Between

You will find me in the (inbetween)

there I sit, (undiscovered) awaiting the brushing touch of the back of your hand

your finger tips (lingering) on the back of my skin

I am not graceful in my time waiting for you.

I screw things up (a) (lot)

I singe my purity at the edges and tear through what I am supposed to be

I want to be the image you have of me

but (most certainly) I will fall short here in the (inbetween)

(Im hoping you) don't accept my apology for what I've become

(but instead) love me till the color restores in my cheeks and my breath turns sweetly warm

return me back to one side (of dark) or the other (of light), but don't leave me (be)here(tween)

I can't make the grey nights and dull sounds

I can't make the stale taste of air

I feel (yes) but (no)t one way (of light) or the other (of dark)

The inbetween is all that is between us

my time here shapes me to wait for you

in its hands I form into something for you

I hate the inbetween

(but) I need it for you

for one day, after all the light and dark

there will only be

youme

and nothing between.

Sketch by Caroline Näslund.  Words by Jordan Shappell.

"The Name of This Poem Is"

I imagine that life is a road

Let me start over

I imagine that life is a swirling

cloud of moths hovering

over an (almost) brand new

Cadillac 

I imagine that life 

is just a series of parties

where people ingest gold

and try to one-up their

neighbors by having

a bigger swimming pool

I imagine, I'm sorry, WE imagine

that life is...

Sorry

It's hard to focus when you 

make that clicking sound

with your teeth

Sorry, not your teeth

I meant to say

Your childhood

Photo by Amanda Grupp. Words by Randy Conner.

The Torch Singer

Oh, the places I have been; dark, lonely, uncharted
So long in darkness that my eyes began to adjust
Adjusting so long that my body began to adapt
Adapting so long that my heart began to harden

In the distance

The birth of a star
The squashing of gas and dust in the middle of a cold dark cloud
Bringing forth illumination
Lighting the darkest corners of life
No shadow left to conceal
No dusty corners in which to hide

Now, no matter my travels, she burns bright enough to lead me home:
my northern star

The point by which I navigate all of life’s journey’s
She does not lay in wait
She moves,
her light tracing and trailing her path

It remains that wherever she stands:
there lies home
here, there, or at the end of the universe.

Photo by Steve Brian. Words by Chris Sullivan.