Chemical Warfare

There is chemical warfare each day.
Our bodies are the battlefields.
Caffeine, nicotine, oxygen, carbon.
Sometimes, living involves a bargain.
Most times, success is a moving target.
There are elements we can’t forget.
Hard times compound as bonds
break. There are certain feelings
we can’t fake. There are chances
we must take. There will be days
we hate. All we can do is wait.
Our fate is to be determined. Still,
we fill ourselves with the will to
kill chemicals spilled. Chemicals
swirl inside where our demons hide.
Feelings go low, then high like a tide.
Life is like a wave we must ride.
Dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline,
and cortisol. We must balance it all.
Life is short. Make sure you walk tall.

Stitches

My clothes have looked ripped,
torn, and haggard from the day
I was born. I didn’t think they
were worn down until they were
handed down. Despite the dirt,
I saw clearly. I got clothes yearly
at Goodwill, thrift stores: clearly.
I have fallen, tripped, and ripped
my clothes. It’s the way it goes.
Instead of feeling bad for myself,
I slowly got up looking for help.
It didn’t take long before I found
a queen without the silly crown.
She was happy to show me around.
Within days, I learned how to sew.
With learning to sew, I learned how
to heal. Each time I fall, I recall many
lessons that lessen the hurt and pain.
When I fall, I know my wounds will
heal and my clothes can be stitched.
When there is nothing left but love,
that’s when my life’s been enriched.

Down in Flames

Fight fire with fire. See
the flames kiss the sky.
Watch the sparks fly.
Feel the temperature
rise as cold weather
dies. Think back to
a time when the clouds
cried. Feel the heat
rip like a baseball
hitting a catcher’s mitt.
Poison swirls inside
a dormant mind.
Love stays on
the brain as hate
goes down the drain.
When life knocks,
do not be afraid
to open the door.
When the heat rises,
try not to go down
in flames. Save your-
self. Ask for help
before you strike
matches that will
turn all into ashes.



Built to Destroy

Some are built to destroy,
to employ their evil onto
others. The good balances
out the bad. The happy
balances out the sad,
yet some are still mad.
Some are built to destroy
what others have built.
Some help fix problems
that others love to create.
The love balances out
the hate. There is death,
decay, and destruction
surrounding us. At any
moment, we can become
a part of the rubble, even
if we weren’t looking for
for the trouble. Bruised,
battered, and broken, I
look to salvage all that
I can before I kick the can.
I look to those built to
destroy and shake my head.
All that can be said is
“Don’t ruin a chance for
others to make their bed.”

Stuck in Space

No way of getting home,
I float endlessly throughout
the vast galaxy. I see nothing
but stars and planets. Human
life seems to be so far away.
I can’t be the only one inside
this place. There should be
another face, but that’s not
the case. My spacesuit and I
hover over sea and land.
I’ve seen the dark side
of the moon far too soon.
It’s a beautiful view above.
It’s not something that I love,
but it’s not something I hate.
It is me: stuck in space
with many moons to face.