Most days, we don’t know
which ones to cross and which ones
…….(senses, secrets, songs)
to burn. So we paint them, portraits
of our own in
-decision, steel and solid basket
cases of our wandering hearts.
We run our hungry fingers along
their spines, hoping just their touch
can make us whole,
or wholly healing.
What’s that feeling? That we’ve got to stop
halfway, look down,
wonder if the long way back is
best, or if forward is where it’s at,
wonder if anyone
(a brother, a sister, a friend)
will be waiting on the other side.
We wonder at our brains
(is it wise to sway, just so? will it hold?),
smell the copper pennies of past wishes,
the burnt toast that says
perhaps we are crazy
or having some small stroke.
And still, we seek them,
passages on invisible
heaven strings,
stretches of hope.
..
Day 9 for Poetic Asides April PAD Challenge. This is the one with all the prompts.
Boy is that a gorgeous title.
I love this:
“and which ones
…….(senses, secrets, songs)”
“of our ow/n in” … This is what sent me off on a Nine Inch Nails trip. 🙂
Seriously, that is a tight, basket-tastic line break.
“We run our hungry fingers along” … Love. This is how I feel the music. Doin’ it right now, actually.
“What’s that feeling? That we’ve got to stop” … Um, nooooo.
Oh, my. I love that. … “or if forward is where it’s at”
“is it wise to sway” … Uhhhh, YEAH!!!
“or having some small stroke” … Sheesh, this is one of my biggest fears. If I ever have a stroke, please let it kill me.
PS: I’m now gonna need to go listen to some NIN.
They have some really beautiful songs, surprisingly. I always think of the one …
This was always one of my favorites:
I got to see them a couple of times in the early 90s, when I was CRAZY for them. Once in a smallish venue. So awesome.
Wow. That’s amazing. Seeing anyone in a smallish venue is amazing.
I’ve never heard that song before ^, but it’s really cool.
I saw Seven Mary Three and Gravity Kills once, which was pretty awesome.
The smell of copper pennies of past wishes.
What a gorgeous, achingly true line. I will be thinking of it for a long time. ❤