Poetry | Stories | Photography
Jolted from sleep by thoughts of work and unfinished hobbies, he staggers towards the noise.
Aliens or maybe even a portal to another universe await.
Still baffled, he moves closer to the laundry: the dryer malfunctioned.
He hears his wife say, “Go towards the light, darl!”
Distracted.
Imagining you.
Tingling in untidy places.
Wild Country Winter
The crisp foggy breath of dawn
Dreams in the Backyard
Touching nature’s moss carpet
Dancing amongst the lush Weeds
Let’s pretend you are a king who must marry a queen. Then pretend I am that queen, and you agree to marry me. Lie to me and tell me you’d be happy.
Let’s pretend I’m a Baroness, and you are a pauper who falls in love with me. Then pretend that I run away with you, leaving everything behind. Shall I lie to you and tell you a Baroness would marry a pauper and leave it all behind?
Let’s pretend you’d love to raise a family with someone like me no matter the consequences, no matter how hard the road would be. Lie to me and tell me this wouldn’t break you and me.
Let’s pretend I lost my mind. Then pretend you had a choice between caging me within four walls or helping me with understanding and kindness. Lie to me and tell me you would help me.
Let’s pretend that you found a younger woman. Then pretend you asked me to step aside and leave our love behind. Lie to me and tell me that this would hurt you more than me.
Let’s pretend that I am perfect, just like you. Let us argue all day and compare all our merits. Lie to me and tell me you’d love to be with that version of me.
Let’s pretend that you and I are old. When the time comes, you step in and do what you think is right. Lie to me and tell me you know what I want.
Let’s pretend you died in a car crash and left me alone. Would you sit in heaven or burn in hell waiting for me, or would you move on? Lie to me and tell me that you know.
Let’s pretend that all the water under the bridge flows along. Then pretend that all the things we did to each other don’t matter. Lie to me and tell me you can forgive and forget.
Let’s pretend we never met. Then pretend we lived separate lives and never knew each other. Lie to me and tell me that life would not have been better.
Let’s come back to the present. Then discard letting ourselves pretend. Promise me you will never lie to me, and I will promise you I will never lie to you; let’s pretend.
A wave breaks the sadness
you feel looking at the sea.
Young hearts shouldn’t hurt like
yours hurts under a perfect sky.
Another wave crashes into
many pieces of aquamarine;
water gems breaking and
moving back into the sea.
You take a false step forward,
not grasping the consequences.
A wave misses the target,
failing to deliver the blow.
Your heart moves you to stay,
so you remain standing
on the shore, heart-pounding;
shivering at the thought of
what could have been:
you, the aquamarines,
the sea none the wiser.
Howling from the forest,
Wintertime is on the way.
A sea breeze turns wild,
clouds move overhead.
Woods once silent, now
move in urgency to the sky.
Many crows do fly across the sky,
to show us a Portent of Death.
C & K 