The Dummy

by Michael Mack

In that forgotten part of town Where wasted hopes and dreams abound, A wrinkled man with life near end, In hopes to have at least one friend, Fashioned bits of wood and things And made a dummy run by strings. He sat alone for hours on end, Conversing with his only friend And found delight within the fact That he controlled it's every act. He told it how he never had A chance, since all his luck was bad Although he'd tried so to succeed - The dummy nodded and agreed. And how his journeys in romance Had never given him a chance, And wasn't it a crying shame That he was always held to blame When everyone knew, oh so well, That life is but a living Hell, Controlled by lust and power and greed? The dummy nodded and agreed. With patience that would rival saints, That dummy sat through all complaints And, with each little expert tug, He'd droop his head or bow or shrug And give some comfort to the man Who held his lifelines in his hand And helped to fill a lonely need When he just nodded and agreed. Senility increased with time As did the old man's phantomime, And feverish fingers pulled with glee The dummy's dance of misery. They never left each other's side Until the day both stopped and died. We found them lying, hand in hand, The dummy - and his wooden friend.

The Forever Friend

by Artur Hawkwing

On my own, but mostly the savannah, Where the tumbleweeds fade away and die, Before the glassy sun burns a summer of crystals, The glistering waters of the high seas Of which was so far a place as of where vultures roam. I looked around but you weren't anywhere... You used to say that you would never die, But I took the wrong meaning into my heart. Now the sea is wild with despair, Deep blue like a prairie of flowers blue, Where all children of God rest in eternal peace. I saw you at the end, You and I, brother and sister of nature, Brother and sister of heaven and earth, Your usually calm and heavenly eyes full of tears, Bitterly falling one after one into a river, Then the river of life turned red in blood. My eyes watched in horror. Slowly and deadly your heart became poisoned, You disappeared without saying good-bye, Not a word came out of your mouth. You became like desolation in its grave. When once the skies were a realm of stars And the sun shone brightly in summer skies, You were there to share the calmness; But now I stand here in midst of the tall grass And only the savannah remains.

Can You See It In My Eyes?

by Sandy Fioretti

You don't know how I'm feeling. I have yet to vocalize Desire deep inside me. Can you see it in my eyes? I tremble when I'm near you Heat travels up my thighs and I want you with an urgency That I just can't describe. Dare I reach out to touch you? Do you think you'd realize How much I want and need you? Can you see it in my eyes? I long to say, "I love you," But am scared of your reply. Terrified like a child I've become paralyzed. The camouflaged emotions Lead to pain and silent cries. And yet I just can't tell you. Don't you see it in my eyes? Confessing through this poem My dilemma summarized. The feeling's quite cathartic, But will lead to my demise.