Hah. I have joined. Because I feel like it (and am actually ridiculously proud of this thing) I will post the song I read this evening.

Not Dreams But Waking Nightmares
Spiraling off, twisting and turning,
Never afraid while you’re here by my side
But now you’re gone, and so I am learning
When love doesn’t want you,
There’s no place to hide.

My dreams are spiraling out beyond my control
Turning to nightmares when day is through
I can’t rest my head with these devils inside
I’m going insane and I can’t survive
If I ask you again will you be so kind
Tell me what to do (Tell me what to do)

Bloodred sunsets shake my nerves
So badly I can’t breathe
Never again will I sleep through the night
My conscience is restless but I cannot reply
How to stifle my screaming when nothing’s all right
And the leaves shake the wind from the trees?

Spiraling off, twisting and turning,
Never afraid while you’re here by my side
But now you’re gone, and so I am learning
When love doesn’t want you,
There’s no place to hide.

When you were still here by my side I was sure
We’d be safe from all evil intent
But now that you’ve left me here grieving to death
I know nothing can save me
When you said you loved me,
I’m still not quite sure what you meant.

At least Evil’s intentions, however perverse,
Are still purely attired in black and dark red
While Good’s muddled mask saves its true face for last
And you only know its true goal
Once it’s stripped off its pretenses
When you’re lying face down and near dead.

Spiraling off, twisting and turning,
Never afraid while you’re here by my side
But now you’re gone, and so I am learning
When love doesn’t want you,
There’s no place to hide.

Love’s dark angels are sweeping me away
To your side, where I’ll wait for the end of all time
When bloodred streams of loneliness
Wake me from my fever dream
I remind myself to hide my sins from others’ prying eyes
And in the distant future, you’ll be mine

Black birds rip through my troubled mind
Screeching and scratching with bloodred claws
And I know that no matter how I try
They’ll never be gone and you’ll never be back
So I’ll just slip away, into Death’s looming jaws.
And let her do with me what she will
As I smile and the world fades to black.

Spiraling off, twisting and turning,
Never afraid while you’re here by my side
But now you’re gone, and so I am learning
When love doesn’t want you,
There’s no place to hide.

Book of poems, me bought

I bought this new collection by Donald Hall today. I believe I shared one of his poems during our first meeting. A big reason I bought it was because it came with a CD of Hall reading his poetry. Over an hour's worth. Maybe I'll bring it in Thursday and force you guys to listen to a couple...

So, no one else seems to be posting. I am currently working on something new, however, this is a random thing I wrote awhile ago. One of my few recent pieces of prose.


Some times I sit outside at night and I wish that the whole world could be as beautiful and uncomplicated as the night sky. Pink-tinted clouds against a dark purple-blue sky. It’s like the picture on a nursery rhyme tapestry in some little kid’s bedroom, reminding me of simpler times. Of bedtime stories and fighting to sit on Mama’s lap. Of staying up until eleven reading by the nightlight and thinking how exciting it was to be up so late. When the door creaks open quiet footsteps are careful to wake no one who sleeps. I rub my eyes and say I only got up to use the bathroom. But I stayed up to see her and she sits with me for awhile. Rubs the growing pains out of my legs and then settles down to read on of her mystery books until I finally drift off to sleep.

I jerk myself out of long ago memories, surprised to find wet cheeks. I go inside and light candles. The flames waver as I breathe out and then dance back up, casting shadows on the wall. Their glow of light has a beauty that electrical lights have never imitated. In the soft light of the candles the whole world - including me - seems that much more okay, more peaceful and at ease in a way that nothing ever is in the bright, revealing light of the day. It is why I love the night so. The darkness seems to encourage the letting down of barriers, showing one’s true self. I feel safe, wrapped in a cloak of darkness and faraway pinpoints of light.

Finally at 2 a.m. I climb into bed. By then I am so tired that I sink into the pillow with a sigh of content. The cool night air comes through my window and I snuggle farther under the covers. Sleep and dreams, angry for being so long denied their claim on me during these hours, rush to fill my mind. I willingly surrender. Goodnight.

More people need to post!!!!

Clare

A call for teenage girl writers

I just saw an article about how Amy Goldwasser from New York magazine is looking to put together a book of nonfiction from teenage girls. You can read about it here

I'm here to help.

I wrote this in the 7th grade, about 4 years ago, either for or relating to Language Arts class. I've changed the last line a little over the years, but this is the poem in it's original form. (You'll see what I mean.)
--------------

A teacher once said with glee,
"We must torture the students, you see.
A five hour long test
Will be a real pest
We'll call it the EOG."
--------------

Too bad there's no way to make the last line work with "10th grade writing test".

Sorry for not having too much original/current stuff to post right now. Apparently, stressing out about English essays, math competitions, and writing tests shuts down my inspiration. Maybe on Wednesday....

Where is Lee's poem?

I see a rough draft in there. When do we get to see the stunning final product?

Also, why hasn't Meghan given us a glimpse of her intellect? What's the deal, yo?

Am I being to insistant?