Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Friends

Friends we'll be,
Nothing to see.
No more or less,
For you and me.
How do I say,
That's not OK.
I want more,
There's more in store.
I think of you,
That's nothing new.
You're driving me crazy,
Feelings so lazy.
Waiting for you,
To feel like I do.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Blue Skies?

Walking in the park
One sunny, lazy day
When I see, rolling in,
Cloudy skies of gray
"Is this a storm?" I think aloud,
"Or something less severe?"
Still I seek shelter
Amid uncertainty and fear
Here I am, watching, waiting
To see what life brings me
For now, I don't know what will happen
And gray is all I can see

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Take My Hand

You take my hand,
But say your not ready,
You leave me confused,
Standing in worry,
Is this how you feel?
Or is this a joke?
These thoughts float in and out,
But then I see you,
Hear your voice,
Thats all I need,
My questions answer themselves,
My worries leave,
Because here you are,
Waiting for me,
Just as I waiting for you,
For way too long,
Finally, finally,
You see me,
Maybe you felt this all along,
Maybe I was sane,
To think of what is now reality,
All the others,
With whom it never worked,
You and me have something,
Something I can tell apart,
Your different I know,
Its because you mean so much more,
I can't let you go without a fight,
Stay with me forever,
And everything will be alright.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

The Collector

He met her for dinner
At the most exclusive place
She wore a white dress
With a trim of black lace
Her hair curled all around
Nicely shaping her face
She had looked the part
To be in this place

He let her talk most
Sipping his wine
He chuckled at her jokes
'Til he lost track of time
He paid the check
They took a walk outside
Their eyes were bright
In the moonshine

He leaned in for a kiss
It was simple and sweet
Then it grew more passionate
The kiss became deep
They got a little closer
Her, on the tips of her feet
His hand on her head
In her hair, his fingers weaved

Then he held her hair tightly
And pulled her head back
Her eyes opened wide
And she let out a gasp
He kissed down her throat
She seemed to relax
Then he pulled out his knife
Slit her throat with one slash

She chocked on her screams
On her cries and her pleas
No sounds escaped
As he watched her bleed
No one else was around
So she was unseen
He fought against her struggles
Until she no longer breathed

He gazed upon the new corpse
Her white dress drenched in red
He thought she looked so beautiful
And was his, now that she's dead
He carried her quickly to his car
Covered her body and her head
He told her they were going to his house
If she were alive, this she would dread

Inside his house
There were others too
Two young dead girls
Their skin cold and slightly blue
They both had stained dresses
And blood drops on their shoes
They had dry slits on their necks
Forever unable to move

They were seated on a couch
Their eyes open wide
Frozen in fear
As if giving silent cries
The man, the collector
sees them as art, as a prize
claiming that things are more valuable
after the artist dies

He sets up his newly collected "doll"
Sits her on the couch upright
After she's put by his other two dolls
He looks at his collection with delight
Then the TV, which was but background noise
Said that someone had caught sight
Of a man carrying a bloody body to his car
And it gave the witness such a fright

They read and reported his license plate
By now they would be on their way
Sirens would sound, red and blue would flash
Then he'd never see the light of day
He decided not to run from them
With his collection is where he wanted to stay
He put on new clothes to look his best
When they came to take him away

He sat on the couch and heard sirens coming
He knew that he had to act fast
Looking at the dolls beside him
He smiled, took out his knife, and slashed
The blood trickled down, all over his shirt
His words of pain were blocked by the gash
The sirens soon faded and his heartbeat slowed
The last thing he saw was the red and blue flash

They found him as a fresh corpse
The breath had already left his chest
Though the three young girls had not been saved
They were glad his collecting was at rest
As they placed him in his body bag
A piece of paper fell out of his vest
Stating now that the artist, himself, was dead
His collection was now at its best

Misunderstood

He tried to run
He tried to hide
They said "It's useless"
And that he'd die
He screamed so loud to drown out the noise
Of the evil people's whispered voice

He knew they were coming
He sensed his own doom
He knew he had to leave
And he had to leave soon
He packed a few things, among them a gun
Not out of evil, just for protection

As he ran around town
He scanned through the crowds
They'd be in disguise
He had no doubt
So everyone was now an enemy
Trusting no one, for his own safety

He was crossing the bridge
When they whispered his name
He had been found
It was the end of their game
He looked all around, caught the evil ones staring
He shot them all down, gunshots flaring

But more came after him
He could see no escape
Put the gun to his head
And accepted his fate
He fell to the ground with a hole in his brain
Finally free from fear and pain

On the bridge that sorrowful day,
Four innocents were shot dead
The culprit, falsely viewed evil
Lay still in a puddle of red
No one understands, since no one knew
What the schizophrenic man went through

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Time's Assassin

Time.
Whether you go with the flow
Whether you're fast or you're slow
It keeps pushing you,
aging you,
crushing you,
caging you.
Time that never breaks,
time that never dies.
Time that always kills.
Time that always flies.
Time is only what you can perceive,
judged by the passing of events
and movement of the sun.
To him, the tensing muscles,
the pull of a trigger,
Time so small
not time to shout out
not time to call
not time for him to doubt
only time for time to let more slip away
no matter the hour or day
Reaper, receive your pay.
Time gives you it early
through this masked man.
Mask of white,
mask of lead,
mask of silver; crimson red.
Reaper, receive your pay,
your payment in dead.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Tears

Tears fall to the ground,
As a puddle forms,
It can be covered up,
But never gone,
The feelings are hidden,
But still felt inside,
The memories begin to fly,
About what happened,
That cold winter day,
When you left this world for another,
And my life would never be the same,
But you left your mark,
In our hearts,
And marks never seem to fad,
They bring happiness to your name,
And when your name is said,
A chill runs down my spine,
And a smile appears on my face,
For I know you changed my life,
And to this day,
That is not forgotten,
Your love still remains,
With hearts changed,
And there will be a day,
When your arms are around me,
And where they will forever be.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Suicide

Suicide; dying is an
Unfortunate
Inevitability, but how
Could you take the
Initiative to make a
Decision to have it all
End early?

Friday, October 21, 2011

Black and White

Black and white,
Black and white,
Everywhere I look,
Shy blossoms bloom,
Hearts cry out.

Butterflies fill the room,
The stir in the room is obvious,
They are like clouds,
Floating around the room.

This is a moment to be shared,
With someone special,
I see black and white,
Black and white,
And I think of you.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Broken


She stares into the bathroom mirror
She bores into her eyes
She gazes upon the girl staring back
This girl, she does not recognize

The girl in the mirror is only the image
Just a mask she wears all day
But on the inside she is broken
Trying to keep the waves of pain at bay

In frustration and disgust
She thrusts out her fist
And then the mirror shattered
Showing what she really is

She then breaks all her plates and bowls
Even the glass that covers her clocks
She destroys everything that she sees fit
Everything with a reflection that mocks

Then she tears her clothes apart
Till there’s nothing but cloth and thread
She slashes through all the carpeting
Her knuckles staining it red

She slashes all the wallpaper
She rips the pages from her books
She slashes the sofa and bends the springs
She rips off all doorknobs and hooks

She stands in the middle of her apartment
Sees the curtains in the wind
The breeze felt nice and cooling
Against the heat of her skin

She walks towards the balcony
Slashed the curtains as she passed
Throws over the potted plant
And waits to hear the smash

Everything was broken now
Just like her, inside
There was only one thing left to break
She jumped off the balcony and died


Her blood had spilled
Her muscles were pressed
Her bones had cracked
The air left her chest

Now she lay broken
People gave cries
The last thing she thought
Was the breeze feels nice

Tax Man

Teacherisher
    toheAvill 
    t he       eXpernament
    ate aMussel
    ceilingrAin
stake       operatioN

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

The Moment

All eyes on me,
No room for mistakes,
The stakes are high,
So are my butterflies,
I hear the horn,
No turning back now,
Bring your team to victory,
Or let them all down,
Some say I'm crazy,
Others surprised,
But don't worry,
This is my life.

Thunderstorm

Grey is of thunderstorms,
How i feel when I'm with you,
Bring me down,
Is all that you do.

Colorful is a rainbow,
Pull me up when I'm down,
Make me feel strong,
Is what a friend should do.

Yet I push you aside,
For my rainbow is still full,
Rainstorms do pass,
And my rainbow stands tall.

Music

Melodies are particularly
Useful in driving away your
Sorrows, very effective, but
If the song stops, they can
Come right back.

Separate but Together

One day out of every year,
Is the day you left my hand for another,
I reached for you,
Yet fell short,
You left my hand,
But not my heart,
Five years is very young,
To lose someone who you deeply love,
For I know,
Nothing can tear us apart,
Our hands,
Not our hearts,
I wait to feel your loving touch,
That I crave to feel just once more.

Imagine.

When I close my eyes at night,
You take my hand,
You make it alright,
My worries fly away,
Like the butterflies,
That invade my heart,
Then the happiness fads,
And I see the light of day,
Then your hand leaves mine,
The butterflies stay,
And I await the day,
To feel your hand through mine.<3

All i think about is you

When I close my eyes,
When I smile to myself,
When I wonder who,
All I think about is you.

I try to think of another,
I try to push you away,
I try yet you stay and,
All I see is you.

I wonder if you'll ever see me,
Know I fall asleep thinking of you,
I can't imagine being with another,
All i need is you.

So just take my hand,
And we'll fly together,
And nothing will ever be the same,
Because all I have is you.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Power

Power; we are all sent
Out into the world to
Win, completely destroying
Everyone, but is this
Really such a noble goal?

Thursday, October 13, 2011

She Swings


She takes out her pen
She writes out a note
She numbers through ten
And here’s what she wrote

(1.) I’ve tried to be so perfect
(2.) But I’m flawed and failed you all
(3.) I tried to climb the heights you set
(4.) But I slipped and now I fall
(5.) I’m tired of all the tears
(6.) I’m through with all this pain
(7.) I’m tired of running on these tracks
(8.) I’m getting off this train
(9.) We may meet again someday
(10.) I’m sorry you had to find out this way

She lays the paper on her bed
They’ll read it…. She hopes…
Then she climbs up for her necklace of rope
Pushes her feet, and then she chokes

She twitches and she panics
Then she remembers why she’s there
And she endures the heavy price to pay
As she swings in mid-air

She sways so gently, to and fro
Her body so limp and still
And then they come and find her
And on her bed, her last minute will.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Dotted Lines

Under her sleeves
Along her wrists
Are dotted lines
They are secrets

When no one's around
She looks at them and
She thinks about how
She wishes it'd end

It's so hard to take
The stress in her home
And everything makes
Her feel so alone

The darkness creeps
Into her mind
The coldness seeps
Into her spine

When does it end?
The fear, the hurt
Her heart cannot mend
It only gets worse

With no where to go
No hope can she find
She cuts along
The dotted lines

Sunday, October 9, 2011

material?

today, i sit down to write
although i can't decide
just what to put down in print
what to write and glorify?

i write about what happens to me
but writing this way can be hard when
nothing exciting happens in my life
giving me material once again

lately you'd think i'd be able to write
volumes of my recent life story
but lacking a way to translate
i feel it might come out quite boring

in a way, it's a good thing,
that i have nothing to say
but this means that as a poet
i've somewhat lost my way

and yet i sit, typing away
composing a poem without a plan
"can you do that?" you may ask
well it turns out that, yes, i can

Monday, September 26, 2011

Three Ropes

three ropes pull on the heart
the heart is conflicted
-
one is about ready to give up
but the other two are still fighting
-
the other two ropes see the hearts beauty
they crave its acceptance
-
they desire its warmth
they won't give up
-
the heart must make a choice
between the rope it doesn't want to let go,
-
the rope that has been there longer,
and the rope that can support it better
-
three ropes pull on her heart
the heart is torn

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Comfort

What? It's my fault?
I didn't know...
I'll be better, I swear...
But I'm not sure -

But it's okay
She's here to help
When I wanna curl up and cry
She talks me through

Where's the innocence?
Gone, I guess
But don't worry
We have each other

I have a bad day?
She cheers me up
She believes the mean?
I talk her up

We, together, symbiotic
Love, care, comfort

Monday, August 22, 2011

Luna

She was a being who everyone loved
The people on earth called her Luna
She was beautiful and warm
with an exceptional voice
She was a being who everyone loved

On the world where she lived
It was filled with spirits
It was filled with darkness
And it was always quiet
On the world where she lived

One day she had found something strange
It was cold to the touch
She gave it her warmth
And it radiated heat when
One day she had found something strange

It started attracting the spirits
But they could not see what it was
She gave the orb her light
It shined so bright
It started attracting the spirits

A world so bright
The spirits gazed with delight
But were sad when they saw
Their empty looking world
A world so bright

Luna had an idea
She gave the world some of her beauty
The world filled with colours
Everyone got exited because
Luna had an idea

When the spirits tried to talk to her
No sounds would escape them
Luna gave them her voice
And sound filled the air
When the spirits tried to talk to her

The spirits got greedy
They asked for more
She gave them her body
So they could live again
The spirits got greedy

Luna had no more to give
But the spirits complained that they needed her
So she locked herself up
In an orb in the sky, for
Luna had no more to give

Luna still lives
And the people, not spirits, enjoy her company
She gives them what little light she has
She shows them the beauty she has left
Luna still lives

She lives in the sky
And comes out only at night
Coyotes sing her lullabies
And her face still watches over all, while
She lives in the sky

Undesirable Feelings

It's hard to write a poem
About things I can't explain
I wish it were easy
It would help my pain
It gives me a headache
To find the right words
That I could say
So that you could've heard
How much this all means
How great it all is
To have a love so deep
Without betrayal of a kiss
To feel happy in your sadness
To feel loved when you're alone
To feel full when you're on empty
To feel safe without a home
To feel warmth out in the cold
To see light down a dark road
It's hard to write a poem
With an ending I do not know

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Love Drifter

Where does love go?
"Once upon a time" is too fake
What do you have to show?
Not much but heartache

Trying to find it doesn't go right
Why do you even put up a fight?

Me? I don't try much anymore
I let love find me, hold open the door
It could be everything you've dreamed of
But I'm just a drifter in the ways of love

Go ahead and look, maybe it'll work
But the love I've found never did stick
Odds are that you'll find yourself a jerk
Or maybe some unreliable chick

Trying to find it doesn't go right
So why, oh why do you put up a fight?

Me? I don't try much anymore
Let love find me, I'll hold open the door
Follow me, give that fling a shove
And become a drifter in the ways of love

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Mutual Envy

She sees the world as many colors
While I see my boring monotone
She enjoys the company of many others
While I must suffer being alone
She has many talents to offer to friends
While I can do nothing of use
She has excitement to no ends
While I must sit and muse
Why must I suffer through my strife
When she leads such a perfect life?

He is neutral, seeing white and black
The colors burn my eyes
He is free from all of the setbacks
That from friends sometimes arise
He doesn't do constant favors
Without so much as a blink
I'm always busy, in need of a savior
Dreaming of a day to sit and think
Why must I suffer though my strife
When he leads such a perfect life?

Monday, June 20, 2011

Evil Influence

his face is one of evil
his stomach is huge with laughter
his laughter is kept for suffering
sadness and pain is what he's after
my tongue lashes out angry words
my mouth is sour with distaste
my nails dig in to the flesh of my palm
my eyes burn with tears of rage
he is selfish, he is foolish
he is destruction in my path
and i wait, painfully, day by day
until he is only in my past
the rest go hungry while he feeds
he feeds on our agony
he takes all of our happiness
and crushes it carelessly

Sunday, June 19, 2011

The Best People

When you shine bright and thrive
They celebrate strong
When you can barely survive
They'll help you get along
You say you're trying to forget?
They'll kill the memory
You're one short of a duet?
They'll be your wingman for free

All you need is their company
To heal any of your pains
But they give you so much more
A true friend forever remains

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Happy Place

The world is so much quieter
your thoughts are much more clear
The latest trend is always a smile
and no one sheds a tear
Justice and Peace are abundant
not anger, hurt, and fear
A sense of freedom whirls around
and fills the atmosphere
If you have something to say
the world will always hear
And when you achieve at something great
the world will always cheer
You come here when you're sad or blue
and daydreams bring you here
Your happiness and all these things
have never been so near

Tears of Joy or Crazy?

If one cries when you are happy
Does one smile when you are sad?
If one cries when you are born
Does one laugh when you are dead?
If one cries when you achieve
Does one grin when you fail?
Are they crying with joy
Or mentally ill?

Thursday, May 19, 2011

A Plot of Revenge

A very young soldier at a time of war
During eras of peace, her life was a bore,
Now in the truck, plotting with vet'rans of yore,
Waiting til the day she can settle the score

Her husband, in an office downtown
Was working inside when the building came down
A foreigner threw his life to the ground
Along with the life of every Citizen around

Loving him dearly even before they were wed
News of his death filled the woman with dread
She now has only one mission in her head
She'll never stop fighting til they win or she's dead

Whether her goal is noble, that is unclear
But to her mission she will always adhere
Into war she goes on the tip of the spear
More than nervous, she clutches her gun in fear

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Funeral of a Soldier

drops of rain
mask the pain
of the grief thats on her face
black veil flowing
as the wind is blowing
no one could take his place
a war fought too long
guns used for wrong
never got a last embrace
of his beautiful wife
the love of his life
who now cries dressed up in black lace

Thursday, May 5, 2011

A Listener's Lament

Weight of the world, come rest upon my shoulders
All of the stress, all of the troubles
I'll take it all
Some I can handle, with just a frown for its bearer
Others can really hurt, dig into my psyche
But I'll take it all

Stress of the world, come flock to my pasture
The nagging worries, the terrible fears
I'll take them all
I can be your someone to talk to
Don't expect me to always be happy
But I'll take them all

Death of the world, I'll take you on
Deaths of relationships, deaths of happiness
I'll take them on
Dying minds, dying optimism, dying souls
Trading mine for yours
I'll take them on

Friends of the world, please come to my aid
I can't take these things alone
We can take them
Together suffering, together fighting, together winning
I need your help in my darkest hours
We can beat them

Gravities

A large Planet, in a large system
Appearing, from afar, to be drifting listlessly in orbit
Having powerful gravity, attracting easily
But with equal force pushing away
Occupying its orbit is easy but
Getting close to its surface is a feat

A meteor racing along in space
Became trapped in the Planet's orbit
Over time, the planet accepted its new Satellite
Drawing it closer than any before

The Planet the meteor broke from
Soon came close to the first
A battle of gravities ensued
Each Planet wanting control
The Satellite was conflicted

The first conceded,
Let the Satellite go
Though it was sad to do it
The Satellite stayed within orbit
Though it may never be as close

In the course of these events
Another Satellite came to our Planet
Drawing close through natural events
The planet loved this new Satellite
But in a different way

There will always be a void from the first
But the second will help

Seeking Truth

With no time for idle chat
No time to figure out the facts,
Who has time to seek the truth,
If no one has the actual facts?
The facts you know are just a lie
That anyone with knowledge can spy
But if true knowledge doesn't exist
then what is but a lie in which they lip?
And in our mind,
and in our heart,
the truth is nothing of the sort
For I am the one that knows this art,
the art of seeking truth
I hold the knowledge
I hold the key
And who of you knows better than me?
Copyright Michael Pattengale 2011

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

When Planets Die

i walk around the world at night
the stars have stopped shining bright
i look up and see planets surround my world
each one like a magnificent pearl
but as they turn and time goes by
the pearls get flawed and start to die
some cant take the pressure in where they are
some get misplaced among the stars
some spin out beyond control
some stray away and get too cold
some crumble away til nothing's left
some are simply hollow and bereft
some destroy themselves inside
some get away, vanish, hide
some freeze up, while others burn
all this happens as time turns
and all i have to offer is grief
for their destruction has no relation to me
and as i look around me now
all the worlds have fallen down
and my world still lives peacefully
the sun still shining down on me
but, deep down, my heart has cried
for every planet that has died

Temper

mellow is the night
and quiet is the sound
of the one in bed on pillow
and the one in box on ground
how different are these two
the man on sheets and man on ground?
both live in a quiet country town
both with dreams of the crown
both were hungry when sent to bed
only one is the age of forty
one the age of ten
both left in the dark
all alone
one on the first floor
and one below
so what is the difference between these two?
one's quick to temper
and one lies cold
one on the first floor
and one not far below
one the age of forty
and one who's age matters no more
Copyright Michael Pattengale 2011 

Monday, May 2, 2011

Questions


Wait, what?
Are you serious?
Are you telling the truth?
What's going on?
Who are you?
How do you know him?
Why did he mention you?
Why is SHE clueless?
Wouldn't she know?
Were we meant to meet?
Is that what he wanted?
Who ARE you?
What are his motivations?
Do I believe you?
Will everything be okay?
Is this all a coincidence?
Or is this a repeat of my history?
Will I know peace?
Or am I doomed to worry?
(composed May 1, 2011)

Where Do We Go From Here?


It's happened
It's done
Where do we go from here?
Will we be happy?
Must we run?
Where do we go from here?
Should we look out?
Should we be scared?
Where do we go from here?
I find myself
So unprepared
Where do we go from here?
What do YOU say?
Shall we stay?
Where do we go from here?
I think we'll go
Just run away
Where do we go from here?
(composed April 28, 2011)

What Must Happen Must Happen


Waking this morning I held an evil premonition
Dispelling the thought all day was my mission
Come midday, I thought all was clear
Then something happened, confirming my fear
I didn't want it to go this way, or happen now
But I know, one day, to the inevitable I must bow
(composed April 28, 2011)

Good Night, Facebookland


"Good night, Facebook," in a status, he said
As he rose from the desk to get ready for bed
"You know I like you, or most by far,
But I love only a few, and you know who you are
Though I'd love to stay and chat (it is what I desire)
I have to go to sleep right now so I won't be quite as tired
As I've tended to be so many times during my Junior year
And if I don't to bed now go, I may pass out right here
My friends here are good therapy
Out of all their good charity
I can tell someone the fears on which I've dwelled
And throughout our discussion, most are quelled
I now know I'm somebody you think of
And after talking to some of the people I love
In a very good mood and feeling very bright
To Facebookland I say good night"
(composed April 27, 2011)