premonitions
startled
twitching
like whispers
shoot up my spine
lodge in my limbs
cowering
The day she decides she’s done,
Wasting her best years in fear,
Cowering in filth and shadows,
Her pet cockroaches near,
Who can’t face me in the light,
And scurry from the sight,
If not too tainted then,
By their black-fingered blight,
She may assume her place,
Beside me in spite,
Of a once-roach being sprayed,
And my Queen’s appetite,
Will never be spoiled again,
By these putrid insects,
Ever scavenging and stealing,
Like a cancer that infects,
Where she finally feels the kiss,
On her face so inspiring,
As sun enlightens her,
Without her scurrying, but smiling.
There it sat, the mark of riches
White, round, and in tune
Just pick a channel
Set up the chain of command
Turn the barrel to frequency
And receive
No matter the privacy of home
The whole town knew the view
They were aware of the mind
The body that carried it out
Even when the company appeared
They received
A quiet giggle and sideways walk
Out the door, gossip on the lips
The dripping never ceased
Yet no one, and I mean, NO ONE
Spoke of the images on the screen
Being received
When someone has the courage
To display filth in the presence of others
Without guilt, shame, remorse
You're left to ask about private matters
Behind closed doors of iron
Cowering in the awareness
She receives....
Written by Trudy Schrader on 08-23-2026
A worm's eye view never seems to be a problem
for those who prefer not to be perceived.
I inch along the ground,
cowering in the light
and moistening myself in hallowed raindrops.
The sky clouding over is my perfect afternoon.
Gentle breezes and summer downpours
are the creatures' form of relaxation,
while children cover themselves in the safety of concrete barriers,
These perfectly straight lawns
bordered by paved expanses
are insurmountable obstacles; guaranteed death.
After the rain,
childlike giants scoop us up
and force us to succumb to concentrated beams of sunlight
filtered through magnifying glasses.
I feel a cold rush of wind against my skin
as dark clouds cascade across the sky
saturating my eyes with an ominous promise
of what's to come
light flashes in the distance
a deep resounding sound rolls toward me
in a loud gathering force
I am immersed in the oncoming storm
and its powerful unforgiving nature
churning the blood in my veins
binding me to nature's violent vibrancy
I'm no guest cowering in fear, rather a participant
in its reality
about to break open above the earth
with a burst of energy
I breathe in the scene of visual sensations
and dream of being windborne with the clouds
finding unity with this tempest
draping the world in a rumbling atmospheric darkness
On the mountain top alone
Standing with you
Deepest darkness dances
Spits on all that's true
Watching wringing, writhing hands
See strutting evil fall
Laughing at those who call on gods
That are not gods at all.
Simply in power you came Simply,
in power, Lord, come again.
Cowering in my cave alone
I've run from you
As in the deepest darkness of
My blackest point of view,
Beyond the howling hurricane,
Rock-cracking earthquake's fall,
After all-consuming Fire
I heard your gentle call.
Simply in power you came Simply,
in power, Lord, come again.
Lord let me hear your still small voice
Speak softly Lord to me
Speak through my busy world of noise
I'll listen eagerly.
So, what are you doing here?
I hear you ask
Disclose your deep-down, deep-felt
Fears. Come let's restart
Walk with me, my willing friend
Surrender now your all
And then, empowered, we can go
Together, walking tall.
Simply in power you came Simply,
in power, Lord, come again.
Shouting in the dark
Screaming in the night
Howling in the silence
Tensing for a fight
Steeling for the blow
Cowering in fear
Reeling from the thought
There is no friend here
Summoning up hope
Longing for release
Recalling the days
Of life lived in peace
Calling out to God
Telling him my plight
Listening in pain
For songs in the nigh
dusty keyboards
I’ve heard the planet will overheat
and roasty-toasty carbonate us
- but what is that to me?
Let’s mock the low expectations of the world,
abiding as we can, taking what comforts we can now,
in this lusty winter - what purpose would cowering serve?
There’ll be spring renewals,
I’m willing to bet
ice in our martinis
and yet other playful summers.
It’s true. that someday, our busy keyboards will be dust
and all of our affections will lie in tombs
but worst case scenario
by natural and supernatural laws
- as sure as an infallible God looks earthward
- our souls will be lifted on heaven’s wings
.
.
Songs for this:
And when I die - Laura Nero
Jesus Walks - Kanye West
Somebody Bigger Than You and I - Elvis Presley
Strangely, I have nothing to confess,
Oh, perhaps when I was younger,
When the temper of an alcoholic father
Left me cowering in the shadows;
Safe when he did not see me,
Safe when Mom intercepted the anger ~
But that was long ago
And childhood has faded
Into anecdotes of bizarre incidents,
Which oddly are simply amusing
Now that fear is far away.
Benign bliss burn
Latent as the spring bulb, cowering neath the snow
Yet ardent as the puppy plays, the growing inner glow
What is this wakening energy, where have these thoughts been hiding?
Internal fire, ferocious flame, your secret now confiding
I finally open my eyes
Perhaps for the very first time
There is a calmness buried here, that I had long forgotten
My lost long friend, I do depend, to you my door is open
The shout of silence stirs me, it’s echo kills the drama
I don’t resist, I still my lips, and to love’s flame surrender
The end of darkened duty
The untold whispered beauty
Interconnection, no distraction, let the suffering leave
I face my fear, hate engineered, the call of doubt relieved
My glowing grace, I amplify, illumine natural story
Hell’s chapter closed, His tome composed, in essence and of Glory
Languid love learn
Benign bliss burn
Midst the violent summer storm’s wrath,
He stood on the front porch fearlessly.
In the thunder roar or lightning strike,
Unafraid, he stood stoically.
When enquired, no direct answer came.
Daring stunt or curiosity,
A meteorological game.
Why put his life in such jeopardy?
Inside the house was another scene,
His wife and children were cowering.
On a bed mattress of coiled steel springs,
An antenna of sorts for lightning
Despite all pleas for him to retreat,
Boldly, he gazed at the angry sky.
Until the storm played its last drumbeat,
He bade it a respectful goodbye.
Midst the violent summer storm’s wrath,
He stood on the front porch fearlessly.
In the thunder roar or lightning strike,
Unafraid, he stood stoically.
When enquired, no direct answer came.
Daring stunt or curiosity,
A meteorological game.
Why put his life in such jeopardy?
Inside the house was another scene,
His wife and children were cowering.
On a bed mattress of coiled steel springs,
An antenna of sorts for lightning
Despite all pleas for him to retreat,
Boldly, he gazed at the angry sky.
Until the storm played its last drumbeat,
He bade it a respectful goodbye.
How do I miss a face
I’ve barely seen—
just photographs,
never flesh,
yet I know her
like a dream that refuses
to stay asleep.
I once killed the art of dreaming.
Nightmares came hungry,
intentional,
sharp with teeth.
I starved them of my mind
until silence swallowed the night.
But tonight a spark slips through.
Impulsive.
And for a heartbeat
I am happy.
I deserve this—
the glimpse of her,
unspoiled.
My dreams haven’t touched her yet.
Let them stay blind.
I won’t feed the dark.
I imagine it cowering,
still on guard,
waiting for a job
I never asked it to do.
So why do I miss
the photos of someone
I’ve never met?
Because beauty moves closer
every time I look.
Because she notices,
thinks the same,
and distance can’t keep
what’s already inevitable.
Tonight I bar the nightmare’s door.
Tomorrow I open my heart.
We both deserve love.
love already knows.
The sorrows we borrow,
the sorrows we keep—
are debts of the dead,
replayed in our sleep.
Blood writes the tally,
blood writes it in red;
tomorrow collects
what yesterday bled.
The sun drags its shadow.
The sun drags its shroud—
darkness advancing
cowering aloud.
Dry eyes at dawn.
Ashes inbred;
a prayer in the dust,
a prayer for the dead.
The sun flares faintly,
a wound in the sky.
The clouds part briefly,
yet cold will not die.
What was served yesterday
lies rotting today;
a banquet of abstinence,
a plate of decay.
Tears must be borrowed.
Tears must be sown;
the covenant is endless,
the debt as ever has grown.
I am summoned.
I am again sworn—
to gather the blood,
to nourish the thorn,
to water dead flowers,
for sorrow's reborn.
There he sits
In a cell of choice
Paying the price
For shattered voice
She stands on a stage
Belting out words of hope
Inside, cowering in a corner
With a frayed rope
They hold their signs
Gather in crowds
Shouting powerless views
To attempt a break down
...of numbers
Isolated in countries
Without a proper home
Everyone comes in
But leaves them, alone
Humanity straddles the knife
Begging for a peaceful life
Finding division and descension
While prophesying ascension
Those who follow LOVE
Have no beginning or end
Flowing through process
Even when...
again and again
Written by Trudy Schrader on 06-17-2025
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