Beauty

a wooden foot spins a wooden wheel
a clay man throws a clay thought
a broken soul meets a broken self
a painted smile casts a painted light

and the artist works all through the night
letting none witness the painful death of a loved memory
keeping to himself the birth of a beautiful thought
this masterpiece that could save his life

he gently cradles the thought and rocks it to sleep
for its first night he must be careful
he must protect it or it will die of hatred
he must tell no one of Beauty

sarah paints smiles across fields of people
and the clay man throws a mountainous, painful night
but the artist works alone, as the poet watches
in awe of the incredible creation

in awe of what Beauty could be.

From Clay

what does it mean
that you’re gone

am i broken?

the last time your hair
your hands

never threw away your picture

this bed
is so cold
without you

am i broken?

what does it mean
to be alone
and cold

where are you right now
if i could hold you
i would never
throw away
this bed
so cold
and
broken?

clay
lonely and wet
cold and wet
alone and wet
without shape
wet
sit on the stone
and spin
and spin
sit on the stone
wet
without shape
wet and alone
wet and cold
wet and lonely
clay

your hands
without your hands
touch me
put your thumb
inside my soul
and your forefinger
about my body
and shape me
as i spin

pinch my heart
until it rises
until it rises
pull my spirit
from the bottom
to the top
from the stone
to shape

from clay
to life.

dawn

i woke up before light could wake me
i woke up to beat the pain
my world was shaded black
but i could hear you breathing

i woke up before the light
and i was still a part of you
there was nothing but
the simple cadence of night

alas dawn waits for no man
light seared the curtains
and i could see the clock
and i could count the minutes

i tried to suspend
my mind inside
your simple
cadence.

light knows nothing of love
it treats us all like we are
nothing more than separate
nothing more than alive.

the light ripped through me
and i saw myself
without you
alone