Poets of Our Time

Once in a while, when the earth and moon align the right way, life brings you together with new acquaintances, who quickly turn into friends. I’ve had the pleasure recently of getting to know two people, Jessica Keck and Rene Marie Rogers, who I have learned are exceptional poets. I wanted to take this week’s blog to show you their work. They interpreted a short story of mine (Center Lane), and put its essence into poetry. So, sit back, grab a cup of coffee andindulge is some great words.

Thank you Jessica and Rene for sharing your thoughts.

STRANDED

by Jessica Keck, copyright 2009

Nothing makes the blade of your mind as sharp as betrayal

Dulling your conscious thought of wrong and right

Before they came to fill you with light

You were stranded, waiting in the tribunal

Breathing in, breathing out; so small a trip

One step, two steps, down the center lane

As you carry the coffer of your soul

Sounds faded and vision blurred

Allowing your deliverance to bear the torn scream of, “YES! This day it will start!”

And so it did

So subtly did it have you consumed

So blatantly cavalier was your assurance

Of the day you would hold them forever

Yes! Forever, they are yours.

No matter their deeds, no matter their lies

The bars of a prison are seen from both sides

Feeling so cold and smooth

As you must remember to be

Here you are, stranded again

Oh, but not for long; lose the couth

Mark every breath, measure every step

Embrace the repetition of that last scene

You know the one

The very one that gleaned the birth of vengeance

Now the strands of inner fury weave the stillness of your movements

You will not leave the stranded

Take your turn in the center lane

Swiftly running to demand it

Smells are pungent, noises are amplified

Again time stands perfectly still

Cajoling your conscience – you are sane

Ba-bump. Ba-bump.

Two hearts now stranded

As the rivers of life’s elixir recede into the night

Forever entwined

Purgatoreality

by Rene Marie Rogers, Copyright 2009

Time stands still

Animated suspence

Physical existence fades

Hell to pay, but it's just too late

I've chosen

My will exercised and

Time

Is

Frozen

In this capitalized state

Where she's not mine

And I

Gave my life*

For her freedom

NOW I

See the blinding hate once obscuring my scutinizing eye from

The intense radiance of hope

Glistening listening coloring the the bitter ocean

I am but a fetus

I feed this agony fearcicles

As hate juice melts, trickles and sets in

Like love potion pollution

Making my epidermis crawl in matrix motion*

Purgatory

Familiar resembling the likes of mundane miracles like

The dichotomy of panic in silence

Followed by the amazing awful breathtaking

Hello world wail*

At deliverance

Of the grandest commander in miniature form

Welcomed, resented

Worshiped, tormented or praised

Raised to be what you can only imagine for now

Then

Life happens

Again passing you by

That prowling thief in the night

Stealing presence

Here becomes there

Now then

Once again

Here it comes

Intensity

Is screaming

Pulsations violently streaming and leaping bounded beats

Only the tin man would kill for

Staccato sensations

Every vein wasted

Inebriated on poisonous sin

Swollen with anger yet barren within

I lie still

Anticipating

Mind against fusion of oneness with all*

Hate's tall order overtaken by a short order of small

Fear

In this fight

What I've done is wrong

Dear god for the sake of right

Forgive me

I am still

Catatonic but racing inside these rapid collapsing skins

Giving in

Living and breathing

Desiring an end

My LIFE…

My breath feels much stronger

Yet the senses give in

I'm dying a terrifying

Solitaire

Despising the game

I

Can't help but cry

Releasing hollow howling winds of confusion*

Questioning

Why

Am I

Alone?

It's suicide