A prisoner

long muted

An inmate

of time

Its ball

and its chain

Restricts

and defines

Promises

broken

With freedom

abjured

The silence

a lock

To bind me

— secure

(Dreamsleep: July, 2026)

Every Poet

is a dealer in hope

His words of betrothal

 with feelings elope

He stands at the vista

of many denied

And changes forever

— what history will cry

(The New Room: July, 2026)

Shunning  

 direction

No longer

outbound

Waypoint

selection

The past

to impound

Prescience

on fire

Free

of the wind

Harps

that inspire

Strung

— from within

(Dreamsleep: July, 2026)

I was trying

very hard

not to say it

I was biting

my lip

and my tongue

But when you

insisted

I no longer resisted

And words

I had muzzled

did come …

“Your presence

beyond

what is boring

“The space you

take up

but a ruse

“If given

a choice

I’d be far from your voice

“Reclaiming

this time

— I now lose”

(Dreamsleep: July, 2026)

Forever wrong

but never in doubt

Truth on the run

the louder they shout

Facts never matter

they get in the way

With pontification

— the rule of the day

(The New Room: July, 2026)

Verses Eternal

Be in the moment

staying true to yourself

The stigma of others

but a tool in your belt

What trauma inspires

to forever beget

In verses eternal

— to never forget

(The New Room: July, 2026)

Muddy told me …

“Try to sound like

your bacon

smells

“And keep the

kitchen

close where dwells

“Those words to fry

and sizzle

free

“Your nose

will know

— what eyes deceive”

(Dreamsleep: July, 2026)

It wasn’t true …

but what is truth

It wasn’t real …

but eyes can lie

It wasn’t mine …

or yours to give

It wasn’t love …

but hearts still cry

(Dreamsleep: July, 2023)

The Devil’s Workshop

has open hours

His staff is loyal

and share his powers

The Devil’s Workshop

when idle claims

The lost and truant

— with tools aflame

(Dreamsleep: July, 2026)

All words

despite their

intention …

the silence reborn

All wishes

 real and

imagined

in hope they are formed

All time

eclipsed in the

moment

forever refrains

All paths

regardless

of waypoint

— lead back to the grave

(Dreamsleep: July, 2026)

I heard

what you said

But not

what you meant

Your words

but a smokescreen

Belying

 intent

Each one

deftly crafted

To lure

and delude

Anointing

your weakness

Blaspheming

— Saint Jude

(Chicago’s South Side: July, 2026)

It’s not

what it is

or what

it isn’t …

But what

it

forever

— could be

(Dreamsleep: July, 2026)