On Waking Still Alive, et al

by: Daniel von der Embse

Proudly we present part 1 of a 2 part series dedicated to the poems of the very talented Daniel von der Embse……

Alexandre-Farto-Scratched-Murals-4

On waking still alive

Too many sleeping pills

are not enough

to finish the job

only to make the brains spill

at the sight of daylight

barely able to comprehend

the scraped up face in the mirror

nor remembering at all

the fall to the pavement

 

Light sears the retina like a laser

traveling deep into the soul

Once awake it becomes clear

living can no longer be avoided

No time for rumination on

what might have been

only the pieces to pick up

and carry on

to a different conclusion

more successful

than this

vhils urban art graffiti artist 1

Prayer before resting

Before bed you asked

me to read you

the Lord’s Prayer

 

a strange request

unsettling to me

in my exhaustion

 

Laying you to rest

I pray it now

remembering you –

 

a video flickering,

streaks barely visible

in the light

 

shadow beings

chasing us

back to when

 

we could see

it all, everything

in the dark

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The rescue

In the morning, daylight,

the shrill whimper of a coyote

way off somewhere

 

In his voice, fear,

the cry for help carried

from the distant hills

 

The sharp bark of dogs, syncopates,

his wailing, afraid, surrounded

out of reach of his brothers

 

I am mesmerized by the voices

and listen with all my hearing

for how the end comes

 

In that moment, a rescue

by his fellows, running off, free –

the scenario I choose,

the better to imagine myself ((The art featured throughout this piece was created by the incredibly talented Vhils, the tag name of Portuguese graffiti/street artist Alexandre Farto.))

 

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