Everything ...
both before
and after
— comes down to now
(Dreamsleep: December, 2025)
The farther we stray
from our natures
the more depressed we get
Hunting, fishing
and chopping wood
our DNA and yet ...
We sit and stare
at digital screens
our spirits on the run
And shun each other
inhumane
our futures zero — sum
(The New Room: September, 2024)
All is well, unless its not .
The race never starts
The run doesnt stop.
Im either rock bottom or right at the top .
Voice too quiet
quickly too cross
My hair is washed tidy
Or tied in a knot.
Stomach sits empty
Ive eaten alot.
I envy small doses
To know when enough
I want to be strong
But also give up.
Will Silence
strum the wind
like that of guitar strings…
Wherefore art thy
melody?
Ah, perhaps in
tinges of
solitude and frail
wings that soar
the skies.
Will those book pages
flip into what is real…
facets of memoirs–
warm-filled,
unchased by moonbeams,
unrivalled by time.
The heart ascending the stairway
of the mind–too sublime
to behold
all or nothing.
...I remember when it was SOMETHING.
A Lesson OR Blessing, actually BOTH.
Is blood thicker than water? Not if bad blood has formed. Was it always tainted, beneath the naked eye of a surface picture painted?
Life's moments are so fleeting...
I can't imagine partaking in unnourishing concepts and allow for the mere sake of repeating. Wouldn't that be defeating???
There's nothing can be gained, once all
GOOD energy has been drained! It can't be "returned or renamed" Retrospectively, concepts can't sustain "ideals" electively.
No fairy dust. No holiday or every blue moon so called trust...sadly there's rust.
I choose to blow it away with breath & depth protected inlay; can't allow nothing to delay, deter, "stir" my peace, for a piece of me...my heart, that part, that is my Core and Soul OFF LIMITS.
It wasn't Always like that, but Splat...
when remembering, I GAVE and thoughtfully.
Release to allow Peace.
Something had to Cease...
Now, I Am SAVED.
SELF-LOVE INCREASED!
©Renee D. Gross {GHPPR} March 12, 2023#
Once again you came to me
In the imprint of a dream
This time it was you who taught
And me who sat agleam
You put your arms around me
You placed your hands on mine
You showed me what it felt like
Cold ice ran up my spine
I turned around and kissed you
My self control was gone
It felt so good I couldn't stop
In to you I was drawn
Our lips were locked in motion
We held each other tight
For me, I could have stayed like that
All throughout the night
And as the dream began to fade
I know what happened next
The rest cannot be published here
That's for the other text
You know in everyone's life a little rain must fall
Sometimes it's hard and other times it doesn't come at all
Much like in our lives we lead today
Where it's all or nothing all the way
Some choose to dance in the rain and get their feet wet
While others haven't experienced a true rain yet
Where everything is soaked to the bone you feel you will melt you see
Have you ever walked in a hard rain like me?
If you've seen my storms then you know
That even in the valley my all or nothing will show.
I thought that I could handle it
That the passage of time
Had healed my heart enough to be able to open the door a little
And invite you in
However,
Time passing also revealed a new truth
Something I wasn't expecting
Something I was determined to disprove
Which is the reality that it's become
All or Nothing
So,
Since it's impossible for me to have it 'All'
And it's clear to me that I can't
cope with 'Some'
Then sadly,
the only option left
is
'Nothing'
August 28, 2021
I don’t limit who reads my verse,
only who I answer
Each word thick-skinned and armor-clad
all questions zero-sum
(To Nelson Riddle & Frank Sinatra: March, 2021)
If you’re not ready to kill the lion
—never stalk its trail
(Dreamsleep: October, 2020)
For what reason this all-or-nothing thinking?
Too hot, too cold,—but never in the middle
I live, a victim of this ruthless riddle
that contradicts reply (and has me sinking!?).
This anarchy of mind that's got me drinking
is never gray, but too much or too little
like a deranged, mad instrument, a fiddle,
that counterpoints a melody without blinking.
Unlike my thinking, life's not black or white
but somewhere in the middle, where insane
poor souls escape manic, psychotic thoughts
like refugees from their depressive plight,
a Scylla and Charybdis that won't drain
the swirling stream of mania's onslaughts.
All or nothing
Love is pain. Love is the cure.
Love hurts too much. Give me more.
If you can love, then love me truly.
Anything less is useless to me.
If you like me, but do not know if you love me,
Then go away. You are unworthy.
I only do all out love, or nothing.
If you do not love me, then we should keep on moving,
In separate directions, to find other loves;
Because if you feel that you have never been loved,
Then it is time to write a different book.
(C)2019 Aa Harvey. All Rights Reserved.
Why must it be
all or nothing
why the two extremes
why not
a happy medium
like maybe,
or something in between;
try it for now
if it doesn’t work
we’ll try something else
why all or nothing
why so terse;
walking this fine line
not knowing
that at any time
you could walk out
leaves me in such doubt
to wither and die inside;
so let’s make a pack
try a happy medium
where our love may stay
on track
What if this all means nothing
Then my life it seems would be a fantasy
Visions granted to me but what does it really mean?
Or are they just there to deceive...
Then the existence of everything..
is just some dumb made up dream
then there really is nothing to believe
If all i see means nothing
A puzzle from nothing
For nothing
Isnt that just a great story
Lame as ever and ever boring
But these days everytime i think i know something
Turns out it was false
I might as well be empty without thoughts
Everytime i try and find love i only end up lost
So the question is
Is it all for nothing?
am i just delusional?
One last chance i suppose before i cut the rope
and assume its all just a hoax
And this...thing..about me is just coincidences
I guess itl be my "the end"
Because if so...this story blows
There is balance in the rhythm of life
A give and take for which we strive
In the middle between all or nothing
We find our own path to survive
Caring for others unconditionally
An altruistic motive though unrealistic
To want to care for others is generous
For some it can become fatalistic
We must take care of ourselves first
Though to think only of ourselves is wrong
We donate time or money if we have it
If we give all we can't sustain for long
Financial gifts cannot leave one penniless
Self caring responsibly requires healthiness
Imagine giving time until one is senseless
There is a balance that requires gentleness
Self care and caring of others is healthy
Even as children learn about sharing
Limits are important also for the wealthy
Finding boundaries a necessity for caring
July 25, 2018
Take Care Of Yourself First Contest
By Caren Krutsinger
Honorable Mention
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