“Journey”
“Extra Terrestrial”
artfulimagers
Swallow over the Ocean Waves by Ohara Koson (Japanese, 1877–1945)
You said you didn’t like to watch those kinds of movies
and I thought
“Well, I wouldn’t ever force you to do something
that you don’t want to do.”
yet I was in wedges constantly up against
walls with your scoffs
with your detail in denial
and that was fine I guess but
I fled from my gut
beavering water
I was thirsty and you had pineapple soda and great smiles.
I thought a long time about the way I felt
in that car when lies were spilled into my passenger seat
to make me feel as if I’d closed myself off for so long
that I couldn’t tell
when someone genuine and loving was beside me
I felt a bit of loss at the charges;
frigid!
aloof!
uncaring!
When in fact
I am neither of those things.
I wonder now several months away
how could I be so silly
how my heart could be again fooled by silliness but
it wasn’t
I’m not silly
just a guy- a person living and that’s ok,
buddy, you’re alright.
I held on to my savior complex
went all in towards friendships
building tunnels under rubble
forging alliances
disregarding those feelings:
distrust
watch your back
be weary
don’t press too hard or the floor will crack
and I was right.
it wasn’t strong
it couldn’t last
and that’s ok.
You told me that you didn’t like to watch those kinds of movies
and I believed it
but I can see now
that what you meant was
You didn’t want to watch anything with me.
Dogs At Night
Dogs at night run the sky
as the moon stays silent.
Take me, I saw you looking
from across the street.
This night is a hooded figure
and he holds the leash.
-
I saw dogs at night,
watching from across the sky.
Love was on my mind
and I’d do anything for you.
JEP