the swelling circle.

today i found

under the fragile skin

stretched across my wrist

blue veins

popping

creating swelling hills against

the smooth plane that was there before

like rivers rushing with the winter melt

they spring from some unknown site

deep beneath the silent skin

that curves to keep it secret

they terrify me

these vulnerable veins

so close to the dangerous air

the years have pushed them there

have thrust me farther and farther into the strange

the snapping unknown

and soon there will be no where farther for them to go

they will burst with their blue grace

and i will be old and bleeding

all of the risks i never took

out in a blue flood until the world blurs

soflty into a place of safety

for a moment

and then i am gone

into another unknown.

the small loves are broken.

knock knock tap

i beat a secret rhythm against the green wall

waiting for you to answer back

my world swells in this spring rain

stretching corner to corner

transforming these stiff walls 

into sloping curves flexing 

under the weight of this bounty

and i rest my cheek against the green

feeling the thrumming beat

enter my skin and tingle

like the last note of a lullaby

the sudden thud shocks me

pulling me from my reverie

as i realize you are leaning

on the other side of the wall

listening to the world breathe

the same as me

then comes the tearing

the shrieking shredding as i fall to the floor

watching the wealth of the world bleed away

 in great clear drops into infinity

you are left behind.

look my love, i plucked this flower for you.

careful of the sap. 

I fall for infomercials.

You’re selling glass for diamonds

And I’m the type who’s buying

Because in this rush for wealth

I’m just a fool’s gold miner

I love to take your rubble

And I’ll thank you for your trouble

How you’ve made it sparkle and shine

I make it worth your time

In this world of cheap dives

I’m buying pretty lies

You get what you pay for

I believe you’re worth more

each time I'm left with a hand

full of shattered glass

I bleed it off and stand

swearing you will be my last

love for nothing

love for cheap

love leaves me bleeding

on my weary feet.

i stare into the mirrors every morning

trying to catch the reflections in my eyes

cementing them in there 

to give me an appearance of depth

when you peer into them

look for the real me

and i present myself

with these faces layered upon each other

to give the illusion of growth

these outfits fanned out in display

illustrating my richness of character

Alas Apollo's Gift Postscripted.

I warn you

do not dare to continue

to ignore me.

I will teach you

ignorance

is far from bliss.

It is the ignorant who ignore warnings.

Poets and prophets know something of wisdom.

They know to ignore, is to imperil the soul.

In Which I Acknowledge My Literary Debts.

I'm here to tell you nothing

that you haven't heard before

a thousand times or two

I've read you the prologue

you've memorized the epilogue

from the introduction

to the grand reveal

I've shown you the script

You've untied the knots 

of this denouement 

and could quote the ending

in your sleep

There is only one thing left

to tell you, or for you to learn.

Let us turn to the Acknowledgements.

Here under inspiration for this tragic drama

we find,what a delicious twist, your name

thank you, dear muse,

for teaching me the art of bitterness.

and the power of ignorance.

Today I will be presenting: Disillusion

hello...

helllllo-(is this on?)

OH Hello.

Yes excuse me

...so sorry to interrupt

but if i may?

I just wanted to say-

quiet down please-

that,well, if you don't mind

that-ihatethewayyouignoremealmostasmuchasihatethefactthatineedyou.

I beg your pardon 

for the interruption.

Thank you for your time.

I'll just be...going now...

The talent judges all agreed

it was the strangest act they'd ever seen.

They thanked her for her time

but one of them muttered

does she know that poem didn't even rhyme?

what sort of illusionist does she think

she is, with that...

but they couldnt remember what she looked like

no one could.