Phoenix

And so it was
I watched him smile
As we ordered another
To drown the demons of tomorrow

He said nothing,made the drinks
confident that more bone-marrow
souls will walk through the door

He is tired and I am too
He passes me the drink
I take it away, I say nothing either.

The life of the selective mute

i

I don't talk
I type because
unless I'm drunk
words do not travel through
the underground tunnel of my throat
to design eloquence that shines to ears
that do not even burn to hear them

ii

I break free of the shackle of
'Not-wanting-to-be-here' thoughts
'It's-better-if-we-leave' thoughts
Pill-popping ones, allsorts

But it is only for a few minutes
and then I am back
A beggar to my mind (master)
Hoping I can find the courage
To take flight from man-made hell
Like the flame-bitten Phoenix
I know i am.