Ghostwriter

The author read
The words she wrote
And swore each word
Together spoke

A different message
Than initially penned
In a tone reminiscent
Of a familiar friend.

Astray

I could have
Been the one
To lead you
To the Cross.

But instead,
My faith
Has been left
At a loss.

Your cup
Was half-full
Of trials
And tribulations;

If only
Its diluter
Was God’s grace
For all nations.

There were countless
Opportunities
Which I used
As my excuse

To keep silent
About the love
That you surely
Could have used.

Haiku #16

You will get places
The moment you stop looking
For easy ways out.

Asylum

It’s not my place

To placate.

To somewhere safe,

I vacate.

Signal Lost

There’s no reason for us to talk
As we discuss meteorological matters.
Our communal cup never fills up
For each time we lose touch, it shatters.

You see in me a man from before.
I see in you but a shallow shore
With a receding tide
Of our friendship folklore.

Is there nothing more?

I’ve tired of this one-sided conversation
So I’ll retire and keep myself complacent
With an assuming posture
And twiddling of thumbs
With the occasional interjection
Of terribly clever puns.

Bullies

Sticks and stones may break my bones
But words cause damage you can’t undo.
My confidence shatters, so trivial matters
Cause panic at the sight or mention of you.

Old Habits Die Hard

Do you happen to have
A cigarette I could bum?
Just to hold in my hand
To help reminisce some

To bring me back to a time
When I had it all together
And the worst of my worries
Was exploring Minecraft’s Nether.

In fact, could I please
Borrow your lighter as well?
I won’t actually smoke it;
I promise to not inhale.

Just the act of smoking
Puts my mind at ease
And places it in Bear Creek
Enjoying the summer’s breeze.

But I’ve come this far already,
So I think I’ll take just a puff
With one good hit of nicotine
I’m sure I’ll find to be enough.

I’ll savor its flavor
Of late-night party favors
And quick, justified breaks
Between writing papers.

And just like back then,
It seems I still need a Savior
And a few more cigarettes
Before I break this bad behavior.

The Grinch

My heart hurts
And aches
In ways
I thought I’d never feel
A decade ago,
And so I’m thankful.

Thank you
For your wrenches and knifes
In my life
That you tossed and stabbed with,
Respectively.

Introspectively,
My heart grew
So many sizes
Since those days
That I only gave way
To a broader attack space
For the world to deface

With exploits
So obvious
To those who drew close

I’d find it morose
Should they not capitalize
On the faults
I’d so often advertise.

Haiku #10

It still trickles down
Long after the winds swept through.
Tears outlive terror.

Baptized

I still have yet
To be baptized.
Am I just waiting
For this ship to capsize?

Or for my friends
To toss me overboard
During the ceaseless storm
Sent by my Lord?

I’ve ignored the call
To Nineveh’s shore
But this only delays
God’s call for much more.