Sister (for Sinéad)

​Sister, the world is 
burning down outside tonight
A heartbeat left scorned
a flame soaking the fight
and i can’t believe the news 
that tolls loud and bright
and also moans softly in 
bluesy soft light
Sister,
theres a heartbeat humming
for the refugee tonight
for the children forged hard in 
anger and spite
for the mothers of lost souls
who strayed from their sights
And your voice 
had ensured there’s still
someone in the fight
and you, were
sullenly 
scornfully
cast aside
and villified 
when you tried 
to cast evil
from shadow 
with light
and then vindicated
when time showed
of course
you were 
right
your empathy anchored 
against hurricanes
your smile a dam cradling 
a river of pain
i was singing your song
the night we learned you had passed
and with the news
it felt far lonelier than the last
and the world held it’s breath 
for a moment it seemed
as the masses stood in reverence in celebration
and  
shame
for you revelled the lashings
that the masses were due
like a biblical cross
or fates card that you drew
indignant and poised 
singing back into their faces
holding firmly to truth
set ablaze in great graces
don’t let the bastards get you down
sister
you bravely stood strong 
against each new tide
nearly unbreakable
but
like a ruperts drop 
struck just right, 
you
desperately
shattered 
from
inside
your
mind
But left a 
white marble statue
      of virtue
           behind

Happy, Or: Whatever…

wrote down the
words
that state 
in fact
i feel
that I get older every year
just like that fucking birdfeeder
in the backyard
weathered wood turning silver
in the blazing sun and dripping rain
barely a touch
of the auburn highlights 
that used to adorn it
golden whatever it is
and years of life shitting 
on the roofline
the  nightfall bright
glean of halcyon
on the edge of a 
dauntingly rusty razor
shadowboxing
the reaper
i stand here
soaked in
so dark at night now
so bright in day
the only relieving balm is the sunsets
in golden hues of salvation
and also still you
your smile
i would pleasantly 
drown in
gladly
unlike 
in the summer
thunder
safe and
happy again
if only 
allowed
for
now
whatever
it
is

Love, or the weariness of fossils

i’m not obsessed
i’m simply enthralled
bowled over and heart akimbo
a life in limbo
forever and a moment at once
that night i lifted you
like moonlight into my life
and i’ve spent years
bathing in that blueness
naked and scared to flinch or move
for fear it would expire
i’m not depressed
i’m just tired
tired from loving you
that’s all to say
you pushed me into the ground
embossed by your love
into the hallowed mud
of history
bound into a 
stony forever
a mark upon the soul
or a flitting light
bursting into the heavens
crushed into stardust
a brief burst of flame
in an endless night
the rapture of your entirety
now living in my blood
and oil
a root into my soil
i will hold you
longer
than the 
earth
held the 
dinosaurs