Attempts at Poetry

I've been focusing a bit more on fiction writing but here are a few poems that are in various stages of completion.

I wrote this after reading this story: AP News Report

Second Chance at Life
(for Jennifer Sutton)

I flushed or fainted
from what I thought
was true love
overcoming me
but I was damaged
ventricles shrunk
weakened walls
failing to move
the essence of me
properly as it should

this odd-looking
lump of muscle
now on a pedestal
under glass
celebrated
for being replaced

ltv


Victim Assistance

do I have the strength
to face death
in the face of
someone I love

to see in their eyes
the desire to let go
and fight against
my own assertions
that Life in any form
is sacred and worth continuing

am I being cruel
to watch the contortions
that pain inflicts
upon a weakened body
though I take
no pleasure in doing so

does my suffering
as witness make up
for my inaction
to stop the torture

can I hide behind
the laws that protect
the microscopic assailants
am I free of the responsibility
of stopping this attack
if those that police these evil-doers
are beside me
having used up their arsenals

when we have no power
over that which causes harm
is it not more merciful
to stop the assault
by stopping the agony
of the victim

when there is no hope
that the attack will cease
or even slow
when what lies ahead
is continued pain
and humiliation from
unspeakable torture
do we have a duty
to the victim
to end their suffering
or must we soothe
our troubled conscience
with the false hope
the assailment will expire
on its own soon enough

perhaps we fear
what we do not understand
and would rather err
on the side of Life
however heinous
than be the cause
of losing it

ltv



A Map of Me

there are so many parts of me
I cannot name them all
some seem so enormous
others very small

a little girl afraid to speak
when others are about
seems so unlike the rageful Brit
who curses when she shouts

the crazy one comes out the least
but always when I shop
her paranoia permeates
until I think I'll pop

Edward is so arrogant
he looks down on other folks
Gertrude is the comedian
always with a joke

Emily is the mother
and the father I suppose
her soothing English accent
helps me to compose

there is another watcher
among this motley crew
the logical, unfeeling one
that sees I make it through

this one shows me answers
to problems the others bring
it seems to be mechanical
neither person, pet, nor thing

and yes, there are some animals
found lurking in the dark
the stealthy, cunning feline
and the pup who will not bark

there's a giant here as well
towering high above the crowd
a lofty, thinking creature
who never speaks aloud

some bits of me are hidden
so that even I can't see
whether they're from someone else
or somewhere dark in me

because they are so different
and I can't control them well
these disparate constituents
can make me feel like hell

so I've become a diplomat
my work will not surcease
I must continue forward
in brokering the peace

ltv