Seventh of the 13: Lilies left of center

plants mark the memories

of when life begins and ends

of the movements 

in the earthly realm

where you have been

and where you will go

the celebrations you will attend

when the most unexpected guest

will show up at the most unexpected time

and will be dressed in the most unexpected outfit

all these celebrations

will be tied up with a bow

the ribbon made up

of your distant past

and current guests

to conceal the future surprise

you have so patiently waited for

 

Sixth of the 13: between monsters and twins

the titan of a monster 

approaches the door with thunder

in a magicians dual

and the opposite in size

is sometimes the best weapon

against your enemy 

haircut plans for the day mingle

with lucid dreams

and the best gift is given

in the form of your presence

while passing through gardens

swimming pools and parking garages 

it is sensed a set of twins who are 

are partnered with another set of twins

are convulsing

and I discuss my role

in my clinic

with responding physicians

who say we always need more nurses

Fifth of the 13: the Ka-boom

the firework expands

into the surrounding darkness

momentary illumination

only to surrender to

the refusal of revealing more

take a sip of creation

a sip of ecstasy

as you’ve already seen

the interior of the explosion

you've already been

the explosion itself

 

Fourth of 13: hitting the segmented points

the knowing of an affliction

in someone else

sometimes brings the affliction

home

and sometimes fires

burn underwater

and the hope is we can

put it all back together 

even when all the parts

are beyond repair

but you can never see

the whole picture

the grand view of it all

if you aren't nestled

near the precipice of the abyss

with the fear of falling

tugging at your heart

and we attempt to release

into new experiences

while still tangled

in our old habits

but still discoveries are made

hidden behind walls

secrets of long ago

come forth

in the light of today

Third of 13: blood in the water

revisitation of the search party

only to find one of the two

might have resigned

merely a declaration 

of the bloodthirsty moon

pure fear from the lunatic

but then a voice of the past 

cries out in catatonic rambling

on the subject of summoning 

a letter from solicitation

while wailing for help

echoes in the chasm

as sharks take hold of legs

under the surface

of calm waters

 

Second of 13: reliance of feelings

search through the dark

of a mind preoccupied 

with the blood eclipse

vague impressions 

of the future self

and its other half

reaching into the youth

of what’s to come

only to wake at

three thirty on March third

after receiving the blessing

that he’ll meet you there

in the corridors of dream 

First of 13: closing the door

thawing gardens

thawing grass

in the hopes

of the midnight sun

where dread is to tread

somewhere colder

somewhere more northern

to a white door

where you greeted

your estranged mother

on the threshold 

in attempts to make good

in hope of reconciliation

but it wasn't to be found

for the past is a trap

not easily escaped

and the definition

of insanity

drips in fresh ink

from the pages

of the family bible

and you watch her turn

from your doorstep

to leave it at that

as you close the door 

behind her

while a snake leaps

from a nearby tree

to tangle with a lizard

monitor or komodo

you are uncertain of