Time.

The thief that takes,

Through tedious tolls.

Tempts the tortured to trust,

Then turns them to toil.

Trapt through trauma,

Testing their temperament.

They tell time to

Tumble to their tune.

Tick to their tock,

Tilt time to their truth.

This tricks them to theorize

That they tell time.

Thus time takes,

Then time tells.

Together, seas touch

humanity’s shores

all over the world

waves of equality

smoothing the sands,

many tides, one heart

beating together forever.

He hoped no one had noticed. Moving through the school halls, he made his way towards the men’s room. Once inside, he went to a stall, closed the door, locked it, then breathed a sigh of relief. Unzipping his pants, he carefully removed the exotic plant and admired its beauty.

Potted plants and pretty flowers,

A vibrant array of color

Truly, they make for a beautiful display

A garden fit for royalty,

Or so it seems

The dirty secrets hidden beneath,

Buried deep in their soil

Where no mortal eyes can see

The wrathful thoughts within,

Brimming at their roots

Where no mortal hands can reach

The maggots crawling along,

Feasting on their parts, one by one,

Where no mortal hearts can feel

A gorgeous garden,

Its colorful residents perfectly arranged,

Not a flaw in sight,

Or so it seems

~ Close enough

to share one breath;

in to me (you) see.

Your eyes reflect

the image back,

of love

(be)holding me.

Throughout all the years I’ve lived,

All the life I’ve had to witness,

My greatest regret

Remains ever the same

A loss of time

With those I cherish,

Minutes, hours, years,

That I wish would replenish

For the hands of the clock

To turn back and replace

What I’ve lost,

My lingering doubt,

The pain residing

Deep in my heart,

Would finally vanish

Humanity could end by 2050 due to climate change, said one worst case scenario study. A post on instagram said individual veganism is all fine and dandy, but without real policy change it won’t do much. The situation facing us is daunting, depressing, infuriating. What can one person really do? Collectively, if we all take certain actions - such as a plant-based diet - can we delay, prevent, or stop it? I’m not sure we can at this point, we’ve gone too far - well, not “we”, but the oil corporations, big ag, republicans, climate change deniers. With no clear solution, do small steps in my daily life even help? Drive and fly less, no meat or dairy, donate to climate change advocacy groups, volunteer to help protect the places I love. Sure, it helps me feel better, but policy change is the key. Things are changing, noticeably in my lifetime - I’ve seen the glaciers recede at a faster rate, winters with a smaller snowpack, rains later into the year, summers hotter and dryer with record setting temperatures, a drought in the rainforest. My heart hurts with these obvious changes, but a fix is dubious. So, in my spare time, I venture into the wild as often and fully as I can, to enjoy it, to see it, feel mother earth around me, to spend her last days as we know them in bliss before abnormal becomes the norm, for we were once told to live every day as though it were our last, and she deserves all that and more.

Tinged with sweat,

The perspiration that comes

From fear, and fear alone

Laced with the sweetness

Of impending death,

The anxiety that comes

From being hunted

Ringed with defeat,

The tears that come

From knowing it will soon be done

Edged with pain,

The blood that comes

From wounds inflicted again and again

Soaked with satisfaction,

The thrill that comes

As I waltz with you,

In this eternal game of cat and mouse

Buried with sorrow,

The pleas that come,

Deafened in desperation

How lovely it all tastes,

My beloved darling