That one final

  bullet

That one final

dagger

To use

on another

Or to use

— on ourselves

 

(Dreamsleep: October, 2024)

“If thou wouldst 

be my critic

Thou must

— wear my soul”

 

(Woodland Avenue Philadelphia: May, 1973)

Stealing from a thief

those phrases gone

Scales rebalance

 words in song

 

Once recaptured

then released

The chorus joyful

— the world at peace

 

(The New Room: September, 2024)

Be home

when opportunity

knocks

Your door

 left open

— lights aglow

 

(Dreamsleep: September, 2024)

Trapped in a

ditch

on the highway

of life

Comings

were going

all motion

had gone

 

Till fates

saving whisper

in the ear

of tomorrow

Granted me

traction

in search

— of the dawn

 

(Dreamsleep: November, 2024)

You can’t destroy

a word

like vanquishing

an enemy

 

Its meaning cast

immortal

beyond

— victory or death

 

(Dreamsleep: November, 2024)

 

We could’ve

we would’ve

we should’ve

— but we didn’t

 

(Dreamsleep: November, 2024)

Oh

to leave all chains

on top

 of the mountain

 

Oh

to leave a world

setting

— everything free

 

(Dreamsleep: October, 2024)

I don’t know

what it is

 

I know

what it isn’t

 

Revealed

in the offing

 

An image

— takes form

 

(Dreamsleep: October, 2024)

He climbed atop

an oak on fire

Its sap transformed  

by flames concealed 

 

Each branch he passed

a year he traded

For what’s unseen

— by heat congealed

 

(Dreamsleep: October, 2024)