Beyond These Walls

There are sights I wish I could see

She told him in no more than a whisper 

Some more than others 

Not the setting of a crimson sunset 

Or the outstretched wings of a majestic jay  

But the inside of a watermelon 

The color of its juice 

The bruise I feel on my thigh

The color of my hair 
I am told is rich chestnut 

I wish to see past what nature presents to the world

He responded with frustration 

The currents of electricity that buzz so ferociously 

Atoms that compose the art of my body 

The rays of light that enable me to see  

All the abstractions that shape my thoughts 

Love. Time. Pain. 

Not the vastness of the ocean

She eagerly rejoined 

Or the radiance of leaves in spring

Not the pure white flakes that fall in December 

Or the tallest mountain ever to be discovered 

But the words written in my favorite novel

The shape of my mother’s face 

A candle slowly guttering 

You want to see beyond that?  

I have seen a freshly made bed 

He spoke to her gently 

The swirl at the top of an ice cream cone 

The grey clouds that gather before a storm
Though it has only made me want more 

How is the moon the mother of tides
Without even a touch? 
How does an invisible weight tug me back down? 

Why is the eye tricked by illusions ? 

If I were to wake one day

Her voice began to shake 

With eyes that worked like yours 

I suppose I would want to see more

More than stripes, and dots, and colors    

And if I were to wake tomorrow 
His tone turned tender   

With pools of darkness instead of clarity 
The moments I now find trifling
Would become the fantasies that haunt you  

Inspired by All the Light We Cannot See, 

Anthony Doerr 

Series of HAIKUS

(Try to focus on the picture placed next to it when reading) 

*still working on them 





A Drought 

The rainforest sleeps

when one green leaf awakes to

a drop! then cascade.














Temptations

Clusters of cupcakes

glare at me with their rainbow

Sprinkles. Just. One. Bite. 
















Details


Inside my mansion  

I sit in my plush white robe

Wishing I bought the gold one 

A Letter to my Father

Jumbles of Chex mix scattered through our hallways 

from the childish food fights we always had after dinner 

you threw, so I threw

you laughed, as did I

Crayons stained the playroom walls

for when mom was not looking, it was a free for all

no rules or limits 

only fun

Music filled each corner of the living room
as our legs and arms spasmed up and down 

you carried a light in your eyes

one that burned so bright, it seeped into mine

So father, listen

for I have seen your candle burn out

and am here to tell you of all the wonders 

that you have so kindly shown me

The power of restraint:

when I spilled my thick purple grape juice 

All along the front of your new white pants 

you poured me another glass

The value of patience:

hours felt like minutes to you 

for you never felt trapped by time

each moment was significant 

The importance of storytelling:

even the most trivial affairs

you told with such eloquence
like your intricate explanation of how important a thumb is
   

The purpose of adversity: 

through times of suffering 

your fist did not clench

because grief is a test created for us  

You acted as a father should

cared for me when it was you who needed it 

so if you are struggling to recognize your purpose  
understand that you have gifted me with mine