Lighting The Fuse (+3)

A Poet is not like other writers …

all narrative be damned

Charging and fusing each word with a spark

redundancy to ban

Poets and Novelists both drawn to the fire

their kindling looks the same

The differences clear when striking a match

— poetic verse rising in flames

(Dreamsleep: January, 2024)

Tears Wait

Soulless

Dissected

A heart turning back

Jilted

Rejected

Last stab in the back

Mourning

New morning

The day unatoned

Nighttime

The verdict

Whose sentence disowns

Lovers

And lizards

The swamp but the same

Feeding

On hunger

Starvation the game

Cursing

 each blessing

with heartache reset

Dying

While living

— new tears wait unwept

(The New Room: January, 2024)

Failing The Muse

Have I let

her down again

Have I failed

once more

Have I jumbled

up the words

Have I graded

poor

Have I taken her

for granted

Have I missed

the mark

Have I disappointed

one

—who pulled me from the dark

(Dreamsleep: January, 2024)