In Stead

Take what you gave
What they so freely took
Back

Un-name it
Re-name it
Yours again now
To own
To celebrate
To sing and dance about

To hold

Now This instead of That

To release
As You Wish
And never for takers to taste

X Y Zenith

Just this one more line
Just this one more time
But I would have drowned

If you’d meant to change
If it were the day
Strength you should have found

Boundaries are most real
Boundaries helped me heal
Cross none sacred ground

the outcome

maybe he’ll choose me

and not spend his paycheck at the bar Friday night

maybe he’ll choose me

and hold my hand in front of his friends

maybe he’ll choose me

and be more proud of my strong, strong intellect and kind, kind heart than my long, long legs and rockstar beauty that fades

maybe he’ll choose me

and listen — finally — to the daggers flying from his lips into my soul

maybe he’ll choose me

and withhold his wandering eyes from these fleeting days that we promised to us, and us alone

maybe he’ll choose me

and fight for me

when I, at last, chose me

because he didn’t choose me

Gentlepoet

Boundaries

Drawing them in bold, black ink and silvery stardust

Screaming-streamed across the age-old sky

Can do nothing to take back my life

Can it

Filters

Weaving them with silken strands and begging hands

Humbly offered across the communal table

Will do nothing to bring back the gentleman

Will it