On a typical day

I get yelled at

For watering the lawn

And called a piece of shit

As I walk to the liquor store

Where the clerk doesn't

Call me chief anymore

That’s alright

I don’t like the idea of him either

Or that the police want to ask me

If I’ve ever done meth

As I sit on the curb

Because I don’t have a gun

And they get their girlish thrills

By asking me stupid questions

While fumbling with my nuts

But just when you think

There is no God

And that the world is shit

You meet a 20-year-old

Schizophrenic poet

Who has been writing

For several lifetimes

And she knows how

To give shape to all the dark

Non-reality bullshit

That we kill each other with daily

Because she believes

That there is a God

And that life

Can be completely

Fucking shitty

But doesn't have to be

If one is willing

To endure

And believe

David Burdett

6/27/2021

It’s on nights like this

the devil calls me home

with little pockets of stone

and electrical charges

face to face

with dead tones

my body embedded

in powdered pale

reflections of

mercury

blood

ice cold

and blue

It‘a on nights like this

withered and weary

I call to memory

black mirrors

tangled strings

a soul wind howling

and your coffin

collapsed upon sand

as I go on

aging and living

through this hell alone

It’a on nights like this

oceans become

hurricanes of doom

while lovers fall

intoxicated

by breath

and crescendo

ink turns to

ashes and soot

watered down

tattooed

and scattered

across this

dark universe

Muddied toes of shoes

Arms full of uprooted gems

Yellows, pinks and blues.

-- -- --

It is with deep gratitude I write to acknowledge all you have done for me this winter. I know I am not amongst the most prolific, well-spoken or intelligent in the group. I know I don’t read or write as much as others (especially lately). I know I have been largely slacking on my likes, follows and reposts, which makes me feel bad on Discord as I see I am missing some really great content. I know it has been such a long time since I have participated in a challenge and I missed so many great ones, both reading and writing them.

Yet this platform has been like an invisible hand holding mine through my seasonal depression. Each time I venture to share my heartspeak I receive nothing but positivity, love, encouragement and understanding.

This winter was the worst in a long time. I abandoned nearly all of my positive habits which have been my stabilizers over the years. This resulted in me shedding all the tears my dehydrated self (so much bourbon) could muster. Each morning I spent 2-3 hours lying in bed convincing myself to stay alive first. Get out of bed second. And so on and so forth until I found myself washed (most of the time), dressed (all of the time thankfully), and at my desk at work, where suddenly I fit again.

If it weren’t for @fudo, @ledlevee and @putski, I may have not written or socialized the entire winter. If it weren’t for The Prose, I might not have made it through alive.

So if you ever wonder if you make a difference in the world, know that if you read, liked, reposted, followed and especially commented on one of my sporadic posts this winter, you helped save a life. I can’t tag all of you for fear of missing someone and creating a hurt where I am only trying to pay back love, but if you are reading this, I am definitely speaking to you.

And of course my indebtedness to @jeffstewart and @A and @mamba and the other Prose ideators and administrators, known and unknown to me, knows no bounds.

I feel renewed this morning, woke up wanting to enjoy living instead of convincing myself to stay alive, so I know the depression has passed until late fall. And the very first thing I had to do, was say thank you to y’all.

Heartfully,

Mee Jong

The music reaches underneath

and peace it cannot bequeath

i listen

and feel

and listen

and feel

And I confuse

What is real

Until my feelings

Congeal

You

Strip your ego

And the music

Flows

And your spirit

Glows

And I know

You are all

That’s right

In the world

She lied...

Herpes.

| | |

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Once Upon A Time -

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The End.