Submissions by Josiah
POEMS AND SHORT STORIES
Poet Introduction
Not all journeys seek sunshine. My words navigate the shadows, finding beauty in the unexpected.
Crushing Rituals
Intentionally isolated
Alone to my thoughts
Microdosing on you
Enough to remember
How the air lightens
Among your presence
From shadow's depths
Behind iron barricades
I recreate your essence
With a time portal ritual,
Tainted history, hostage
Drawing deep from past
My 'you' raises from ash
Decrepit in my conceit
While barely your image
It suffices my fantasy
Falling for my reflection
In your eyes, so hollow
I rip my heart in pieces
To perpetuate this love
Of you loving myself
Alone to my thoughts
Microdosing on you
Enough to remember
How the air lightens
Among your presence
From shadow's depths
Behind iron barricades
I recreate your essence
With a time portal ritual,
Tainted history, hostage
Drawing deep from past
My 'you' raises from ash
Decrepit in my conceit
While barely your image
It suffices my fantasy
Falling for my reflection
In your eyes, so hollow
I rip my heart in pieces
To perpetuate this love
Of you loving myself
#crush
#lust
#memories #NaPoWriMo2024
#memories #NaPoWriMo2024
166 reads
1 Comment
Holding Hands
The days pass in years
Then, I feel her hand in mine
So, onwards, we walk
Then, I feel her hand in mine
So, onwards, we walk
#haiku
#ILoveYou
#love
177 reads
2 Comments
The Patchwork
Once upon a time, tiptoeing, in
Honey cordial lies so soothing
Amidst festering animosity
Truth seemed as lemon to sore
But, on, stress cracks creep up
We, vaseful of decaying daisies
Their hearts have grown withered
So, I cry because no one else is
My eyes have not crumbled to dust
With a teary love hard talk blend
A rough spackle concocted to mend
Time's proper pressure sets glue
When sometimes, often, on occasion
I view such patchwork futile
See there, leaking through the chips
I find I'm too close to the shards ...
Honey cordial lies so soothing
Amidst festering animosity
Truth seemed as lemon to sore
But, on, stress cracks creep up
We, vaseful of decaying daisies
Their hearts have grown withered
So, I cry because no one else is
My eyes have not crumbled to dust
With a teary love hard talk blend
A rough spackle concocted to mend
Time's proper pressure sets glue
When sometimes, often, on occasion
I view such patchwork futile
See there, leaking through the chips
I find I'm too close to the shards ...
#family
#forgiveness
#love
#NaPoWriMo2024
#sadness
110 reads
0 Comments
PBA Finals
Scrubmaster by dawn
Bowlmaster by dusk
Off, latex filth
On, leather perfection
Paradigm sliding
Into after-work gloves
Upon charm's tears
Elixir was poured
Some say bowling
Would not be worthy
Penultimate conquest:
To know what you love
And tonight
I will be KNOWN
For what I love
Bowlmaster by dusk
Off, latex filth
On, leather perfection
Paradigm sliding
Into after-work gloves
Upon charm's tears
Elixir was poured
Some say bowling
Would not be worthy
Penultimate conquest:
To know what you love
And tonight
I will be KNOWN
For what I love
#identity
#job
90 reads
0 Comments
Firewatch
Distant smoke rising
There will be no sleep tonight
I take my last drag
There will be no sleep tonight
I take my last drag
#fire
#job
#tobacco
122 reads
4 Comments
The Yes Man
They all have a habit of gliding in so slyly
Post three coffee Yetis with ideas grandeur
Pre ten ante meridiem press conference
It's their eyes, that silence before speaking
Two faced distortions and slight contortions
Movements sniffley, syntheticy, hesitant
What will I say? What will I do? What wont I?
Looking for my eyes, I make sure they see
War crimes. Excessive nuking. Blood lust.
The void forces their quick recalculations
And so concludes this silent bargain
A deal, neither good nor bad, just that
Just business,...
Post three coffee Yetis with ideas grandeur
Pre ten ante meridiem press conference
It's their eyes, that silence before speaking
Two faced distortions and slight contortions
Movements sniffley, syntheticy, hesitant
What will I say? What will I do? What wont I?
Looking for my eyes, I make sure they see
War crimes. Excessive nuking. Blood lust.
The void forces their quick recalculations
And so concludes this silent bargain
A deal, neither good nor bad, just that
Just business,...
#job
#manipulation
#NaPoWriMo2024
83 reads
0 Comments
Columbian Rain
High tempers in full humidity
Wind becomes a telltale sign
'Storms a brewing' as we say
Muddy clouds spill out sparingly
Never enough, better than none
Scorching streets screaming
Aloud, a fresh smell of relief
Allowed such short reprieve
Before heat returns with a loud
Spiteful buffet of vengeance
I draw deep, fresh air sweet
Cherishing before it runs stale
November only six months away
So, 'While I breathe I hope'
Wind becomes a telltale sign
'Storms a brewing' as we say
Muddy clouds spill out sparingly
Never enough, better than none
Scorching streets screaming
Aloud, a fresh smell of relief
Allowed such short reprieve
Before heat returns with a loud
Spiteful buffet of vengeance
I draw deep, fresh air sweet
Cherishing before it runs stale
November only six months away
So, 'While I breathe I hope'
#NaPoWriMo2024
#rain
#summer
88 reads
0 Comments
Deprived Dreams
I'm breaking down
In mid of day
The connections
That keep the peace
'Tween truth and lies
Ripping back drapes
Monsters flashing
Before my eyes
Cogs tearing down
Machinery
Overheating
Cognition slips
Brain in first gear
Red lights seem green
Heading full speed
Something Inside
Scream. Screams! SCREAMING!!
Brakes glowing red
Heart shakes and aches
Adrenaline
Quick infusion
Caffeine can't match
Carries safely
My return home
In mid of day
The connections
That keep the peace
'Tween truth and lies
Ripping back drapes
Monsters flashing
Before my eyes
Cogs tearing down
Machinery
Overheating
Cognition slips
Brain in first gear
Red lights seem green
Heading full speed
Something Inside
Scream. Screams! SCREAMING!!
Brakes glowing red
Heart shakes and aches
Adrenaline
Quick infusion
Caffeine can't match
Carries safely
My return home
#NaPoWriMo2024
#nightmares
#scary #sleep
#scary #sleep
142 reads
2 Comments
Staring at the Moon
Chainsaw, dead of night
Moonlight through trees, never seen
I stare evermore
Moonlight through trees, never seen
I stare evermore
#haiku
92 reads
2 Comments
"He Loves me Not" - Death
I've held you in my arms before
Drifted away in your warm caress
Your dark linens, melting stress
Eyes open, like stars shining bright
Already dead, burning across times
Groping for anchor as body sublimes
Somehow, here I live, without you
No slight hint of your fragrance
Deep gashes from your flagrance
So I live, to never escape, because
I've held you in my arms before
Due disrespect, you, I'll never adore
Drifted away in your warm caress
Your dark linens, melting stress
Eyes open, like stars shining bright
Already dead, burning across times
Groping for anchor as body sublimes
Somehow, here I live, without you
No slight hint of your fragrance
Deep gashes from your flagrance
So I live, to never escape, because
I've held you in my arms before
Due disrespect, you, I'll never adore
#death
#myself
#NaPoWriMo2024
95 reads
1 Comment
To Our Sin, Brother
Remember when we were way too young
To be up past one. Outside burning smores
Being chased by your campfire smoking.
Curiously poking sticks in to set ablaze.
What about those days, late teens, when
We should have been way too busy
But way too dizzy, burning joints by night
And in folly's height, cutting our classes
Or twenties, in ashes, burning midnight oil
Via two packs, royals, and smelling like shit
I prayed your grit would be smoothed over,
With work, dumb rovers, and tons of money
Thirty's: found my Bunny,...
To be up past one. Outside burning smores
Being chased by your campfire smoking.
Curiously poking sticks in to set ablaze.
What about those days, late teens, when
We should have been way too busy
But way too dizzy, burning joints by night
And in folly's height, cutting our classes
Or twenties, in ashes, burning midnight oil
Via two packs, royals, and smelling like shit
I prayed your grit would be smoothed over,
With work, dumb rovers, and tons of money
Thirty's: found my Bunny,...
#fire
#friendship
#NaPoWriMo2024 #violence
#NaPoWriMo2024 #violence
103 reads
0 Comments
A Poet's Block
Grasping at thin straws
In those darker corridors
That wind way back behind
The storefront of my mind
It's tapped and sapped
Creative juices run dry
From syrup to bitter gin
So unsure where to begin
But, reaching farther down
To rummage among the dregs
Cutting wrists on dry tears
Coal matter, thick as fears
Past self may wear gloves
I've since been bitten
Leaked through my pores
Seizing lungs like spores
And with tremble in hand
Digging into healed scars
Dark ink hits the papers...
In those darker corridors
That wind way back behind
The storefront of my mind
It's tapped and sapped
Creative juices run dry
From syrup to bitter gin
So unsure where to begin
But, reaching farther down
To rummage among the dregs
Cutting wrists on dry tears
Coal matter, thick as fears
Past self may wear gloves
I've since been bitten
Leaked through my pores
Seizing lungs like spores
And with tremble in hand
Digging into healed scars
Dark ink hits the papers...
#dark
#NaPoWriMo2024
#WritersBlock #WritingPoetry
#WritersBlock #WritingPoetry
100 reads
0 Comments
DU Poetry : Submissions by Josiah