The Question

"How are you?"

And there are no right answers,

Only left out truths.

"How are you doing?"

So much pain,

Feels like dying.

But that is not,

what you asked.

"How are you?"

Rhetoric; stipulation,

Compelling perjury.

"I am...

Fine"

Kevin M. Shear

12-16-10

Submitted to Jingle Poetry for Poetry Potluck.

The Observer

The fan over the bar spins hypnotically.

Voices share stories;
Compare experiences.

I sit;
Listen.

And the fan still spins.

Magpie #44 (Her Forever)

Image from Magpie Tales

Her Forever

She kept it.

Leaning on the foyer wall,

Reminding of him so small,

Keeping him forever young.

He left it.

Walking out the door,

Striding off to war,

Grinning, the journey begun.

She sees it.

Heading out to shop,

Cleaning with her mop,

Loving him like no other.

He sees it.

Dreaming, praying, crying,

Slowing breath, quickly dying,

Thinking of his mother.

She keeps it,

Leaning, reminding, keeping,

Him forever.

Magpie #43

To some home is hope.

Dwelling in purgatory,

My home is a cage.

Immage from Magpie Tales

Magpie #42

I had always sought after,

Recognition,

Acceptance,

And praise.

But now I'm learning,

Self-worth,

Intrinsic value,

And pride.

Trophies often tarnish.

Immage from-Magpie Tales

Fall of Man

Slither, slank,

Under plank,

And over rocky shore.

Clicker, klacken,

Goes the Kraken,

Tearing man to core.

Piercing, plushing,

Often rushing,

To drain the voyage store.

Creeping, Crad,

Runs the mad,

Makes the world his whore.

Nagging, null,

Breaks the hull,

Shredding skin I wore.

Leering, lesting,

Never besting,

Those of neither and nor.

Nature's Hope

Allowed to run free,

Bounding over grassy hill.

Complacently preparing,

Dedicated to survival.

Extending lean body through air,

Flying, for just an instant.

Grounded in purpose,

Hope is born in such things.

Envy

I envy you,

With disease that ends in cure or demise,

With a blind eye for the sweetness of pain.

Forever will the sun burn the flesh of limb,

Eternity never seemed so dark.