Are you hiding inside your writing,
making it impossible to see what you mean
Camouflaged words based on muddled intent,
to confound, confuse, or mislead
Is it cryptic or gibberish in nature,
your attempt to impress with your scheme
Are your words still unlived as you write them all down
—unpurposed and left unredeemed
(Villanova Pennsylvania: March, 2020)
The Mask
Do you synthesize your anger,
do you cauterize the burn
Do you anesthetize the wonder,
as your dreams are drugged and scorned
Is your judgment tempered badly,
with emotion fiery hot
Is your vision colored madly,
by your choices—sold and bought
Does your music play reclusive,
do your words fall off the page
Does your ego feed that last excuse
—a mask you can’t explain
(Villanova Pennsylvania: November, 2016)
Death In Bloom
It was the 3rd day of the battle,
and thousands lay dying or dead
Lining the edge of the smoke and chaos,
the roses and daisies were spread
The screams in the night were ungodly,
sounds of cannon fire ruling the day
With blue and grey bleeding side by side
—the flowers in joyous array
(Gettysburg Pennsylvania: March, 2020)