Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Butterflies and Bullies



I sleep wide awake between
butterflies and bullies
counting sheep morphed into tribes.

With the new social of antisocial
agree is God and truth is the devil
when it survives the river of lies.

Mining hope from empty, finding
beauty in bare, I fly what could be
instead of a sky polluted with dead air.

In the If Not Now Then When,
The Gray of Blind, even a flicker of peace
can feed a spirit who faces another mountain to climb.

©Susie Clevenger 2019




Friday, October 25, 2019

Nigrum Somnium Dicat



I use a spoonful of light to feed my darkness,
bits of glitter to bedazzle dread.

In the hollow of abandoned I place my ribs,
drink dust of tears, spin fantasies in my head.

Fear has a scent my nose can detect,
cloying ammonia, musty stench of deflect.

Like it or not I know what you fear.
I’m the whisper sting stalking your ear.

Lilies bloom in shallow breath,
graying skin, cackling death.

The candle wick will make shadows larger,
conjure secrets, burn lies through your armor.

I’m the nightmare ruling your dreams,
burning your peace, courting your screams.

©Susie Clevenger 2019

It is October so my mythical twist is pure Halloween.



Sunday, October 20, 2019

Reconstruction

The Architect by Erik Johansson

I draw myself inside out,
the living me uncovered,
uncensored, rooms full of gems
and rotten fruit.

Vulnerable tastes like cheap wine,
the kind that gives indigestion,
a false bravado too drunk
to weigh consequences.

I am of wild dreams, foul words,
heart bleed, civil war between
night monsters and forgiveness,
and a mind that sleeps but never rests.

This blood letting of black ink collects
on white pages, spills around my feet
in an origami hell of crushing frustration.

I don’t know where I will stand after demolition,
when buzzards circle to pluck truth into rumor.
Freedom will leave scars, friends will try to rebirth me
to fit into their acceptance and enemies will gold eye glee.

I am done carrying weight, reorganizing my crazy,
dancing to the tune of suggestions I get over
what I am working through… I am doing all I can
to stand up while falling.

 ©Susie Clevenger 2019

Dedicated to those who struggle with depression.