Month: February 2022

Charred

Charred 

visions burn, candles lined along a wall 
kneel down before one, and take in it all 
warped waves blur sight, enhance right 
smell the burning, singe of cloth, trails 
open into a world beyond all compare. 

ruins, a building burnt, fallen unto itself 
around is all rubble, not but a few stand 
lone souls to reach out, anchors land 
in but a few breaths, lungs become sand 
fire erupts before the eye, water gone 
all of the souls look upon, a burning hole 
there resides, the remains, a heart scarred 
in the darkness, a character is marred 
slipping into black, burning smell brings back. 

Awaken upon a vision's tail, back into a room 
filled with lit candles, and a scent of char 
realizing this heart has a new scar. 

1/31/22 – Andy McRae

Like Wood Under the Axe

Like Wood Under the Axe 

Amongst the passes high, in mountains reaching for the sky 
boulders line the path, drear storms darken the vast 
open upon the range, a heavy rain 
drench the body, chill the soul 

waylay upon an opening, a cave in which to shelter 
darkness dives deep inside the way, mind craves 
a fire to fight against the cold, the dark and the wet 
but alas, all is stone, in a mountain honed by tremors 

awaiting day, in cold ill lit caves 
the motions begin to take 

earth begins to quake, to shake from the core 
stone splits like wood under the axe, 
it is time to dash from the hole before it closes 
under the side, a slide of a mountain sheared 
by forces primordial, frothing earth dances 

laying disheveled is state, body beaten by a ride 
when the earth, it did erupt, into a smoky sky 
red light blinding, heat blistering the ground 

awaken below, in a bed 
the range is wrought down 
in destruction with a crown 

to sleep for a day 
then on into the night 
never wake until 
the smoke is out of sight. 

1/31/22 – Andy McRae

Lost in a City

Lost in a City 

in the bustle and crowd, the neon lights up high 
held hands hold, together two things, rope 
meander streets in a forest of reflections 
stones and others block our way 
through pits of stations, and crosswalk ways 
a bond held on, two was two yet four 
my math checks out, that is all good 
until one brief heartbeat, 
one red-light’s distain, broke the chain 
watching as they evaporate into the body 
stone glass buildings swallow my feelings 
my body is turned to glaze, 
a rain breaks out, but only over me 
alone, I reside now in my own misery. 

1/23/22 – Andy McRae