As requested by @poetsdream, here is a reading of my piece "Gold Stars and Hues of Blue"

Really hate my voice... but here we go.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8l7c_qAJ5gYTUZ3UFRVVUh6OWc

Through blurry vision

and puffy eyes

the streetlights are

my stars tonight

Dipped in gold

they shine bright

The amber glow

beckons me to follow

The brisk unforgiving

January breeze

makes its way through

my knee high

lace up boots

and coat

then embraces me

from head to toe

and whispers the words

I wish you'd say

Of course

I know my love

will never be enough

My once black ink

now runs the saddest

shade of blue

I'll sign this letter

at the corner

where paper meets pen

before I fade to black

and send it out

into the wasted night

An angel disguised as death

found shelter in a dusty corner

She saw the beauty you held inside

And so,

you lived to see another day

Time grew cold as the seasons changed

You took on your own

Never judging the tempest in my mind

The months birthed a mutual respect

Then death seduced an angel

You'd be proud

They keep guard

as you keep watch

Know that they listen to my drunken stories

about the conversations I used to have

with their mother Charlotte

Rest

knowing that with me,

they'll always have a home.

An aberration

Caught in the shadows

Talking to gravestones

Searching for a beacon of light

It's too late to

unwrite your words

Author/fellow proser @Harlequin released his latest book The Lupine Curse on Halloween night 2016. Prior to the book's release, Harlequin posted a series called The October Diaries, which I thought were fantastic! (If you have not checked them out, I suggest you do. They're really good.) Of course, being the Halloween freak that I am, I got myself a copy of The Lupine Curse on its release date. I have one word for this book: Magical. Harlequin did an amazing job at taking the reader into another world. Every time I sat down to read I was instantly transported to a magical world of elves, werewolves, and other beasts. Two of my favorite characters were Deidre and Fenris. I loved how Harlequin was able to really bring these characters to life. Another great thing that I truly loved and appreciated, was the phenomenal imagery, which only added to the book and making it that much better. If you're up for a magical journey, an escape from this world, and are curious as to what The Lupine Curse is, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy.

Garland—

home to some

Makeshift hotel to others

123—

the room everyone knew

Where rich landlord

and lovely manager

ran a private kind of business

Late night visits

Early checkouts

Come morning light

all that remained

were cum stained sheets

empty bottles of booze

and payment tucked into

the bedside bible

It could be the

lack of sleep

or the whiskey

talking

Though tonight

I'll blame it on

the fear and doubt

A presentiment

of

sorrow

The inevitable

words that await

Barefoot in an alley

Sipping bourbon from

a styrofoam cup

I remember the days

when dreams used to visit me

in the night instead of the

nightmares that were his hands

Love and sorrow brought me here

Now the silence rings in my ears

like the detonation of a bomb

I followed the glow of

the cheshire moon and

saw his face in a puddle

that smelled like piss

Head to the night sky

Knees on the ground

Hands in the air

giving up to your god

Daydreaming of

a better tomorrow

while muriatic tears burn my skin

Reminding me that this is

no nightmare

Nails bitten to the bed

Unwashed hair and

streams of black mascara

Whiskey in my blood

and ink on my hands

You have no past

and I have no future

So forgive me when

I say I wish I could forget

the sleepless nights that

left their mark and have

aged me like the

rings on a willow

Dreams are crushed when

days begin and end with a

darkness set ablaze by dysfunction

The curtains and door hid

the hoards of filth and the

rodent-infested train wreck

that was 333

A byproduct of three

unwavering generations

Innocent little minds

blind to the darkened

state of chaos

were forced to create

beautiful memories

in the simple things

Sanctuary was found

behind the glass doors

where there was a

forrest in the middle a city

Days were spent in

a play-pretend world

exploring a magical forrest

where there were forty foot

bamboo plants all around

Peace was found in knowing

that there was a world outside of

333

Garland

And Columbia

Peace was found in knowing that

your play-pretend world

was your one way out