Paranoid
Now I'm paranoid,
Checking, 
And rechecking, 
Eyes searching for your name.
Now that I know, 
I'm obsessed, 
Obsessing, 
Like I always do. 

Street lamps shine on to the narrow street, made narrower by the cars parked by the curb on either side of the street. The lush green leaves of the trees that frame the road cast a magical kind of darkness, not exactly blocking out the light of the houses or lamps, but blocking out all kind of starlight or moonlight. Houses of all sizes with their porch lights shining against the approaching twilight, sit perfectly across from each other and next to each other.

“Seven days till Christmas!” Ema cried when I walked in the door the next morning.
“Are you ready?” I asked her.
She nodded, then tugged my sleeve and motioned for me to bend down. “Mr. Jerome helped me pick something out for mama at the Christmas market.”
I straightened when Emily came out from behind the counter. “Clara will be coming again this afternoon,” I said.
“I was wondering when she’d come by again. You’re welcome to practice here every day if you need to.”
“I don’t know how much more we need to practice. I wish we needed to every day!”

It was a cold Christmas Eve that brought Santa to a standstill in the middle of Texas. Rudolph had a bad cold and though his nose glowed brighter with each sneeze, he chose to remain home. So Santa was on his own this foggy wintry night, and he had no idea where he was. The snow crystals were dancing about and sticking in his snow white beard. He came to a stop at a brick house to let the reindeer rest and to get his bearings.

we are
carved from soft
sculpted
with a hesitant hand
strung with
opinionated hair and
attitudes
a vision about the world
that's colored by
the way we feel about
others
and we're all so
varying
each sprouts that
burst into vivid
colors that
brighten the earth
for each other
and we should just
primally help
our fellow
ones
on our feet
when we
stumble in our
towering shoes
but
sometimes
we take the opportunity

sarcastic laugh
"yeah right
like that would ever happen"
your voice inside my head
there at the worst times
but those are
some of the best times
eye roll
this is getting ridiculous
somewhere I need
some kind of diversion
someone.

I just remembered
That I dreamt about you
Looking at me
As if I was something special
I said you hadn't changed
Your eyes deftly flicked up and down
And you said
You have
With pleasant surprise
But I put those words in your mouth
And I knew they were coming before they were out
I almost kissed you but fell to your side
At the last second
Afraid of what it would feel like
Then the dream loses all purpose
Becomes a blur of villains and threats
The cinemascape of my mind

Thief
When my heart broke, 
You took a piece, 
And have yet to return it. 

For Now in The Future 
I wonder what our conversations will be like, 
When we're both matured with time, 
I wonder what we'll be like, 
If you and I are still friends. 
As the years pass, 
Our lives continue on, 
Traveling on different paths, 
Yet somehow connected, 
Somehow going the same direction, 
For now. 

Call it a taste of freedom
As we make it over the crosswalk
Head up the ramp
Laughing, grinning
Exclaiming over the cute things we find
Despairing over the closing shop
Dressed for success with our
Hairpins and layers
Catching bobbas in our mouths
So that they burst fourth with their flavors
Road trip scheming
Teenage dreaming
With direction
In the forefronts
Of our minds
We're friends
It's a wonderful feeling to get to the point
Where we can sit at a table

Words, words! What will they be?
Something sweet or something sour,
Take a minute, take an hour.
Something happy, something sad,
Something good, or something bad.
Be a sport, don't be a cad!
Make a difference in this world,
Don't waist breath on selfish words.
Always encourage: never scold!
Sweet tones will go a long way,
Make words far easier to say,
Then a kind spirit you will display.