Rising ash lifted by the smoke

painfully falling from grace

a symphony – conducted by the devil

Slowly covering all that has been written

disguising the dreams, painting the truth

glowing embers burn with fury, scaring my flesh

blood boils, my spirit engages.

The acrid smell of my soul is whisked away

by the baton's swirling wind

When the dancing begins, it ends

Through the chamber, the silence echoes,

bouncing from the here and the now

Deafening but all can be heard,

all can be felt.

The chiming of a bell tears through my mind.

Trickles of blood flow, dying the soil

Crimson is the path to tomorrow,

leading away from the flames.

Arriving at a destination unclear

breathing....drawing each breath with anticipation

one lung filled with torment the other not

I look back, wondering if my shadow still lives

I see it, it is there, he is there

lighting the fire, his musing interrupted

interrupted by the falling ash.

Finally, I exhale, expelling yesterday’s fortune

My final gasp….ah….

Clarity penetrates my spirit.

​

Michael Oliver Stark

The silent conversations, the ones we so often had,
after the sun set and before it rose, brought such joy!

​

Now a memory, filled with heartache and surrounded by sadness.
A sadness that only a love so intense as ours can invoke.

​

You invited me into your soul for a dance, we did in fact dance.
Although the music may have ended our embrace did not.

​

I hear your whispers when I close my eyes, “I am okay”,

silently you tell me to let my heart heal.

​

For now my Mi Amor, I prefer to dance, even if it is with my sadness
even it is with heartache.

​

Michael Oliver Stark

the ether is dark

light is far

chanting voices

is that all there is

is there no anger

no disappointment

no pain

​

Michael Oliver Stark

searching for the door
bonded by the others shadow
wondering if the sun will set
hoping the riverbed floods
praying for acid rain
needing to cleanse their souls
discovering the others shadow
realizing what is their connection
two hearts alone
two hearts together