three walls to the room

whispered into the molecules of paint
the fibers of plywood
the pores of concrete
and begged to be freed from this
burden of the only one
who could make everything whole for you
who could make you complete.

~

RNH

fugitive

you and your persecution complex--
take it
and leave.

~

RNH

sliippery

tricky walk down the slip and slide
flippy talk
convoluted meaning, ripped
directions, sending pins
wheeling at all corners
flying, zipping
thought through fences
crashes 
maze of collateral damage
caught
attempting to mend them
only to be tripped again.

~

RNH

smush

wolf with the cardboard fangs
bares his teeth
as if they would do much harm
to a pillow.

~

RNH

here, is

here is a doorway
here, is an unlocked window
if you can crawl through
let me in...

~

RNH

in the rain

i picked her up in the rain
she held the umbrella
and i held her
on hip
i try not to grieve
under the unbearable
weight of what i have lost
these unbent knees
keep me upright.

~

RNH

creature, bold

hexagons of mechanism
features folding twain
the creature, bold
in its contortions
faces
the frowning maker's
plain
revealed scorn
refusing the comfort of caresses shorn
from the hand's own flesh
the violent, striking
shapes distort
even love
in a monster
in a man.

~

RNH

worry-full

in the worry-full sea
the waves of self-doubt
washed
over the little boat tossed
about and quivered
against the tidal
turquoise nightmares
burying the fear in depths beneath
the vessel, a prayer
both heard and answered
lifted by the strength of a faith
unseen.

~

RNH

big top

you were hidden behind the curtain
i lifted, laughing
happy to find you
in the labyrinth of circus tents
you, the rarest exhibit
you, with the thousand-watt smile.

~

RNH

He said I am...

Trustworthy.
Dependable.
Honest.
Valued.
Irreplaceable.

~

RNH

wonderment

flickering lights
the basement of wonderment
twinkles fluorescent
in powder blue dreams
the sequins of fuchsia
and teal flash, exuberant
heart, dancing, hula hoops  
ignites the circuitry.

~

RNH

Selfish

Selfish
sat at his table
white-knuckling through the pain
refusing to meet the eye-contact
of the obvious
the violent past
the current shame
the future, dim
will always haunt him
specters, gliding neon in the night
the truth, a vivid glow stick apparition
even with all
the off-turned lights.

~

RNH

cherry bird

little red bird
chirped
flapped its round wings
and perched
on tiny brown twigs
the earth
a place to burrow
and adore.

~

RNH

dive

invited into a thousand cerulean
pools
i hold
my breath
you dive.

~

RNH

self-deprecating

she forgave your cruelty because
she struggled to forgive her own.

~

RNH

cymbal

like a live wire.

shaking. 

thrashing. 

raw. 

~

RNH

silver set

silver set on a malleable tongue
i tell you
the truth is just
a blanket to cover
the aching
parts shift like tectonic
plates under the heart
slowly beating
the hammer to ground.

~

RNH

toll

backpacks on strangers
worn sneakers and looks
softly tired, exposing
the day's pull and push.

~

RNH

water cycle

blue as the tile floor
the sea, she remembers
will rise and recoil
to flourish
once more.

~

RNH

marionette

you act like you're
the only person who
suffers in the world
careful you don't
tangle in your strings.

~

RNH

capital letters

Bent over on benches
Half-rotted through with doubt
Scribbled over with the fallacies
His name and hers
A circling route
To madness
Left the pain to work
Its way into permanence
Deepening the scars
Sunk into the soft
Tissue, the acquiescing
Bark, timbers
Written over and over
Again, in capital affirmation
Goodbye.

~

RNH

fountain

pillows to the trepidation
shaking boots, unraveled gloves
reluctant to lean upon anything
familiar
graffitied walls call me
the fountains of dark parks
sing and i listen
i allow myself to be lost
emotions like lightning
the city is only another
spark
and i navigate the crosshatch, brilliant
the electricity
runs through me
brace for impact
the cobblestones do not give.

~

RNH

devastate

needing quiet
untied the album
noose of memories
names on slate
prayed for quiet
shook the pages loose
let the words
fall
into the fire.

~

RNH

closed

you need to learn what to listen to
and what to ignore
you keep holding your ear to the hearts
of others
like they are closed, secret-keeping doors.

~

RNH

Beware

I am both strong and soft.
I am both confident and considerate.
I will make you feel special
and at home, in my presence
or I will terrify
The living hell out of you.

~

RNH

performer

you told me your friends
could not recognize you
on stage
i wonder why they thought they ever
knew you at all.

~

RNH

transitions

Sometimes the sky moves so fast
I can see the clouds change
from fluff to vapor
on other days, the blue
glows so perfectly still
I can feel my heartbeat
in my palms.

~

RNH

Hollow

Instead of truth
She looks for mirrors
And finds herself in them
Every time.

~

RNH

flight

The flowers fell
like tiny
snow globes, white
and pink-leafed circles

and I marveled
how what we behold
in the world
so much depends
upon our perspective.

~

RNH

Healing

Out of grief will come revelation.

~

RNH

At Night

At night
My teeth hurt
And it helps
For when I think of you
The ache is constant and permanent
For now, I focus on my mouth.

~

RNH

Small Comfort

I take a small comfort, knowing
That although you may have
Broken small pieces of me,
I have ruined
You, entirely.

~

RNH

Face Forward

See the opportunities,
Not the fear.

~

RNH

The Difference

You cannot keep expecting different behavior from the same people who have choices just like you do, but refuse to change. You have to choose better for yourself.

~

RNH

upon closer inspection

The billboard advertised "DANCE," I thought
I saw the "DANGER," as I moved closer.

~

RNH

From Afar

To the plane, I was a speck.
To my eyes, they were tiny, too.

~

RNH