I am a somnambulate

I am lonely
understood by no one
sometimes lost
feel at ease
pretense so much a part of me
I don't know what's real anymore
too much pressure
leaves me tired
weak
confused
I am a somnambulate
day is night is day
and back again
and again
when will I wake—
from this nightmare

For you, sweet

Sunny smile
sparkling eyes—
glitter and shine
to fill a room with your presence
a party a party
only when you're near
love in abundance—
memories
our memories are treasured
in a vault deep
courageous girl
how you shone
odds against you
falter; not
fought with every breath
Then—
taken suddenly
to rest
in a better place
when it all got to much
somewhere far—
tears aplenty
what we would do
to have you back
until tomorrow,
or when that time decided
sweet love
we wish you
peace
love
and eternal rest

Red flag, White flag

He waved his red flag
and from the opposite side
he waved his white  flag
and somewhere in the middle
they met with tripadtion
and a fear that they would not let the other see
puffed out their chests
splayed their legs
and kept their hands in their
pockets to hid the trembling
spoke in loud gruff voices
words they did not understand
but sounded intelligent
wordly
and knowledgeable
all to disguise the nervousness
and lack of information
they really had
and put forward their case
glancing
always glancing
under beaded eye
whether it was
accepted
or rejected
and in haste they'd clamour
as they sought cover
flags at the ready
to meet just once more

Rude awakenings

So, you took what was not yours
and claimed it your own
for greed
you did not consider the journey made
from someone else
the sacrifices to get where they were—
where you could just step in and will it to be yours
you did not take anything into account
how naive
ignorant
or just plain rude are you
the sweat of others
the suffering of those who invested
not money—
that is nothing
but time
time, a
precious commodity
time away from family
all so you could
take it all away
wake up
your time will come
rude awakenings
will soon put things right
watch
wait
life as you know it has just changed

I'm laughing right now

The world owes me sunsets
and romance and fancy cars
driven by well suited
foreign men
who only say—
Please,
Thank you,
Madam,
Of course
who drive with determination
safety and a certain degree of recklessness
only when asked—
to keep it all interesting, of course
who carry my bags
my exotic faux fur coats—
real
just
would
not
be
right!
when I go out at night
to all those glamorous places that I am the guest of honour
Oh, grand am I
the world owes me
chiselled
modeled lovers
and a more mature kind of fella
with a bank balance to suit
and stilettos in every colour
silk
satin dresses
and a beach house like no other—
Of course
the world owes me
I'm laughing right now—
hate to burst your bubble...

The forgotten ones

He returned home a hero
fought gallantly
brave
for his country
sleepless nights
spent under a shower of mortar
he used to like the way it lit up the night
never once thinking of life
his life
saved friends
and strangers from death
risked death
all to avoid the death of someone else
with nameless faces
inventing names for them—
just so he could feel human
returned home to a street lined crowd
cheering
ribbons and medals pinned to his chest
remembered his mates
buried—
in foreign soil when it was all too much
to piece them back together
pine box wrapped with our flag
and sent to the family
who couldn't even say their last goodbye
to an empty box
he returned home a hero
a battered shell
a skeleton
of lost youth
and wished to disappear

The many faces

The many faces of me
leave me wandering who am I today
mime with no voice,
laden heart or
blank canvas void of expression
mask with no eyes
no nose
no mouth
to speak
words
my many faces
hide
shield
guide
me
and you
from everything too hard
to deal with
my many faces
suited to you
what is it you want
when I sift through the faces
only you can know
and only I accommodate