What am I?

I am Gaia,
Rhea,
Hera,
Isis,
Ishtar,
Astarte,
Kali and Mary.
I am a mother.
Not certain, if that is my only role in the whole grand scheme of things,
I will have other adventures but this my greatest ride
for now.
I am a wife.
I am a daughter.
A sister.
An aunt.
A best friend.
I am a living being,
with heart,
with soul
with a conscience.
Rules set with the promise of eternal life
in a paradise afterlife,
or a never ending infernal—an affective incentive.
I believe in me.




   

Little bird

Little bird
with broken wing
waiting
for someone
anyone
to come along
comfort
bandage wing, lovingly
little bird
broken wing
looking for blue skies
to take flight
once again
free

A misunderstanding

I don’t mind he said
I don’t mind, as he walked around the house nonchalantly
I’m not angry he said
I’m not angry as he stomped through the house, with his muddy boots on
knowing how much I hated anyone walking through the house with shoes on
I’m not jealous he said
I’m not jealous he repeated as he tore up our wedding pictures and let the pieces float to the floor
I’m not upset he said
I’m not upset as he threw teacup after saucer after vase against the wall
I know it was a misunderstanding he said
I know it was as he banged on the front door begging to let him back in
I’m sorry he said
I’m sorry he said as he cried into the telephone
I’m sorry
I’m sorry
I’m sorry

The mouse

Timid shy she says
whiskers twitch
nose quivers
I am a mouse
hiding—
behind cupboards
doors
bits of scraps
odds and ends
I hear you—
I stand to attention
hold my breath
don't
no—don't
try and find me
I'm hidden
at least I think I am
why do you want to find me—
hurt me
all I want—
a bit of bread
old
stale
dry
bread
to fill my belly
lest I need to run
and hide
and run
and have nothing
to keep me going—
just a
small
teeny
tiny
piece
of bread

Growing up

We used to be friends
sit on park benches
sharing strawberry jam sandwiches
juice boxes and a packet of Twisties
we used to be friends
laugh, until our sides hurt
our cheeks were sore
until we couldn’t even remember why we were laughing
we used to be friends
and push each other in the back, until we thought we’d fly off the swings
screaming, legs flinging
desperately trying to touch the sky
until dinner time and we knew we were late and would run home
hoping to sneak in the back door without our mother’s noticing
we used to be friends
and hang out at each others houses
until our mother’s would shoo us out
to get some air—
some exercise
some sun
some anything
just to be out of their hair
we used to be friends
until one day we noticed boys
namely, the same boy
at first we didn’t admit it to each other
thought he’d be interested in the other
until that vile green
thing—
feeling
grew inside each of us
and grew until we couldn’t look each other in the eye
until we couldn’t bear to be in the same room as each other
until the sound of your name being called would make
that green vile thing turn red and angry
and huge
we used to be friends
until we decided we could no longer stand each other
we used to be friends
until we grew up

A lesson in love

Looking up at me
irrepairable actions
love hurts—true

The silent one

You are the silent one
the one that blends into the walls
into the night sky
into the bed clothes
you are—
the one I wait for
every night
in the dark
while the stars light up the night
and the moon is hidden between new and half
and full
and clouds
you are the one
encouraging—
without words
with a touch
eyes wide
with that look
that only you do and only I understand
you are the one
I see
when I close my eyes at night
when I dream
when I awake and sleep still blinds me
you are the one
when I am confident
self assured
I am me
you are the one
I await
patiently and sometimes not
for you to make yourself known
for time to pass quickly
for tireless hands to wind their way around the face of time
and every tick and every tock seems an eternity
you are the one
I ask why you are not there
where are you—
in this time
in this hour
this moment
and when I can bear it no more
there you are
as if you've never disappeared
were always in the shadows
the walls
you are the one
ready to break my fall
wipe the hair from my eyes
kiss me softly
and tell me everything will be okay
you