Quietude

Do not speak, from thus comes discord and blame

Do not fail, as that leads to sorrow and shame

Do not dream, for this invites the critical

Do not hear, because words invade dreadful

Do not think, since thought requires release

And as we all know, the first rule is don’t speak.

Alice

My name is Alice, and it's no wonder
I have issues from time to time.
It seems I lose my place a lot
not knowing which one is real.
I've lost what I loved by giving it up,
whole-heartedly breaking my heart.
But, that didn't fix the fractured life,
bring peace, contentment, or joy.
Instead, I lie bleeding from multitudinous cuts
sustained while crashing
through your looking glass.

The Replacements

Line on up, smile at me shyly
Let me see that gleam in your eyes
Don’t tell me your name, I don’t want to know
Don’t care who you are, just give it and go
Don’t ask me anything, don’t speak at all
Keep your hands in the ride til the ride is done
Get your clothes, turn around
Hit the door and go home.
I’ve no interest in your life, your loves, your pain or joy
What I want tonight is a breakable toy
So give me some play, anonymous game
Limp away in pieces, I’ll stay the same
A girl has needs, not necessarily you
As long as it’s good, almost anyone will do
Don’t care who you are, just give it and go
Don’t tell me your name, I don’t want to know.
I won’t see you next week, next month, or next year
Don’t care where you go, just don’t come back here
Keep your hands in the ride til the ride is done
Get your clothes, turn around, hit the door and go home.
Tomorrow night, another line
Another shy smile with gleaming eyes.
No questions, no words, no names, no heart
No beginnings, no endings, no feelings, don’t start.
I don’t care who you are, who you were, who you’ll be.
This isn’t about you, it’s only for me.
If I can hurt you, I will, with no thought or guilt.
You’re a replacement fuck. You don’t mean shit.
I don’t want to know, so don’t tell me your name
Smile at me shyly, escape unscathed.

New Life

My love's not a gift, it's a prize to be won
I gave it before, it was stomped on,
so if you want it; this treasure to keep,
full of shine and soul, sweetness and heat,
you'll put in the time, the work, and the dreams,
but the prize, though amazing, is no longer free.

Yeah, I know. You don't have to agree with me.

I look at trees and I see god.
In rotten corpses, too.
The sun in spring, the smell of fall,
And both sides live in you.
Love and hate. Joy and pain.
Tornados, storms, rain.
I see them all, clearly and well
There is no such thing as hell.

I look at man and I see god.
In slaughtered children, too.
The gifts of time, the work to heal.
And both sides live in you.
Love and peace. Greed and war.
Hatred, anger, pain.
I see them all, clearly and well.
You’ve created your vision of hell.

Invisible

Struck blind suddenly
Can’t see anything
Big picture, what’s in front of me
Future, what will or won’t be
Deaf, too and somewhat mute
There’s nothing left to say
No one to talk to.
Nothing I want, nowhere to go.
Nothing I need, except maybe peace
With no memories or dreams
To torture my sleep.
Can’t see the next step
Though being pushed from behind
Maybe it’s a cliff,
Good thing I am blind.
People try to reach me
Through the haze I’m in.
It’s easy to dodge
To stay silent, so thin
Almost invisible
In a cold, hard world
Sleep on the rocks
And wait for no more.

Death Came By

If I were yours, and you were mine
We’d fight, Oh my, we’d fight.
Both of us stubborn, both of us right
Both volatile under the calm.
But, rather than part us, we’d be energized
As compromise always moves forward.
Then the twists and turns that make us a team
Would lead us back to the place
Where I matter, as do you
But, death came by, and you moved on
And I really miss your face.