a birth story

These are the stories that are told. 
Stories of pain and moaning,
grasping and bleeding, fear and
jubilant relief. These are good stories.
A currency to be traded in kind.

But they are not mine.

I could hear you coming for days.  
Winston, you gregarious fat man.
Your piquant smile a knife.
Stone-of-Joy standing 
jauntily upon the world's
last island. wielding pen and 
voice at the black dragon, its mouth 
full of fear and ashes.

I could see you for hours.
Leander, Swimming your Hellespont,
and as your face appeared 
it was blue as the waves, 
and your eyes darker still
for Medusa's blood filled snakes 
were wrapped round and round your neck.
Lion-Heart you clawed away the snakes and 
swam on to your Hero and her alabaster towers.

I could smell you in the air
and taste you on my lips
Waits, Watch-man.  
You back alley balladeer.
Croaking, bleating, beating the drum
of the every day miracles midst 
every day's unique misery.
Your eyes open and your mouth 
an organ of soul
You smelled of shit, blood, sweat,
and truth, 
and then you opened your 
mouth and sang it all again, and I 
believed every note.

I took you in my arms and called you
Herbert.  My own.  Blood and sweat
of my blood and sweat.  My blood flowing 
in you and yours in me forwards
and backwards through all time.
Forever Herbert. Forever my son.

Confession

What am I doing here, you ask?
I've got no place left to go.

You want a confession?
Wrap your goulash around this.

I'm a murderer. I've pointed a revolver at another man's chin, cocked back the hammer, and pulled that heavy trigger until the hammer swung down and smashed into the blasting cap. I watched his face explode in slow motion, and I marveled at the lovely pattern his brains made on the powder blue wall behind him. He's still alive, but I'm a murderer all the same.

You want more?
Pull down your sequin sunglasses and take a gander at this.

I'm an adulterer. I've been in bed with hundreds of of different women in my life. I used her body, but she never saw mine. I degraded and humiliated her, and to top it all off these lovely ladies never knew my name or saw my face.

Are you sick of it yet?

I've cheated, lied, stolen, broken, beaten, coveted, slandered... I think you're starting to get the picture.

Why am I here on the bloody ground in front of this ancient torture device? I've got no other place left to go.

Zenith Lake

Back to the grove of ancient trees I take my soul, I take my soul
Beyond the sunset and the moon, out past the twilight in the north
Beneath the shadow of their age voices whispered with respect
To climb is to ascend the sky, the windblown symphony on high.

Back to the stillness of the lake I take my soul, I take my soul
Through broken trails and splashing brook, out past the twilight in the north
Floating on our tiny ark, two by two we paddle through
Shelter from the cities flood of noise, filth, and senseless blood.

All Alone.

It made a sound. I know it must have, because everything that moves makes sound.

drip.......drip.......drip.......

There was so much other noise. Your people aren't known for their stoicism. Women wailing, thieves begging, soldiers mocking, the clouds thundering,

but I can't believe you didn't hear it.

drip.......drip.......drip......

Amidst the pounding of your heart, and your gasps for breath you must have heard it.

drip.......drip.......drip......

Your life was draining away and soaking into hard uncaring earth. Such loving liquid. It must have been a maddening and terrifying sound.

drip......drip.......drip......

A sinister voice in your head said, "You can make this stop." You chose the rack. You chose the noose. You chose this torture.

all alone with your

drip.....drip......drip.....