Cards

Pasteboard prophets,
painted seers,
predictors of laughter
and journeys and tears,
tell me what you
see in my eyes,
mysteries held behind
your mystic guise,
a tall dark stranger,
riches or fate,
tell me now, wise ones,
will I come too late?
will I forever be
one step behind,
tied to the doubt
within my own mind?
sadness or fortune,
love, loss and more,
are waiting for me
behind that cloth door,
do I dare enter,
or will I remain
forever a stranger
to that magic plain?

Jade

There is a rose that seldom grows
beneath the shining sun,
Its thorny stem and fluted hem
shine when day is done,
Her beauty glows, this long-stemmed rose,
beneath the pale gaslight,
But in the days, her magic frays,
it only works at night,
It only works where danger lurks,
and men their flaws conceal,
With careless word and lies absurd,
they obfuscate the real,
They cannot know she sees them, though,
lest all her beauty fade,
Cut at the root, her magic mute,
another wasted Jade.

I promise

what did i do, what did i say,
what can i fix to make it ok?
i want to do better, i swear that i’ll try,
i won’t act too crazy, i won’t tell a lie,
i’ll do all my homework, every last bit,
so there’s no need to yell, and no need to hit,
i’m sorry i’m clumsy and lazy and loud,
i’m sorry i’m naughty and evil and proud,
i won’t think i’m smart, and i won’t act too dumb,
whenever you call me I’ll be sure to come,
i won’t get too dirty, i’ll wash my own clothes,
i’ll take my own bath and wipe my own nose,
i’ll wash all the dishes, and make you some tea,
i promise i love you…please, mommy, love me!