Morning
I stand motionless among the rushes
Listening to the cattails dance on the wind
The morning’s coffee bitter on my tongue
A remembrance of life’s missed opportunities
Lunch Break
Pin pricks of rain
Speckle the windshield
The damp settles into my bones
Dirty patches of snow cling to curbs
A half smoked cigarette
Floats in the an oil slicked puddle
Of this chain store parking lot
Frantically scribbling
Into a dollar store notebook
The pain of hate and loss
Weekend Nights
Sitting at the kitchen table
Alone
Drunk
Convinced I’m a failure
As broken as this Slinky
In my hands
Twisted and bent
The silver finish dulled
I throw it into
The black trash bag
That sits bulging with discarded memories
In the middle of the floor
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255