OPEN MIC SUMMER ENCORE!
July, it's the Fourth!, 2000

sand
Melissa 

sand in your fingernails
sand between your toes
sand in your earholes
sand up your nose!!!

sand in your sandwich
sand on your banana
sand in your bath tub
sand in your pj's

sand in your sandals
sand in your hair
sand in your shorts
sand everywhere

~*~

Summer
Susan S

Lazy summer days
Filled with the gentle verdant jewel
Beneath wandering toes
And a silent ache for autumn.

Lazy summer days
Filled with the grains of time
Beneath a multitude of umbrellas
Shielding butter from the sky.

Lazy summer days
Filled with the watermelon juice-dripping fingers
Beneath a wide field of blue
Watching the earth's plentiful produce.

~*~

A Haiku
David A. Stilwell


Sun rising
mist upon the water
a cool morning breath
~*~

The Single's Ode to Valentines Day
Rachel Moyer 

One by one slowly falling
floating to the ground.
silently showing love's desertion
with a deafening sound.

Two by two it breaks,
a love that's grown apart
Some believe that Duct Tape
can mend a broken heart.

The flowers died, the chocolate's gone,
I hate those kissing games.
And Cupid really needs to practice,
for her surely lost his aim.

What do you have to show
for all this love and magic?
If all us single's had our way
Hallmark's fate would be tragic.

~*~

3 poems
 Mark Grenier

1. somewhere 
we’ll all be poets

we’ll all get grief out
and dance the colored dance 

we’ll sing 
our laughter 
and smiles 
no tears 

2. the beach at night 
with the rocks asleep 
where rain drops 
form in the sea 

3. where i want to live 

on a pattern of beauty 
stitched into thighs

fixed on her beating wings


~*~

MICHIGAN AFTERNOON HAIKU POEM
BY SAMIR ASFAHANI

POURING,WIND,FRENZY.
WALKING IN STORMY WEATHER.
DRIPPING SOCKS REMOVED.

~*~

Brandon
Amanda Kindt

Everyone has gotten picked on in school
By a nerdy friend or someone that thinks they are cool
Brandon was seventeen years old
To him everyone seemed cold
Big jock Mike called him a loser
Some even thought he was a drug user
One day Brandon got fed up
He thought he had finally had enough
He went home that day after school 
He went in his room and played some Tool
He glanced around the room and noticed the gun cabinet that was very dirty
Brandon took a look and decided to pull out the .30-. 30
He decided what he was going to do the next day at school
To him this was payback to the kids that thought they were cool
The next night the news found it to be sick and cruel
But they couldn't show Mike, Johnny, or even furious Brandon on the news in the dry blood pool
To this day there are stories saying that Mike and Johnny pleaded for forgiveness
But Brandon didn't have it in him to learn how to forgive them
~*~

The Freedom of the Druid
Chuck Dickerson 

The wisdom in the eyes drew me to the peasants.
I never wanted this crown i was presented.
The downfall of simple freedoms has caused my spite.
I fight with clubs and fire against my cruel family.
The gold they devour is useless to there lonely hearts.
I will follow the druids to sanctuary.
Escaping the evils of my father.
Feeding my spirit on the bliss of the world.
Now hidden from useless smiles and hollow words.
I finally found truth in life.
Love is here under this Oak.
Life is here beneath this dirt.
Beauty is here that i cant describe with words.
~*~

You Get What You Ask For
by Isaac M. O'Bannon

I used to find love in the worst candidates.
In a whore, or a stripper, or a 
foul-mouthed teenage slut.
She would inevitably hurt me, wrench
out my heart ,stomp it, chew it
up a little and then spit
it out into the toilet.

But i could accept this,
because I chose these women,
and not blindly.
It was the expected result,
you pick a shitty woman, you
get treated like shit.
I guess that's what I wanted.

But then I started to find love in
the best women.
The kindest, smartest women.
The most faithful.
The most beautiful.
And the love-making was even better than with
the bad women, but I have
managed to end this as well.

I have turned even a good woman to
break me.
I have made a tempered woman yell and kick me,
even throw a vase at me.
I can get a Godly woman to curse me,
I can turn her stunning beauty
into grotesque and beastly hate.

You get what you ask for.

~*~

NO MORE
Julian Woolhouse

Unjust is the memory:
A Moroccan bed, after the kebabs
Raw flesh on wine.

There was a similar time,
In the Ivory Coast.

~*~

normandy
by michael miron 

the waves that hit the beach that day
brought life and carried death
leaving their charges at our feet
to be sorted out
as best as we could
~*~

School hell
 david david

Suicidal by five,
A sad statistic by ten
Innocent fodder for the insecure masses
They destroyed his life and broke his glasses.
Former friends ignored his plight
Turned their backs and stepped from the light.

~*~

THERE'S A GHOST IN MY ROOM!!
Joel Bjorling

There's a ghost in my room,
He's shaking my bed;
He's getting so much attention,
He must have a big head.

I need to rest,
But I can't sleep;
I've tried everything,
Even counting sheep.

The ghost is pounding and shrieking
And carrying on,
I'm bound to go crazy
Before too long.

Where the ghost came from
I haven't a clue;
He could be from Mars
Or from Boo-ston, too.

If he wants to be friends,
He better follow the rules;
Stop that racket, ghost,
I've got to get to school!!

~*~

Life
Andrea Bozeman

Life is like a journey that has tiny steps 
from infant to adulthood-
Learning and processing information
at an acceratating rate-
Until one day the brain slowly forgets the little things
Like names and phone numbers-
Life is like a journey of events 
that evolves around a circle.
Will you complete the circle fast or slow?

~*~

THOUGHT IN A VACUUM
Julian Woolhouse

It occurs to me alone
That no
One
Knows

What I thinks
Still less believe

Fleetingly, one wonders
If this matters

Or not.
~*~

90 Miles
Jamie Cantrell 
my parents are divorced, and this poem is about how i hardly ever get to see my mom.

90 miles of asphalt lie
between my closest friend and I
The trip is short, it's plain to see
but 90 miles are killing me
Trips home are few, they don't last long
and leaving my mom just feels so wrong
Driving home is hard, tears cloud my eyes
and when I leave, mom always cries
I can remember her face anytime
as she has watched me pull away
I always want to turn around
I always want to stay
But we can't always have what we want
no matter how right it seems
So for now, because of 90 miles,
I'll only see mom in my dreams.
~*~

A LATE AUGUST EVENING
JAMES QUINTON

ALMOST PERFECT
AS THE SUN WENT DOWN
LEAVING ONLY YOU AND ME
LET ME TAKE YOUR HAND
AND LEAD YOU TO BE FREE
NATURE IS CALLING
I DO NOT WISH TO INTERVENE
THE MOON GRADUALLY RISING
LIKE CURTAINS ON A PLAY
A MIDNIGHT BREEZE SWEEPING AROUND US
BRINGING US TO OUR KNEES
I CAREFULLY BRUSH AWAY YOUR TEARS
I'M HOLDING YOU SO TIGHT

~*~

Looking Up
Afzal Moolla
When all seems lost and gloomy and you simply cannot find a bar, 
Grab your keys and jacket and jump into your car. 
Switch it on and drive away anywhere, 
But take it easy and slow, 
Enjoy the control that for once you have, and let that feeling grow. 
In this time machine where the rear view mirror's the past, 
The road ahead the future. 
And the present's just the throbbing beat of the music so fast. 
Then soak in the feelings that such moments bring, 
As you slip into 4th gear, 
And relish what may lie ahead, for once, 
And not dwell on the depressingly rear. 
Than perhaps you may even shed a tear, 
For all that slipped away and is lost forever, 
But remember, my friend, always remember, 
There'll always be another road, 
Another song, 
And may there always be another year. 

~*~

how to make love to the world
O.N.E.

make sure you are alone
find a warm spot
either on land or in shallow water
turn on your belly
close your eyes
not too tight
press your loins to the hard surface
imagine the sexiest person
in the sexiest pose
wants you 
but lives on the other side of the planet
say i love you more than anyone
at least three times
start grinding your hips
listen to your heart race
as the earth spins you off 
through space

~*~

Swans on The Garavogue
Andrea Santillo

Five cygnets follow their parents,
Dipping into the river and growing.
The nest appeared across the river
>From the reconstructed walk which
Now offered seats facing the birds.
How many will survive to breed
A new generation of mute swans?
No one knows but the breed will
Carry on and continue as it has
Since the very beginning, when
Their were fewer eyes to behold
This new life as it takes it
Place behind their patient parents.

~*~

Father
Christopher Angelo

I don't know him
But he dwells in my mind
He brought me in this world 
But left me behind.

My mom to raise me all alone
With no help at all
This man never to see me
This man never to call.

Still I am yet to see him
Yet to meet him
Only little thoughts of what he's like
Little and dim.

Maybe I will never see this man
Maybe not forever
But still I remain for some reason
To call this man my Father.
~*~

Impulse
J. Force

I must
Without regard
Succumb to the pressure
Of my contumacious yearning
To lie

~*~

A Drifting Thought
Cyndie Chavez 

Faint memories and drifting thoughts.I'm looking through my picture box,remembering times we use to share. Running your fingers through my hair, the nights we slept,the fights we had. We could never stay upset or mad. Your sweaty hands touch my skin. A new life we now begin. Our parents are starting to get upset. I seldom think of how we met. I know not how your life is going or if I'm in your thoughts.
~*~

The stars shine like a mid-winter's moon
As I engage into the space near the lonely gloom

Epileptic faces fill the room
When I have the time


The liars blind my everflowing rain
And in the darkness, the light is pain

Waning pride is so tame
For I am of the pine

Jeffrey Overing 

~*~

"Empty picture in an album"
Jason Hoaks

In a time of remembrance, I think of what I've lost,
And what you meant to me, what I gave up, and what it cost.
And when I look at those blue eyes,
I remember happy nights and cloudless skies.

And now, an empty picture is all that stares back at me.
And the smile once gave to me, is lost to all eternity.
And my heart grows heavy with shame,
Because, somehow, I know I'm to blame.

And the face

~*~

Bend
Vincent

I am hear, 
So shed no tear,
Everything is fine,
As long as you are mine
And so I am yours,
It bursts from my pores,
Until the end,
Past the final bend.

~*~

Colored Miasma
by Windsinger

I approach you,
Shimmering in your concrete grace,
Dazzled by the sexy, red waste.
Raw passion that is rigid and electric,
We paint a picture on canvas aesthetic.
My stroke is bold, surreal, and hard:
It's glorious, almost like a sculpted shard.
You perform your joy willingly,
As if to smear purple and blue
Through my colorless studio.
Used latex and cigarette smoke silhouette,
My masterpiece demands a loving breath,
As I suffer a fiery death.
I long to capture your pain,
As you scream at me
Through the mud and rain,
"Leave this shadowy dream
Of black painted white,
Of our dark red green,
And the cold, empty light." 

~*~

"Hello Can you hear me?"

i speak to you so close,
hello can you hear me?
you don't respond...you
walk away...you walk away.

i see you often ya know,
but don't you see me?
you do see me...don't you?
you walk away...you walk away.

the wind blows your hair, i 
realize your beauty is so enchanting
i embrace you, you walk through me
can't you feel me?

will you come back? you will won't you?
it's sometimes lonely here, i caress
your face you pause as if...as if ...but
then you move on...you move on.

but not before you place the roses
on the hard stone...bye...bye...for
now...please, come back.

by Carmen known as girl on a mission

~*~

Cheap Thrills
 Margaret Haugen

Clouds of smoke float over us
Shadowed figures wander by in this
Waiting place
As a light mist falls on our transparent flesh

Existentialists
We are, we are
In it for the moment
Living for the rush of blood
The life that flows through us
Electric
We are, we are

Waiting for our worlds
To fall from the heavy shoulders of Atlas
Into the darkened sea of our demons
We will soon do battle again

~*~

Me
Anna Moss 

What once made sense is forgotten now
how distant history can seem
a month ago seems like a year or so
reality is no more than a dream

I want what I want, it's as simple as that
me, not you, not them
did you hear what I said? I'll say it again and again
me, not you, not them

What business of yours can you possibly find
in the life that I choose to live
happiness for me is what's important to me
I'll take, I don't have to give

The best of me that once flowed from me
lies deep within my heart
It's bottled inside me, hidden inside me
from you, I'll keep it apart

What's important to me is so easy to see
I don't care if you're bothered or hurt
I'll do as I please, it's me that I please
not you, not them, just me

Why does it hurt you, not that I care
what harm is it to you
or him, or her, or even her
the things I do, I do

Never I'll change, there's comfort in me
I want what I want when I want it
The lives that I blemish mean nothing to me
They should learn to be more like me

This litter around me, get away from around me
can't you see that you're slowing me down?
so many little pieces, so many small parts
the litter of broken hearts

~*~

"Quiet"
Jason Hoaks

During the quiet times, I reflect.
Keeping the good memories; the bad, I reject.

Silent tears, and wistful prayers.
Empty eyes in a picture stares.

Echoes of whispers, from distant past.
Sound of your voice, fading fast.

Hint of a touch, upon my face.
Reviving memories in my quiet place.

My heart aches, from undiminished pain.
I would give the whole world to see you again.

Echoes and spider-webs are all that remain.
Leaving behind traces of quiet pain.

Lonely nights of quiet tears.
No arms around me to ease my fears.

Deep in my heart you'll always remain.
But time has come, for me to leave behind my quiet pain.

~*~

NO DOUBT
Philip Taylor 

I COULDN'T HELP BUT TO FEEL THE ENERGY
THE CHEMISTRY
THE SPARKS
WE SAT ON THE SWING
SOAKING WET 
WITH THE SMELL OF CHLORINE ON US
THEN YOU RESTED YOUR HEAD ON MY SHOULDER 
AND I DID THE SAME
IT WAS THERE!
LOVE
IN THE AIR
ALL AROUND

~*~

I’LL TRY
Joshua S. Barber

"Dedicated to a good friend"

I don’t know you all to well to say I love you 
but, I’ll try,
I don’t know how else to show you
but, I’ll try,

But instead I’ll try to remember;
Elephants,
Brazil,
Pink and Green,
and having a big house to fill,

Fall,
Living life for God,
Singing,
and loving kids a lot,

I wish I could continue being a good friend
And, I’ll try,
I can be there for you at every bad dreams end
And, I’ll try,

But for now I’ll;
Wait,
Forget,
Comfort,
And thank God for the day we met,

Hope, 
Pray,
Dream,
And help you out on any day,

But,
before the night catches up and dissipates the day, 
I hope you know I see you as a good friend,
And for that I want no end,

And despite my mistakes,
and all the screw ups,
I still want that closeness,
friendship,
and fellowship,

And for that I’ll try…….
~*~

The Death of a Spontaneous Poem 
david treadway

Bleeding trees in Californ
while thick hands dictate the morn
caressing sap this life is porn
a whore to which were born

consternation under sights
the eyes that see into the night 
and rape us underneath the lights
and steals the wrong from right

USA Today the news 
of sorted truths 
and rich men blues
fifty cents i paid my dues
to read of trees and yous

rhythmic circles banging tubs
midnight murders fathers hugs 
and all the latest talk of drugs
perhaps some salt kills slugs

undeniable is the way 
the world in which we live today 
and trees are dying in LA
and pride is for the gay

Alas the Fire sweeping sound
all the rich are underground 
screams are frequent ash abound
poems are all around

prophetic jib and boxing jab
comedic lib and knives that stab
saints that give and thieves that grab 
the whole world loves to blab

now for the death of this poem
trees are dying i dont know em
bleeding while the beetles blow em
that ll surely show em!
~*~

The more you chew, the more you goo…
Wallace A. Zard

The gum I saw sitting there, next to the bed
Was not really gum, but X-Lax instead
I eight seven pieces, seven or eight
Within fifteen minutes, I didn’t feel great…

Indeed I felt awful, terrible in fact
It felt like my gut was no longer intact
It felt as a bowling ball, grew from inside
Pushing and churning with nowhere to hide…

I rushed for the bathroom, just down the hall
But like Humpty Dumpty, I had a great fall
Over a skate board, flat on my face
My belly was burning, this wasn’t the place…

Again to my feet, I staggered in pain
This horror inside I must flush down the drain
Into the bathroom, slamming the door
A sound, smell and feeling I’d not had before…

Forty five minutes, I sat and believed
The end of my life is what I had achieved
But after the odorous, hideous sounds
I had survived it, and lost thirteen pounds…

~*~

Flying 
Lina Pham

The ephemeral whispers of the Wind 
Were playing by my very soul. 
Oh! See where to it flows- 
To the envied halls of eternity 
Or the majestic heights of heaven. 

I raced through the boundless garden 
With wings adhering both my feet 
And yet- a step away it always was 
For as hard as I pursue, it remained, 
From the tip of my finger beyond. 

Awaken I had, but found it had flee 
To the distant hills of enchantment 
Near the green garden of Eve. 
Wish as I will, in embittered vain 
For sadly all it really was- 

Was just my soul... 
In Flight. 

~*~

LIFE AS YOU SEE IT
JON


LIFE AS YOU SEE IT IS PERFECT. THAT LIFE ALWAYS HAS A HAPPY ENDING, BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS. PEOPLE GET HURT AND DON'T REKINDLE FOR MONTHS YEARS OR EVEN NEVER. SOME THING THAT LIFE IS SHORT SO DRINK AND SMOKE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME. PEOPLE SAY EAT, DRINK, SLEEP FOR TOMORROW COULD BE YOUR LAST DAY ON EARTH, BUT YOU COULD DIE THAT DAY YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT, PEOPLE GO TO PHYSICS TO SEE THEIR FUTURE OR THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT DOESN'T THAT SCARE YOU SOMEONE KNOWS THE DAY YOU DIE, WOULD YOU WANNA SLEEP IF YOU KNEW YOU WERE GONNA DIE THE NEXT DAY. ALSO HOW MANY PEOPLE LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND SAY TO THEMSELVES TODAY I'LL TAKE MY LIFE, OR TODAY IS MY LUCKY DAY, PEOPLE THINK SO OPTIMISTIC AND SOME THINK CYNICAL, AND OTHERS THINK LIKE ME.... WISE, BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND NOTHING LAST FOREVER LIKE YOU... THANK YOU

~*~

Talking Through A Tear
 Charles Vandever 

For all my life I took for granted that she would never leave.
But now she's gone, to never return. Why can't this be a dream?

For twenty years, I held her dear, so deeply to my heart.
Now it seems so criminal that we be torn apart.

I can't describe the pain I feel. Why am I so confused?
She fought so hard. She wanted to live. So, tell me, why did she lose?

I've never loved another soul, nor respected one so much,
As I do this angel that I can't see, that I can't smell or touch.

But, I know she's there, guiding me. She's helping lead the way.
Down the road toward understanding why she went away.

She meant so much, she brought me life. Mother was her name.
But in the end, she lost her fight. Cancer won the game.

I talk to her every night and I pray that she can hear,
Everything I say to her, though I'm talking through a tear.

~*~

Poetic Injustice
samantha kirkham

Three years to the day,
Three years to the hour,
And all that's to blame is a misjudgment of power,
It was just "an experiment",
That's what they say,
But the price is too big,
For what we have to pay,

You don't realize what's good for you,
Until it's gone,
But the feelings of what were once,
Still carry on,
You can't take away feelings,
Of happiness and joy,
Because those feelings still live on,
For me to enjoy,

All that's left now is a tear in my eye,
A longing to go back,
And a question of...
Why?

~*~

SHARE
 hotoil

You sat me down in front of the fireplace, 
nervous and shaking. 
Urgency slid from between your lips and 
hid in the waiting flesh 
in the depths of my ear. 
Nodding, I grab the meaning of my existence 
and place it in your awaiting fingertips. 
You are silent, too silent for you 
Quicksilver words float from my thirsty lips 
I have a hunger beyond your comprehension 
I hunger for that which I cannot touch, 
that which I cannot see 
I am transformed, 
looking through your eyes at the open book in your lap 
You melt into me, 
pleading for me to translate the heavy words and 
coppery warnings 
I take the book and read 
Words fall as tears from my lips 
Praying in Psalms I think I have reached you 
Desire folds beneath my chin 
I read you words from a book you will never 
understand 

~*~

My Mind
Wallace A. Zard

Sadly world regression has
Undefined the scope
Of what could be, and happily
Removed all of my hope…

A scattered realm of nothingness
Nothing in it’s space
Existing in some other time
Perhaps another place…

Hopelessness is not a term
It is my day to day
I’d like to live my wasted time
In any other way…

Depression seems the anecdote
Complacency a sin
Nothing seems to bring to bear
The state of mind I’m in…

And though I may seem rational
Though I may seem sane
Someday I’ll let this monster out
So you can feel the pain…

~*~

It's all because of ME
Hope Charm

When I saw your dark eyes and your huge smile,
An idea of you and me made me go wild.
I wanted you badly,but you ruined my dreams,
You attempted suicide and yes that's how it seems.
I thought I've lost you a long time ago,
but you were still here not that long ago.
It was all my fault, I shouldn't let you go.
You needed my help and I let you down.
I wasn't there for you,I'm the one to blame
It's all because of ME a goddess of Hell. 
I don't want to be one,don't want to be blame,
But this poem is true and it's a shame.
It was easy to let you down, but it's hard to bring you back up,
But I'm going for it, because you're worth it sweetheart.
I'm going to do it, because it'll make me so proud.
I'm willing to help you, i want to achieve my dream,
and you're willing to do it and yes that's how it seems.

~*~

Empty
Rachel 

Eating through lost control,
gnawing to the bones,
feeding it as if an empty hole,
weight was your lonely friend,
enjoy looking down on junkies,
who would stop to end,
no one had cried on that thin chest,
no one had understood,
could it have possible been a test,
sharp green, blue, eyes,
thin, blonde, hair over your face,
to try and cover up secrets which do lay,
lost control of everything but this,
which you completely understood,
but controlled, through markings on your wrists.

~*~

For you
Daniel James Cassidy

Every night I lie in bed,
close my eyes and think of you,
while I drift off...

I try to imagine how life could be,
if you were with me every day;
just you and I,
hand in hand,
'til death do us part...

What a wondrous vision I can conjure,
with just the mere thought of that!
I pray one day,
I will not have to imagine,
at night, alone, in the dark anymore,
but that I can place my arms around you,
under the covers,
and fall asleep peacefully;
not thinking of you nor imagining you,
but holding you and having you...and only you,
forever...
I love you so much...

~*~

Its days like this that i remember...
and the feeling of emptiness, that i had been able to mask with the hustle and bustle of daily activity, becomes oh so noticeable to my weary heart
julie lil

~*~

IT'S MOUNTAINS THAT COME TO ME...
 Ambika Bhatt

its mountains that come to me
in the deep of the night
they spread mist over the valleys
of my soul
they calm me with their breath
they tell me not to lose strength.

the trees in my garden talk to me
each tree a character in its own right
my favourite is the neem tree
it tells me to have faith in nature
and in God…
it tells me to only look for truth.

the sky above me
has ached to know me
more intimately
…I know…
I know the sky…
always there above me…
covering me from the cosmic forces
of the universe…
eating up the fiery anger of the stars…
the sky…
the immense sky…
above me…
loves me… and keeps reminding me
that it does…
it tells me not to give up
not to become weak
it promises me strength
as vast as itself
if only I “will” hard enough.

1706hrs; 6.6.00;India.

~*~

The Storm
Kristy Holtz

The clouds roll in; the sky turns gray.
I hold you tight and feel you slip away.

Right through my fingers like loose grains of sand,
You fall to oblivion, never to be seen again.

And as the waves crash around us, you're swept from the shore.
You float out so far until I can't feel you anymore.

Thunder rolls in the distance; the tides begin to rise.
I see you one last time as I close my eyes.

You're too far gone now to ever get back.
Lightening splits the sky and tears me in half.

The storm is approaching; my world grows dark.
Now that you've fallen away and stolen my heart.

~*~

~Falling For You~
 Corinne 

falling into this trap
which sends me soaring
deep into the sparkling blue of your mirrors,
those windows into your soul;
I could get lost and never find my way out,
but I wouldn't mind;
I could lose myself in you,
with you,
beside you,
and find something new there;
I could find you
and never want to leave;
I'd never want to leave you,
your warmest touch,
your sweetest smile,
your gentle kiss;
all this in an instant,
as I fall willingly into this trap.
~*~

Realization:
Roland Ermore

All that is written
Forced upon to be
She wanders facing lies
Submerged in Commonality
The remorse so true
Tangible Reality
Stitched so tight
Hidden in Misery
Never mined Love
Ignore your dreams
The Curse is planted
A seed from serpent's tree
Never will be seen
All but those so few
Without any color
She will Follow as they do

~*~

I see you
with ice cream staining your little face
or laughing at the wind
and I wonder where you are
your heart was so full of life then
in those moments when it seemed
the laughs would never end
and your smile would light the days to eternity
my friend
my confidante
my co-conspiritor
we held hands and jumped together
us two
sharing in just being
when life was simple
as it should be
and you 
where here
 Lisa Lorraine Wilson 

~*~

River of Love
by Stewart Brown for AMA 6/13/00

Wide as the Grand Canyon,
And surging like the sea
It flows with wild abandon
It’s the passion for you in me

And it’s a river; it’s a river of love for you.

It’s forever ongoing
And will never dry up;
Unconditionally flowing,
Your world to fill up

With love; it’s a river of love for you.

It can wash away and heal
All the sorrow and the pain,
Flowing nurturing love
Past the clouds and the rain

In your life; it’s a river of love for you.

But it runs at each turn
Into the levees and dams
That wall off your heart
From the river that I am

For you; yes, I’m a river of love for you.

Please, open the floodgates
Of your life to this force;
Let me flow into your heart,
Help me prove with your choice

That I’m a river; that I’m a river of love for you.

~*~

Insensitive
Sonya M.

Why do I waste my heart on you?
You don't care about me, it's evident in those little things you do and don't do
You broke my heart and left it laying here and there, scattered all around
And you won't even say a single word to me now to help me pick it up off the ground
Why are you so insensitive to me, do you think I'm made of stone?
I doubt you ever even stop and think of me, now that you've left me all alone
Your thoughts used to be so filled with me, until sudden clarity burst the bubble
And torn asunder, you left my insides shredded the same as yours over your razor-like rubble
After all this time, my heart just won't stop hurting and this pain still stabs at me like the sharpest knife
But no comfort do you bother to offer me, after all, it's no longer your problem, it's only my life....
You could care less nowadays how I am doing, where I go, or what I do
I filled my position of "rebound girl" not so well, I realized all too soon, so now I don't matter to you
And although loving you is like a crime against myself, my heart just will not let me let go
So please tell me what am I supposed to do, I'm so lost in the thicket of you that somehow continues to grow.

~*~

THERE'S A WALL WE'VE BUILT BETWEEN US
A WALL THAT'S YOURS AND MINE
A WALL THAT WE CAN'T BREAK
A WALL THAT WE CAN'T CLIMB
BUT ME, I KEEP ON TRYING
TO BREAK THIS WALL SO WIDE
BUT YOU, YOU STAND STILL ON THE OTHER SIDE.


WILL THIS WALL EVER LEAVE US
AND CRUMBLE INTO STONE
SO THAT WE CAN BE AS ONE AGAIN
NOT DIVIDED BY THIS WALL OF OURS
ALONE...

 DEB MUTTON 
~*~

The Rose
Cera Mctague

The rose is delicate but strong 
She opens her soft petals and embraces
The sunlight, capturing the attention of all who see.
All of nature stares in awe of her beauty. 
Though delicate and frail she is 
Strong and powerful carrying herself as tall 
As she can reach, higher than those around her, 
Reaching the sky and grabbing each and every star she 
Pursues. She stands strong through wind and rain,
Never letting anybody or anything 
Tear her down.
The rose is delicate and frail,
Yet strong and powerful.
The rose is you.

~*~

the sun fills the world with light
yet here it is always night
darkness blocking off my sight
this blackness i cannot fight

it seems i live in the past
and my life had changed too fast
the sadness is ever so vast
in sorrow i cannot last

spirits lie low in the day
so why am i still their prey
and now ghosts have blocked my way
these demons i cannot slay

are you pleased to see me cry
happy my tears will not dry
and all i can ask is why
from this world i cannot fly

my soul can never be free
i cannot let go of thee
so the past will torture me
without you i cannot be
xiaosi du

~*~

You speak, I listen
You walk, I follow
You remind me constantly of your love.

I speak, you listen
I walk you follow
I remind you of my undivided love for you.

I was once told, that I would never know love
but that person was wrong.
I know love, I see love, I feel love and I here love.
When I met you, I found love.
Anne 

~*~

It's been along time, 
why haven't you called
or written me letters,
I asked you this for the first time in twenty-two
years.
When the phone rang, I noticed the caller display with
your name on it, I was just going to let it ring but I
am glad I didn't.
I can't believe that you are probably going to die
before I even get to meet you.
I always said that I never cared whether or not you
lived or died,
but all that was an act to hide my true feelings,
I am sorry I will never get to see you, 
and I am sorry I never gave you a chance to be my Dad.

I hope things can be different in our next lives.

Anne Hayduk

~*~

"Aria"
Alaina Salks

I used to sing to the night
and to all of his stars,
And he,
he used to kiss my forehead,
softly,
with whispering lips, 
and leave beads of dew 
dripping from
my eyelashes.
And he also,
also, would whisk me away
with arms of summer breeze. And I 
would fall in love with him,
and his brisk smell of lavender,
And his servants would bathe me
in the warm streams of summer,
while I fell asleep,
Listening,
to the sounds of the night.

~*~

The Lion's Voice
Stephan Croft 

when it's dark
I hear it.

when I'm alone
I hear it.

when I see lions
I hear it.

when I see a dark hallway
I hear it.

the lions voice is
haunting why won't it go away?

it's voice tells
me of the future.
It never seems
to stop.

when I close my eyes
I hear it.

when I think of him
I hear it.

every day and night
I hear it.

the lions voice
is his and his alone.

It was a different lion
now his soul that is in it.

as I write this
I hear the lion's voice.

I hear it!
I hear it!!
I hear it!!!

why won't it go away?
please stop haunting me.

~*~

The whispers of the day we met 
Get lost upon the wind, 
But I know that I won't forget 
When you became my friend. 

And as our paths begin to cross 
Less and less each day, 
I'll always be here for you 
Even if you're far away. 

I want to be there with you
As we both learn how to fly,
And never doubt my shoulder's here
For everytime you cry.

I'll treasure all the times we've shared 
These memories mean so much, 
I'll keep them always in my heart 
Where no one else can touch. 

And now, as we say good-bye 
I wonder how I'll live, 
Without you each and every day 
Without the love you give. 

The smallest things from day to day 
Have made this all worthwhile, 
And when a memory comes to mind 
I know I'll always smile. 

You'll be forever in my soul 
Forever in my heart, 
There's always been a place for you 
You've been there from the start. 

Katie

~*~

I feel as if my whole world has come to an end,
It’s like I have no pieces to pick up and start from again.
Everything is over and through,
But yet I’m awake every night thinking of you.
As I go through pictures and memory’s from the past,
It makes me realize we never would have last.
I loved you so much you were everything to me,
Yet she came along and you thought she was better than me.
How could you do it and make me so sad,
I’d do anything for you to make sure you weren’t mad.
I've shed so many tears and so much sorrow for you,
And still I can’t believe it’s finally through.
You’ve hurt me so bad and made me so blue,
But yet I don’t want things to be over with you.
I’m so confused and so sad,
What did I do to make you hurt me so bad?
 Brandy Killmer 

~*~

C H A N C E
 leyla jalilie 

There seems no innocence but dreams not lived in my constant state of awareness.
CHANCE in my expression, one may know the rythm of my convictions.
Emotions are high, they're low, but never part of a whole-hearted love for fear has ended this journey that CHANCE has given as a gift, for the moment.
If by CHANCE I have found complete-ness within, how shall I expose this?
Life has takes so much, not from myself but the part of me that exists in the lives of those no longer lived.
An empty glass when one grows thirsty for this thing called "love"..
but is it real? Are YOU thirsty? 

...IF there is a CHANCE...take it... 

~*~

Fantasy World
James E.

Here we are in a fantasy world, just living our lives away, none of us
knows what we're doing, we're just living from day to day.
Our lives are but a little green leaf, attached to a large oak tree,
tossed and turned upon the wind, we cry to be set free.
But endlessly we hang there, being twirled around and around, each of
us are yearning, someday to reach the ground.
For on the ground is reality, and that's the thing we need, the things
of that world, our empty minds to feed.
We cannot do it by ourselves, but no one will give us a hand, so forever
we will hang here, in our own little fantasy land.
~*~

Untitled
Matt Suomi 

Why you came into my life I do not know. Is it the pleasures of life you
want to show? The way you make me happy I am beginning to like.
If you ever got into trouble it is for you I would fight, and I would hold you
close all through the night.
I hope she doesn't listen to people when they say stuff about me. It is not
true for this I will make you see.
I am a great person all around. I am so glad it was me that you have found.
I will show you what a great friend I can be after I show you the whole world 
will see.
They will see me in a whole new light. For now they can see me without
putting up a fight.

~*~

ALONEALONE
 Sally DeLorenzo 

ALONE
Just let me be
All by myself
So I can see
And maybe find
That inner power
From deep within
And save my soul.
Control my mind.
These dreadful thoughts
Keep slinking in.
So unlike me
And yet I know
The hurt I feel
Will not let go.
A calming breath
A gentle touch
Can sometime soothe
And help so much.
Much better now…….

~*~

YOU
Alicia Leal 

You said you'd never hurt me
My heart you'd never break
You promised love
But were telling only lies
My heart was true
My love complete
I gave to you my very soul
But you lied
You walked out of my life
You left with half of me.
Broken promises
Love lost
Tears I cried wishing I could die
The rain falling inside and out
Maybe I'll get over you
Maybe I'll get by
But all I really want
Is to give you another try.

~*~

For You
maryssa


chocolates and flowers, 
lemon-drop showers, 
hearts 
and ribbons and bows, 
paper
cut-outs of stars, 
and greeting cards . . .
but a rose for the one 
I love most. 
~*~

Desire
jacquelyn brooks

I have this desire 
That nothing satisfies
No water can dowse this fire
Passions ignite to amplify
These longings that never tire

Oh, How I ache for satisfaction
Throbbing for more
For this desire I have no cure
All I can say is I need more ACTION

~*~

THE ROSE
alison mann

A rose, alone in the garden
Shadowed with death
Pleading for life
To give it one last breathe

Its existence is wanted
But hard to maintain
And the reason it wilts,
Impossible to explain

Once it was beautiful
Surrounded by life
It’s color and vibrancy
Were sharp as a knife

The color did fade,
And the petals did fall
Until it was left with one chance
To gain back it all

So it was left alone
Grasping for life so strong
So that it could re-enter the life
Into which it belongs

With much struggle and time
This rose bloomed once more
With a promise to never
Return to how it was before

~*~

breath
michael p. miller

breath
close your eyes
feel
the wind
whisper softly against your skin
the sun
radiant energy
mirror of your soul
~*~

Angels
Marianela Dorado 

You are the angels.
The angels who are white,
White like unicorns crashing their bright corns onto the pink sky.
You move so quiet,
Quiet like tigers searching their meals, spying on an inoffensive deer.
You are the children,
So genders that giggle around the candles of night and that make me feel save.
You are the children that play around me,
Reveling me a secret of generosity.
You are the angels, who fly with silver wings,
Wings made of feathers that run into the air like soft spears,
Making the music of paradise heaven by massaging the air.
Music, so peaceful like whist leaves dancing in the autumn air.
I am so desperate to hear the melodies made by your mermaid eyes.
The gold circles worn over your heads,
Are signs of sincerity and honesty.
And the playing of your harps,
Make the sweet sounds that awaken the night of my eyes. 
~*~

Calling God
Robin Maley 

Life is such a lonely road,
when you have a heavy load.

Talk to your father above,
he will send down all his love.

He holds you in his hand,
you are heir to his land.

You are never alone,
pick up your prayer phone.

Your woes will banish,
problems will vanish.

Cover yourself in love,
God's gentle as a dove.

Is your back against the wall?
He is waiting for your call!

~*~

From across the room
You made me love
Your eyes touched my soul
And seduced my weak heart
Across The Room

Locked in our sight
We tangle in thought
And fight for breath
To breathe
We see our lives being told
By how we stare
Your first bliss under the night
My lost hope with the world
And how we're locking
To catch a dream

From across the room
You made me love you
Because 
I saw hope with a starry kiss
And 
From across the room 
you were there
For you to love me
And for you to stare

Donny Wabasse

~*~

I remember,
I remember the way that you made me feel,
You made me feel as if everything was right in the world,
As if it would be us together,
Forever,
Only deep down,
I knew that couldn't be,
You still fill me with emotions so strong,
I don't know what's come over me,
Although its been a while since I've seen you,
I still love you, and I will always,
I will always,
Remember you.
 Rachael Cool

~*~
Walk the earth
Susan Beattie 

I walked the earth alone
No one to share lonely times,
No one to keep warm at night,
No one to kiss me tenderly.
Then I saw love standing,
There in front of me, i knew
He was what id been searching for,
My soul mate, my energy, my light,
Showering down on me, like summer rain,
Timeless, forever love...
We walked the earth hand in hand.

~*~

Breaking up
Breanne

I wish I weren't such a coward,
I wish I'd just get it over with;
Always playing around,
But never following through,
The cuts are healing on my wrists.

I just keep staring at the phone,
Like maybe that will make you call;
But you never do, 
You never follow through,
You make me feel so fucking small.

And now I know how it's gonna be, 
You're here one day and the next you're gone;
You left me again, 
Now I'm sitting alone,
Writing you this stupid song.

What the hell goes on in your mind?
You know I love you when you're kind.
But the moments when I feel the best,
Just don't seem to wanna last.

Maybe someday I'll kiss you again,
I guess there's highs for all the lows;
But I'm mad at you,
And if I kiss you again,
I'm gonna keep my mouth closed.

~*~

Afraid To Love
Tonni Ferguson

I'm afraid to love again
I ask you to understand
The only one i have ever loved
left my heart a burnt land
I'm afraid fulfillment will exclude me
In a lifetime does it ever come twice
Anything less would surely undo me
I choose not to pay that price
i'm afraid to again feel that pain
that consumed me in the end
I couldn't bear it another time
As my vulnerable heart did before
I'm afraid to give my all
Though you promise
The same in return
Love may again flee
like a busy bee
And to give less than my all
would be unfair to you
you deserve so much more
a love dedicated and true
i want to love again
in the way i am capable of
i will not settle for less
i need everlasting love
at this moment i have nothing to hope for
nothing else to give
i've been robbed of one of life's many treasures
it's only reason to live
i am so vulnerable at this time
i fear what my actions will be
i will not make a decision until my heart is free
i love you as a friend
and i want to do what's right
help me heal a while longer
i'll listen with all my might
i need to be worthy of what you offer
so there's no loss
only gain
i never want to cause anyone this kind of pain
especially not you
so please be patient with me
i love you as a friend

~*~

Paintbrush
Bettie Youngs

I keep my paintbrush with me
Wherever I may go,
In case I need to cover up
So the real me does not show.
I'm so afraid to show you me,
Afraid of what you'll do .. that
You might laugh or say mean things.
I'm afraid I might lose you.

I'd like to remove all my paint coat's
To show the real, true me,
But I want you to understand,
I need you to accept what you see.
So if you'll be patient and close your eyes,
I'll strip off my coats real slow.
Please understand how much it hurts
To let the real me show.

Now my coats's are all stripped off
And I feel naked, bare and cold,
And if you still love me with all that you see,
You are my friend pure as gold.

I need to save my paint brush though,
And hold it in my hand,
I want to keep it handy
In case somebody does not understand.

So please protect me my dear friend
And thanks for loving me true,
But please let me keep my paintbrush with me,
Until I love me too.