Water Of Life

Poetry

Water Of Life
Will you plan to save me,
From water of death
Now here to remind me,
Of my mortality?
You knew I had not forgotten,
Was it really necessary?

Hard’s been here.
Precarious and perilous
I sit in each new day,
Hoping you will find me,
Renewing my safe place.
You knew that I felt hollow,
Yet this must be your grace.

Copyright 2017. L.L. Shelton

All Appears Undone

Poetry

I’ve seen who you are
When you feel fully free,
When you’ve been permitted
And truth’s made plain to me.

Your lies they are confounding
And everywhere compounding,
Into mountains of pure rubbish
Yours to never publish.

Scavengers will discover
They’ll eat their fill and leave
Over you and me no cover
While our naked bodies bleed.

Copyright 2015.  L.L. Shelton.

D Is For Dear

Poetry

I never dreamed it
My heart could close so tightly
Ward off your embrace…

I never imagined
This place where I’d be startled
To see you in my space…

Trembling blind and scared
Wondering what you want of me
When you’re too near my face…

It’s post-traumatic stress, Dear.

Copyright 2016.  L.L. Shelton.

Gaslight Cocktail

Poetry

You push the pills
Into her hand,
Desperate to make
Her understand.

As she is slowly
Drifting away,
Tell her how it is…
Tell her what to say.

She’ll wake up
To a brand new day,
Even less sure
Than she was yesterday.

Copyright 2014.   L.L. Shelton.

No Letting Go

Poetry

This world is a scary place
Filled with people
Who don’t see your face,
And I have to wonder
How it is that you ask
Us to stay and ponder
What’s behind those masks?
When we grow weary,
Tired and sore,
Feeling certain
There is no more,
Again you prompt,
Telling us to give,
Reminding of our purpose,
Commanding that we live.

Copyright 2017.  L.L. Shelton.

Maybe Fair Is Fair

Poetry

We are only human
didn’t you say so?
What did you expect that we
would do with our humanity,
maybe lay it down
in the deepest ground
when we had taken our last breath?
For most of us
leaves many hours
for messing up your finest
despite your power;
we are clay in our deepest parts
unable to save the day,
rather in our romance
only carried away
with ourselves.

But you are you
and in divinity
do bless us anyway.

Selah.

Copyright 2017.  L.L. Shelton.

About That

Health & Disease, Humanity & Sin, Poetry

She was born into a war
being waged in suburban America.

Its origins were untold.
Soldiers frequently forgot
on which side they had enlisted.
Skirmishes were frequent and furious.

The match had been on
at least these fifty years,
though battles were less often.
Sometimes there was a cease-fire.

Then came a loud lull…

She mistakenly believed
they were in a state of truce;
sent the watchman home and gave
the guard a well deserved night off.

Gigantic force
collided with her tired skull
before she knew the fight was back on,
and so made suddenly aware she sprang,

Further injury was abated for now,
but as time would tell only to her face.

Copyright 2014.  L.L. Shelton.