(Raise Your Voice) Things I Never Had (a poem, dedication)

Raise Your Voice

Things I Never Had

Written  February 4th, 2012

I dream of things I never had

On this freezing lonely night

As I cling to this life so fleeting and sad

Without these dreams I’d have no will to fight

And I’d be stiff and cold by morning light

I dream of fields, sprawling and green

Soft plumes of grass beneath weary, cracked foot pads

Forests and skies that stretch to eternities unseen

A family full of love, always glad

Each night a big warm meal to be had

I’ll make it through each long, painful day

On a stomach with no food and a heart with no love

On shaky legs and a mind that’s begun to decay

I’ll survive till dusk touches the grey sky above

So I can sleep and briefly enjoy the things I’ve been dreaming of

A Lucky Burden (a short story)

 A Lucky Burden

Written October 12th, 2011

Farmer Joseph made his rounds in the early morning as he always did, delivering to all his animals their breakfasts. First the cows, then the horses, followed by the sheep, chickens, and ending with the pigs.

            As he poured the slop into the pig trough, he watched one swine in particular trot over. It grunted as it walked and snuffed at the smell of food in the air with his slimy, whiskery nose. This certain pig could be identified by his front right hoof, which was pearly white, unlike the remaining three black hooves. Although Joseph called that pig many names, mostly cuss words, its official moniker was Runt. He had been a runt at one point, but now he was two years old and the fattest pig Joseph owned.

            Runt had been the sixteenth piglet of Old Maizy’s sixteenth litter; her last litter. She had died a few hours after giving birth, her seasoned heart unable to withstand the stress. Joseph had been quite fond of Old Maizy, and although he knew it to be irrational, he blamed Runt for her demise.

(Raise Your Voice) Bat in the Window (a poem)

Raise Your Voice

Bat in the Window

Written August 6th, 2011

Frantic flitter flutter

Bang crash on the glass

Scared and hungry, breath stutters

The exhaustion is utter

Strange faces in the window

Big frightening loud

Oh! Wow! Ew!

Safe on the other side

From this hideous spectacle

She didn’t mean to get stuck in here

Her fuel is fading fast

The food she needs on the flipside of the glass

Not one life on the line but two

A tiny helpless infant waits at home

For a meal it can’t get on its own

Oh, a bat! A bat!

Do you want to see a bat?

Ew, would you look at that!

A bat!

*Little Tiny Swallow (a poem)

Little Tiny Swallow

Little Tiny Swallow
looking down at me
sitting high up in the rafters
out of my reach

Who's that pretty little girl
sitting by your side?
Did you pick her for her graceful twirls
or did her beauty hit you like a warm tide?
Did she look at you
with those lovely little eyes
or did you like those shiny gold feathers- was it then you knew?
Was it then you said; "I shall make her mine"?