The snowflakes fell from the sky

in a quiet hush,

painting the world below

in pale white

I wrap your sweater,

lambswool blue,

around my shoulders,

searching for your car

in the dying light

The ticking of the clock

on the wall

matches pace with my heart,

racing as the hours clip by

Pacing and looking

into the dark night for answers,

tears threatening

as I try not to cry

The phone comes ali...

As the darkness sank into her veins, she felt the evil take her over. She had wished for death. To feel nothing. To know nothing.

This was a thousand times worse.

She felt everything, all at once.

Most especially the burning thirst in her throat. A fire that could only be quenched by blood....

You came into my life

On a warm summer day

With twinkly brown eyes

And dimpled grin

Trying not to fall too hard

Or too fast

Keeping my armored heart at bay

Then the scent of roses filled my life

Your hand in mine, so strong

So sure, it did me in

And the sky had never looked so blue

The air shifted, turned colder

Leaves changing to orange, purple, yellow, and red

Snuggling before a cozy firep...

The desert’s silence heid ancient whispers

Voices of those who had lived and died there

As well as those only passing through

On their way to greener pastures

Never recognizing the oasis before their eyes

If only the looked close enough to see it...

I know what they expect. I know what they want me to do. A well-bred lady such as myself should find the choice to never let that woman darken my doorway ever again as easy as breathing.

But I can barely breathe as I think of turning her out, of turning her away. She’s the strongest woman I have ever known but my rejection of her would destroy her and send her to perdition.

No matter that ther...

My face aflame

on this cold

winter’s day

To say nothing of

the rest of me

No frost, no ice,

no fall of snow,

could ever compete

With the blaze that smolders

everytime we meet

No wet, no mist,

no torrential downpour,

could ever hope to drown

Even embers would survive

such is their heat

So come let us light

the match between us

and watch it burn...

The first bell rang, sending students, me included, clamoring to various rooms along the hallway. All except for Queen Bee Sarah Watson.

She was still inspecting her already perfect manicure, the tips of her nails as flawlessly white as her shorter than the dress code allowed skirt and chunky-heeled sneakers.

The second and final bell rang out. A few stragglers raced to claim their seats, pant...

First chance meeting

Then a second glance

Each hoping the other

Will take the chance

With their heart

Then their soul

Taking that scary leap

Heedless of the toll

Soaring high above the clouds

Never sensing the rocks below

Forgetting every majestic peak

Has valleys with depths so low

Too late to walk away

Impossible to unring the bell

Wishing you could somehow go

Back in time to before you fell...

The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon, the sky awash with pinks and oranges and purples and yellows. Josh and I slowed our pace from our morning run along the shore to take it all in. A seagull flew overhead in a noisy arc, then darted towards the foamy waves.

That’s when I saw it, the glint of something flashing on the water. I stopped altogether, shielding my eyes from the rising ...

White house

four square

bold black shutters

elm trees line the front walk

Whose house?

My house

See, there’s my name etched

on the sidewalk

my brother’s name is there, too

Big house

noisy house

four bedrooms upstairs

and one down

Voices

shouting

laughing

calling

filling

these rooms with sound

Warm house

safe house

sleeping in the bunk

below my sister

Mommy and Daddy across the hall

Old ...