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……
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
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
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.))
