Quarters

25

When I discovered roof tops, I felt
like a toy between the thumb and forefinger of God -
the one He sometimes threw to see
how far He could throw
... and always found
light years from where my journey began,
scuffed up from the fall
but ready to be thrown again;
believing it worth being His favorite.

50

I stood with my back against the calendar,
kicking my foot back against every date behind me;
hoping to kick out a hole I could just leave there
for time to fall into
so that I could live on the shockwave of its scream
as it ran from its own nothingness.

75

They never wished me dead,
just incarcerated by their will
(not being able to justify
killing such a wild and beautiful being
who told the truth with a savage tongue,
frightened the soul with a knowing stare,
lived naked and unashamed...)

100

Slave to my hunger, I'd hunt to feed -
risking heaven to preserve my earth;
becoming vulnerable to the fear and admiration I inspired;
leashed and shackled with love spelled in a dictionary;
wasting away in someone else's need...


Copyright Eric Nunnally April 26, 2006