without restraint
the living
become
the dead
a pregnant mother
becomes
a police shooting
her children
become
orphans
without restraint
the orphans
become
the living dead
their mother’s
touch
a memory
wrapped
in tomorrow’s hate
and
tomorrow’s hate
grows
without
restraint
whatever god’s yours
i ask that your prayer is
god save the people
a child with cancer
parents standing at clinic
residue of tears
beside eyes of desperate hope
that more tomorrows will come
life’s faded
to-do list
held in hands
marred
by time
once strong line
discolored
by
hope’s tears
over the years
promises
made
and sought
now
for naught
an
old man
his mirror
a last friend
the rains came early
like a flood of tears from god
cold like envy’s kiss
unsheltered i walked alone
longing for your gentle touch
each
of
the tears
that press
tight
against
your skin
is
a memory
of the life
we now
mourn
some
like youth
move quickly
from eye
to chin
others
like
a first kiss
slowly
move
from eye
to lips
salty
but
sweet
others
like
random memories
move without
true course
to the ground
falling without
a single sound
and there
they
stay
like all
who leave
the womb
i close
my eyes
and see
all the fireflies
from
my youth
fluttering
in the night sky
and
feel
times past
summer’s warm breeze
against
my skin
and
once again
hear
my mother’s voice
time to come in
and
with
one
final tear
i
open
my eyes
