
and the pull of the current
rocked slowly her ache
like the shore for the tide
and its unconditional embrace.

~

RNH

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

wilt

when disease took your flesh
rolled it around
like so much rotten, pink dough
the carcass fainted gracefully
over palm-up, gloved, strong
hands
and as she wilted over their questions
temptation heard its chiming end-
bell sound.

~

RNH

traitor

the parrot sat on your shoulder
and squawked and yelled
the thoughts you kept
under key
and lock
and tongue
revealing what you had failed
to mention
I wondered what part of you
was real.

~

RNH

Monday, March 24, 2014

fool

i didn't write you
but if i did
i'd take your name and number
and call you
for the absolute idiot that you are
and describe you
as the trained monkey that you traipse about
like you owe nothing, contain nothing
and are responsible for nothing
that comes out of your mouth.

~

RNH

mannequin

self, presented itself
as a dress she could not get over her head
a costume she could not try on
still trying
to unzip the zipper
untangle the mass of gold thread
and she's still
pulling
this gender, idea
swirling in the wash
baffled at the mixture
and the swiftly shifting
mannequin underneath.

~

RNH

fireworks

when the fireworks lit up the night
we were blinded, briefly, by their sheer
explosive beauty
and clung
tightly to our understanding
life before darkness
burst into three seconds of flame.

~

RNH

Friday, March 21, 2014

the helm

the waters rose
the ship hard pitched
the wind roared violently
the vessel tossed, tipped
crew tumbled
shouts let out
the wheel spinning, not one
could find the courage or sure footing
or strength to take
the helm
she laughed
at the chaos
shook her hair in the rain
rolled her sleeves up
stomped the planks
and stood on the bow in the darkness
facing the storm and soon-to-be vanquished
fear.

~

RNH

Friday, March 7, 2014

ephemeral

floating overhead, soapy pieces
of blue heaven, shiny with their optimistic
round
acceptance of things
like the forty seconds or so
they have to exist and create delight
content
to be fragile, if
it means that they can fly.

~

RNH

at the brink

they said, open the door again
I said, why
when there's a three hundred foot drop

they said, feel
the cool breeze and the warm
sun on your skin
I said, why
are you not listening to me

they said, take that risk, feel that rush, open up
I said, why
do you not see the bruises and the cuts

or are your eyes just as closed
as your own slamming doors

don't tell me to fall
when you mutilate my wings.

~

RNH