My mind a cave of favorite characters
And greatest hits
A life time of connections and sidekicks
Frank Zappa plays the soundtrack
In a tumble of tightly compressed acoustic riffs
A genius long gone, but ever present.
When he’s done he says,
In tightly compressed electronic bytes
“May we burn it all down.”
And I wake refreshed
To another day, another dawn.
(9/17/26)
Jaun Elia:
She came to my grave with her new beloved,
Who says that one cannot be burned after being buried?
Mohit Rahinj:
I did not die among the people of this world,
Someone killed me.
It was my beloved’s ploy,
A conspiracy to burn me even after burying me.
She did not let me live while I was alive,
Nor did she let me depart in peace after death.
She is burning me even after I have died,
She is not letting me find peace even after death.
She did not let me live when I was alive,
And when I was on my way to paradise, she did not let me go.
She is still burning me even after death,
Look at all the things my beloved is doing for me.
My beloved, you have already taken my life,
Now, must I surrender my words to you as well?
Storms are passing with
The heat I could not stand,
The days drag on so slow as
Summer's flames were fanned
Winds calmed the burn
Yet it lingered there,
As stubborn as ever
Hanging on in the air
Just when I thought
That I was truly done,
Then came the rain
And a more gentle sun.
the sun lit on the
flower bud torrent heat dried
plant up blazingly
8/18/26
written by James Edward Lee Sr. 2026©
Rot
Blood
Warm husk
Crushed rib cage
Pustule burst of light
Searing through the heavy black lung
Trapped in a breathless, weeping shroud of the stagnant air
We watch the ruined summer spark, drowning inside of a glass chamber where the dead things scream against the cold, tearing our bleeding hearts apart
Burning the skin away to feed the starving shadows deep in the hollow night, we watch the final frantic flutter char to ash, reduced to nothing underneath indifferent stars, forgotten by the cold, silent universe.
Embers dance, beneath my breath,
Where the heart is crowned.
Time becomes a flame…
Let old be cast down.
A body formed of dust, with fiery brightness thrilled,
And sanctified by Grace’s cooling breath instilled –
No element or creature could have that body killed;
After the fall of Adam, it became
A dark vessel made of coal, with moisture filled.
Coal must become a diamond, holy flame…
It shall resurrect as soul’s own state may claim:
Transfigured, with a new blessed name,
Or in continuously deepening and endless shame.
What is worthless is destroyed by fire
And is scattered by the wind;
Freeing the trapped most pure light,
Forcing diamond's facets shinned.
When silence is the radiance of soul,
And every earthly voice at last is dumb –
The time will roll up like a scroll
And the Eternity will come.
Watch me fall apart,
Watch me burn to ashes.
It must have been April when we both strayed
Vindictive, I refused to warm fire’s glow
When livid words raged... triggering my ire
Though pleading sorry, I shunned Kate’s hello.
Yet at nights when laughter used to ripple,
I knew burning bridges kept us apart ,
And missed all our years graced by kinship's bliss;
Enduring rain and snowstorm of life's chart
On Kate’s doorstep I knocked to mend this rift...
How my eyes burned like splinters of dark ray;
She had gone -- far off--- my closure too late
A void bitter ... oh on her natal day.
Isn’t our life a clever game of chess,
Where chance and actions equally pay
We can’t approach life like a naïve amateur
Each move be cautious for success to pave way
Some ties, though broken need to be mended
When a crack forms, it can be fixed with cement
Every dissension or hurt do not deserve goodbye
With a little effort, some bonds, we can easily mend
When ego masquerades as dignity or self- respect
One is hesitant for a compromise or reconciliation
A humble word or a kind gesture can heal a hurt
They can easily pave way for instant reparation.
Some relationships are extremely toxic,
Where one longs for a permanent liberation.
There, the bridge is to be burnt down,
Without any qualms or the slightest hesitation.
Life is all a question of sound selection.
If one makes choices that are dependable
One can effortlessly chart one’s way to success
Mend fences worthy and burn bridges ignoble.
With every word spoken in flame,
We burnt our bridges, played the game.
Letters to ash,
Actions too rash,
The ravine is widening, we can't turn back
Our past is broken, now we fear attack.
Burn or mend.
Instead let's speak words with grace,
Bridging the gap, reclaiming our place.
Letters take form,
Actions preform,
No turning back, it's not just a bridge rebuilt,
But a mended past, from all of our guilt
I have no desire to mend the fences,
life is now lived in past tenses:
heartbreaker
joy taker
misery maker
I was told don’t burn those bridges,
trouble only comes in smidges:
pitches
switches
stitches
The stars are not arranged for comfort,
but to sparkle, shine and extort:
take chance
moon dance
romance!
Carry on my wayward son
there’ll be peace when you are done*
life gives
love lives
forgives.
*Kerry Livgren
We are swords, yet so silent,
Living on this planet.
Like birds that sing every day,
Telling us that the weather is bad.
I fear many things,
For the jungle is deeply disturbed.
Lions think they are the owners;
They rule the goats without mercy.
Hens are persecuted by lions;
They burn while waiting for the rain.
Peace is only a dream in the jungle,
And difficulties begin when we wake.
People pray for the night,
Not for the daylight that brings suffering.
They beg for help because
The elephants disappeared with their promises.
They abandoned the jungle like strangers,
No longer longing for their home.
Who will save the little birds from the lions,
Lost in the darkest part of the forest?
Only brave knights can rescue them.
Impulse control was just a mere thought
Who could've thought I believed you were hot?
Burn down the apartments built from our touch
Because fixing this mistake takes far too much
A risk which could end in paradise or poverty
And sacrificing things that mean a lot to me
Your record is longer than your achievement list
And your cuddles and your kisses weren't too crisp
Insist on a fix? Well, you better put in some effort
Take some money from your new girl, know you love to press her...
What can I say, your work effort is thinner
Than air in the mountains, you aren't a winner
You can try to seal the roof with the remnants of your heart
Perhaps you should have done this right from the start!
I’ll burn the bridges—yes, ignite the night~
a blazing, dramatic opera staged in firelight.
Let sparks go swirling like betrayed desires,
each plank a martyr to my mighty pyres.
I rise victorious as the embers rise,
a tragic heroine with smoke-filled eyes.
Let smoke proclaim my bold, rebellious creed~
No looking back, no bridge shall I ever need.
And when I’m stranded on my lonely, self-righteous shore,
I shall sigh, “How noble to return no more.”
Then whisper to the ashes at my feet,
“Perhaps I overdid the whole retreat.”
Mend white fences until you see
Harm in lies neglect denim deceit
As one crying wolf in dark night surprise
Is beast in sheep clothing evil disguise
I tend to lend empathetic emerald ear
Until there’s a reason for caution fear
Narcissistic people cause much pain
Drop them they’re toxic as acid rain
Then burn those bridges fire red
Don’t forget they get in your head
With twisted hearts and black greed
Don’t be a victim instead break free
crimson lanterns burn
nocturnal festivities rise
peace glows amongst them
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