“Moon rises; Day subsides.
I ride the tide, a child
of sixty-four to tour
the world of endless night,
a sight revered through eyes
shut tight, fearful of light.”
Depression Without Death
[Kate]
What an odd poem
to suspend the title ’til the end!
What an awful chasm to fathom
with such awareness of despair
to battle at such an age!
I wage it’s not your’s.
Where did you find it?
[Kevin]
Stuck in a small slit
in between the closet wall
behind the door jam.
It is absolutely bad
and is tragically sad
to be alert, clear
and aware of your despair
that pecks at your heart
with piercing penetrations
jolting your nerves to revolt.
Spiritual pain
to reign over physical
angst ranks very high.
Ice nor fire aspire
to such true hellish torture.
[Kate]
Wow! You got that quick.
I would bet you met with something
catastrophic.
[Kevin]
Life is tough enough
for gentle souls trolled as prey,
ensnared, then scared stiff.
[Kate]
Who was she?
[Kevin]
A girl I had to defend.
Did you comprehend the dance?
[Kate]
It was fun
but I lost my sticks.
[Kevin]
But you left with two.
In a few days you’ll get calls
to review your views
on the evening’s events spent
with the intent to welcome
new comers owning
Joe’s Honor Coin to confer
any first concerns.
You, too, have two calls to make
for the same sake to take back
your’s and surrender
these that you’ve guarded for now.
Anyhow you’re fine.
Call these numbers. Remember
to meet in public spaces.
If you feel nervous
it’s my pleasure to provide
a convenient ride.
[Kate]
Are you guys setting up
blind dates I’ll hate?
[Marlo]
Kate’s brown eyes twinkled
and her smile was wide then grew
into a sprite’s lite
laughter laced with ornery
character graced with delight.
The night was joyous
with superfluous kindness
of playful good cheer.
Kevin looked to glimpse his Bree
inconsequently in vain.
She would not be there.
He saw Shannon with William
but not his fair Bree.
When all had been said and done
Johnathan’s party parted
the rigorous fun
of singing and tossing sticks
to quick catch the pass
that time and time again flew
all new names around the room
to zoom to and fro,
back and forth, shuffling names
to be gained briefly
only to be lost again
in the turbulent tossing
of rhythmic voices
singing harmoniously
their choice to be free.
Kate and Kevin were to meet
at Pete’s for breakfast at eight
to elucidate
the rejuvenated state
of rested sound minds.
[Kate]
Thanks for breakfast.
I must confess
the success of last night.
I had a really fine time.
[Kevin]
No issue at all.
It’s a very small matter
to scatter kindness.
[Marlo]
Parting in the parking lot
at the start of a new day
with the sun shining,
rising in the vast blue sky,
two shy clouds lingered.
She hugged gingerly, sweetly.
He, awkwardly, slightly balked.
He was off to meet
Johnathan to shoot some skeet.
Oddly, it would seem
to engage in such a sport
with such a kind, refined man.
Still, it must be done
regardless of its nature.
The encounter stands.
[Johnathan]
It’s good to see you once more,
Kevin. Did you score new folks
to invoke your zeal
that might provoke new insights
of your life and theirs?
[Kevin]
Odd you should ask; here’s this stick
heralding artistic vibes.
Would Crystal be home?
The Fates honed their skills to kill
two tasks with one stick.
[Johnthan]
I laugh at the irony.
We shoot. We eat; then we meet
[Kevin]
Sweet, but I did not
think of you as a hunter,
as Death’s harbinger.
[Johnathan]
Good fellow you bellow words
whimsically so nicely.
I farm crops and keep
a heap of pigs, cows, chickens
and figs for the pot.
Ain’t no vegetarian.
I’m humanitarian.
[Marlo]
A hearty laugh rose
from both souls from toes to nose.
Silly is healthy.
A moderate walk ensues
to pursue a thick hedgerow
with cedar and pines
and some fine, small, plush bushes
for resting birds’ nests.
Once traversed through well rehearsed
circuitous trails well veiled
through nonlinear,
familiar, random moves marked
with blaze orange tape,
the pair escaped to a field
yielding enough space to shoot.
The field was fresh cut
close to the ground, more lite brown
than deep vibrant green.
[Johnathan]
This is our skeet zone owned
by stewards to keep it safe.
We will use steel shot
to stop lead-poisoning game
or tame animals.
We rake for the clay debris
regularly, thoroughly.
The industrial
spring-loaded thrower is there
by the spare clay disks.
[Marlo]
Skeets soared; guns roared; life endured.
Johnathan threw six then switched.
Kevin threw his six
and switched to fix the pattern
that turned measured time.
[Johnathan]
Have you visited Donald
since Twisting’s fate hobbled you
to view your current
life so badly you spent time
enshrined in sublime
literary martyrdom.
I’m grateful that you prevailed
and did not succumb
to such foolishness undone
by Hasting’s appeal.
[Kevin]
You and Hastings are a pair
who dare to provoke deranged
minds only slightly
constrained to restrain anger
toward idiocy.
But you, Johnathan, should care
that I’m armed in my despair.
[Johnathan]
You’re not malicious.
You did not kill in cold blood.
Lethal self-defense
comes with great expense for souls
who know Life’s immense value
and its fragile state.
Hate warps the spirit’s vision
for the best assets
to combat the worst attacks
against naive innocence.
Hunger’s persistence
now requests our presence
at Noonday’s table
to enable ingestion
of refreshments with verbal
quests to explore more
of Life’s commonality
or diversity.