the slow death of a poet

A diary of the falling dominoes chapter, republished on Word Whisperer original poetry blog.

invisibly dying from the inside out
no one is looking into unseen eyes
no one can hear a muted voice fading
no one is close enough to be near

the deafening thrums echo
anxieties’ racing heartbeat ,
gasping for new breath
in a hovering stale silence

from a distance
the broken mirror ricochets a subdued light ;
much closer the reflection reveals
someone I once knew by heart

now an unrecognizable mask
enshrouds a terminal emptiness
inconspicuous at a fleeting glance , 

impossible to  discern what storms rage 

from the inside out

the uncontained wildfire smoldering within
lies in wait for the winds of change
to fan the flames into the final ashes

a poet reaches out demurely

offering a candid look

into the window of the human soul

there is no poetry

met by indifference

just gathered unread words scribbled,

squandered time drips slowly on the page
moments turn into days
days turned into years

invisibly dying from the inside out
an unfinished life trickles out like seeping blood
evanescing from a bottomless puncture wound 

penetrating the heart
leaching out the slow death of a poet

for Poetry is only words unless they touch someone ...
befallen to indifference is poetic death by paper cuts ...
a muting suffocation that wears away,
silencing the passion of a musing soul ...

one unread word at a time 


© harlon rivers ...October 10, 2014

Liberating Dreams

Liberating Dreams

Unlock all those well hidden dreams
Breathe in their
hopeful impending bloom
The colour within
lay barren a swellen bud
yearning like a scorned lover
thirsty for the bitter sweet
Astir an unrequited memories ' afterglow
the dull throbbing ache

slowly wears away the soul


Time stealthily passes unnoticed ;
comes a time ..,

time came and went
allusions of forbidden dreams of grandeur
come unraveled ,
erode away ,
everlastingly reshaped
Carved by kismet and circumstance
leaving a broken ,
abrasive hindsight ,
wearing like a mouthful of sweet lies


Uncage those secret buried treasures
beheld closely a mind-made bastille
Unshackle those pining restless wings ,
cast loose the weight ,
the burden of gravity borne alone ,
for to fly far and away
alighting beyond 
those guarded enslaving walls


Enkindle the soul’s shine in all its brilliance ,
stirred by musing , liberating dreams
Uplifted like soaring
constellations splendor ,
enriching the harmony of the universe


Bring to light the essence of verve ;
the inner shine enlightens buried shadows
Unfetter that which chastens
the heart’s pulsing radiance

Come out from behind clever disguise


Embrace the feral anticipation
Imbibe passionate dreams forbidden fruit
Unleash the tameless spirit within ,
pulsing through roiling  veins ,
absolving the raging and restless sole within
Gazing at the stars above
renewed by an unbridled dreamfulness
searching on a cloud for a lullaby

harlon rivers ... © October 2014 

#liberating #dreams

Steal away the summer sun

The fall duskiness
snuck up like a moon shadow ,
quiet as a mouse ;
tiptoeing ,
sneakingly wary ,
into autumn candlelight’s
snuggling warmth

Seasons change ,
steal away
the summer sun
sinking level
with southern horizons ,
leaving only falling leaves
silently rousing flutter

Twilight skies
play hide and seek ;
the man in the moon
peaks around
magenta cotton clouds ,
winking through
the mountain greenery’s
dappled luminescence

The hush . . ,
candlelit quietude
flickers
from newly borne
stillness

harlon rivers ...© October 2014