noon’s furnace: asphalt shimmers; air—thick, slow—
cracks open. cicadas drill through stagnant gold.
a sprinkler’s hiccup-hiss: the pavement’s glow
un/curls in steam. the hydrant’s shout: uncontrolled.
children shriek!—a liquid burst of now,
popsicle rivers bleed; knuckles—sticky, green—
cling to handlebars. shadows stretch: thin, lean
across chain-link. each blade of grass—laid down—
bakes. but dusk? a match-strike: fireflies!—
the yard exhales jasmine; stars prick the bruised eaves—
porch swings gasp. the melted things—still writhing—
pool in gutters: chalk suns, lemon peels, dreams.
the silence hums. even time—soft, unspooled—
beads on your neck. and summer? stays. but cooled.
Warm yellow light.
Chilly, for indoor.
Soft, soothing, piano.
Music—
Door slides open.
A man walks in, his eyes—
Rain’s wailing outside.
He talks to the nurse.
His voice hoarse like sand—
Flash, lightening.
Raindrops darken the dusty walk—
Thunder.
He sinks into the bench beside me.
Stinging smell of cigarette butts—
Another thunder.
Door slides close and muffles it.
Nurse says my name.
I walk into the doctor’s—
A muffled thunder.
I don’t remember seeing the lightning.
_____________
Note: Dysautonomia is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system, often causing brain fog, anxiety, and sensory overload.
when light fractures into noise…
I embrace the outburst
with emptiness chewing up my nerves.
The void softens the impact—
can’t break what never arrived.
The tag behind my shirt,
Feeling like your covered in
Dirt.
Except,
There's nothing there.
You just feel unclean,
But there's no trace seen.
Cars beeping,
The tv is on,
Someone is playing a song
There is too much
going on.
I need to stay sane
My sensory is overwhelmed once again.
Its making me want to yell.
Stillness is needed,
Otherwise I'll get heated.
The sound of your rose petal blush sunsetting on your face
Feels like my goosebumps dancing on the sky tops of my skin
The smell of your mountain rain hair crying sounds like a mid-day summer shower
The look of curiosity cuts in the middle of my gaze and feels like a conversation I can’t wait to have
Your presence is such a gift to my senses I become overstimulated in nerves
p.s. can we just pause this moment before the laws of dialogue are written…
It’s like- I’m walking though a busy mall.
Oh wait, I am, it’s real.
I can read minds, I know it sounds silly.
Or maybe I can’t.
But I can sense the texture of their clothing.
I see a tall person and feel tall which makes me disoriented.
I am rushing around this place trying to understand their lives.
The whooshing of the wind on their skin.
As they pass by the open door and don’t even notice.
But I do.
They are ascending on an elevator.
Coffees in their hands and it burns! It burns!
They are flying with their feet planted.
I’m flying, and the feeling is growing.
Dizzy, I am sitting and she’s sitting with me and talking to me.
Breathing strong, powerful breathes.
Breathing in all the smells in the world.
She leads me to the car.
She heads back into the mall to buy me a pretzel and drink.
I didn’t buy anything that day.
But I didn’t care.
cut off
deprived
magnetized
sensitized
to crave
desire
ache
the longing
touching
caressing
skin tingling
reacting
sensations
heightened
devouring
sole passion
AP: Honorable Mention 2022
What’s left of my mind
when I open my mouth
is the part I could never say.
What’s left of my mind
when you open yours
is a place I hope we can share
free of alone-ing despair.
What’s left of my soul
when you open my eyes
soars through our blue
and brown thrilled skies.
What’s left of your soul
when I'm lost in your eyes
hides a smile for our prayer
"Send us light,
send us light,
send us light."
What's left of my heart
when I open your tears
screams for relief
from my mad
and our bad
sad climate fears.
What’s left of your heart
when I open mine
is a gift I most need to hear.
What’s left of your soul
when I'm lost in your eyes
hides a smile for our prayer
"Send us light,
send us light,
send us light."
Dark silence I embrace
Dark silence slows the pace
Dark silence cuts my frustration down to size
Dark silence quiets the chase
Dark silence relaxes my face
Dark silence cools my eyes
By Robb A. Kopp
All Rights Reserved © MMX
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