The Wall

Anger is the quiet tick- tick you hear from explosives

Tick- tick

 

Anger is the brink of frustration

The build up of water behind a dam

Tick- tick

 

Anger is letting things slide

Smiling and saying, “oh, you’re fine.”

Tick- tick

 

Anger is the crack in the dam

When things start to slip

And you just can’t take it anymore

Tick-tick

 

Anger is the explosion that follows

The rushing water destroying everything in its’ path

Much like a wildfire consuming and swallowing everything in sight

 

Anger is the build up

 

Anger is the break

 

Anger is the explosion

 

Testing

I sat there

Staring at a dull computer screen

Asking me to calculate the slope

 

NO! I DON’T WANT TO!

I screamed…

…In my mind

 

After being on the verge of tears

And my classmates’ clicking on the keyboards subsided

I gave in

 

The answer is 8

Time

Too quickly, I’m afraid

Was our time together

 

Too quickly, I’m afraid

Did the days turn to nights

And the good times turn to memories

 

Too quickly, I’m afraid

Did I have to tell you goodbye

For the last time in this existence

 

Too quickly,

Too quickly

Where I’m From

I am from #14 Whitman

     Where I know every turn and pot hole

 

I am from the creek in front of my house

     Where the fishing line is abundant

    And the many days we caught creek chubs

 

I am from the church parking lot

     Where we all behave as “hoodlums”

        According to neighbors

 

I am from Tyler Drive and Ritter

     From their non-stop complaints

 

I am from the rarity of new neighbors

     From the grass,

     Middle,

     And front alleys

 

I am from the very apple tree next door

That was the start to many great apple wars

 

I am from “when does your mom go to work”

And “what time will your parents be back”

     And “someone keep watch”

 

I am from life-long brothers

     Biological or not

From their typical curse words

     And how they rarely made any sense

 

I am from the tears of laughing pain

From tragedy and heart break

     From how we all stick together

 

We are from “broken homes”

     But we’ve never known a better way

     And frankly, we can’t picture there being one

 

I am from wall ball,

Cops and robbers,

Spotlight,

Football,

And late-night basketball games

 

I am from family and friends

 

I am from home

Invincible

Small.

Like a tiny ant

Returning from a great journey

 

Alone, we are like ants

Small,

Vulnerable,

And wondering through this world

 

Large is when we are together

 

Like an army

Marching,

Supporting,

And loving those next to us

 

Alone we are small

 

Together we are invincible

Life

Life

 

From utter darkness

To a new day

And back to darkness

 

Opening eyes awaken

To a new beginning

To no limits

To a fresh start

To total peace

 

Then after a moment,

Fear,

Responsibility,

Regret,

And life

Return to ruin the day

Carpe Diem

“Carpe Diem”

“Seize the day”

 

Too often we dwell on the past

Or worry about the future

 

Too often we simply forget to:

Live,

Love,

Enjoy,

Conquer,

Imagine,

Smile,

And simply exist

 

Seize the day because we already experienced yesterday,

And we might not live to see tomorrow