Destiny

Sweet aroma lifts my mind

Into a twisting, turning kind

Of bliss that knows no end,

Only the oneness of a lover friend.

Where to start, I wonder so.

What to believe, tossed to and fro.

Only a simple wish by a pure heart

Can break the spell of this pixie art.

Follow me, down this path,

To a steaming bubble bath,

She said, softly, pointing into a room,

Lit by candles, smelling of perfume.

I won’t charge you a single penny,

Just sink into this lemon honey.

Taste the succulent, fleshy flower

Of my magic star of power.

Let me see. Oh, where was I?

I can stop, if I only try.

Thinking to myself, for a moment.

I must choose to be reverent.

But how can I pass this perfect plum,

So inviting, saying come get some?

I want to be home, I need a place

To save my last, tearful grace.

Wait a minute. Hum a tune.

You can forget you’re in this room.

Hold your breath. Step outside.

Leap across this carnival ride.

Something wakes you, to pray tell,

Someone sees you start to melt.

Run, you say, to yourself.

All you think is true is hell.

Love won’t enchant you,

Capture you or trap you.

It will set you free

To find your own path to destiny!

Changes

I used to be concerned with

How much I did,

Or how much I didn’t do,

 

Evaluating whether or not

I was up to snuff

With my own priorities,

 

And of course,

Whether or not

I kept my wife happy.

 

Lately, things have

Taken a different turn.

Since my body

 

Has seen fit

To rebel against me,

And my doctor

 

Doesn’t seem able

To reign things in,

My priorities have

 

Changed quite a bit.

In fact, the term

“priorities” doesn’t

 

Seem to fit anymore,

Not for how most

People think about it.

 

My biggest priority

Is my medicine.

That’s not a new one,

 

At least on the surface,

Since I’ve had bipolar

For over 15 years,

 

And been taking meds

For just as long.

But now it makes

 

An immediate,

Drastic difference.

And the long-term risk

 

Without it,

Is terrifying.

It’s like food

 

And water.

And the third need,

Common to all of us,

 

But more drastic for me,

Is sleep.  More specifically,

I have to keep my sleep

 

In order.  I have to take

A strong round of meds

Throughout the day,

 

And then really

Pulverize my mind

With meds

 

At the end of the day,

Just so I can sleep.

And I have to start

 

A methodic relaxation,

Early, despite being

A night person.

 

Otherwise,

I will not be getting up

For work in the a.m.

 

Obviously,

Things have changed

A little bit.

 

(Poetic Asides

Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 133

“Priorities”)

truth and treasure

drumming so slowing so coming be something
looking so screaming so crawling so being
drinking so lifting so splitting so changing

coming through something closes in and
then a truth breaks free, breaks in, breaks down
barriers are buried and sticks in the mud

are pulled out. so what’s the truth? is there
such thing as truth? is there anything true?
anything trustworthy? is there anything safe?

anything worth investing our lives in?
is there anything worth living for?
can we trust ourselves to make a sound

and clear judgement? is that possible,
in these times? can we break free of media
bombardment and peer pressure?

what other factors cause us to twist our
values, change our minds, compromise our
priorities? where is your heart?

there is your treasure.