Watcher in the Web

I don't consider myself a poet, but this is the first poem I've written that I don't hate. Let me know what you think:

She dances across the canopy
Weaving a web of white and silver.
With speed and skill, her silk takes shape
Along the sky.

Her welcoming home shines
Like a beacon amongst the stars,
Calling out to the small creatures of the night.
They look for salvation in her soft silk.

The watcher in the web embraces
The cool night air as she lays in wait.
And so the creatures of the night come to her
One by one.

Harsh beams erupt across the sky,
Bringing an end to her ritual.
Her dance will wait until the stars
Beckon to her once again.

Scars and Bullets

Red droplets slowly trickled down his arm as he methodically moved it back and forth against the wall. At the age of 47, Paul Curry was broken. He worked 6 days a week as a postal carrier, came home, and slowly fell asleep in front of the television every night. He had no wife, no drive, and no happiness. He repeated this monotony for 20 years. It was now 3:37 A.M. and he continued to paint the same spot on the kitchen wall with the crimson red color he had stumbled upon in his cellar for the past thirty minutes. He had awoken from his couch with more passion in his eyes than ever. The off-white room was the last straw. Nothing seemed to matter to him except the wall. As he made his 352nd pass over the same patch of plaster, he realized the wall would never be what he wanted it to be. There was little he could do except leave the atrocious scar on the wall and fall to his knees. He sobbed into his arms and shook violently, wanting nothing more than to rip the wall out of his house and watch his home crumble around him.

It was sometime the next morning on Sunday when Paul picked himself off the floor. The red slash on the wall still mocked him. He could not bring himself to paint over it with the original washed out color. It had strangely brought change, as unsettling as it was, to him. It was the only thing in his life that had changed in 20 years. He hated it but yearned for it at the same time. He quickly changed clothes and drove into town.

He had no idea what he was doing, but the red scar had burned itself into him and he had a ferocious drive inside of him controlling his every move. Paul found himself in the dilapidated parking lot of a small gun shop. Inside the store, he felt a strange excitement and power enter him that he had never felt before. He wanted to explore this feeling and see how far it would take him. The store owner had said something to Paul, most likely a half-hearted greeting he rehearsed for all his shoppers, but Paul paid him no interest. His attention had fallen totally on a slender black rifle with a beautifully shaped barrel protruding gracefully from the center. The owner saw Paul gazing at the gun and pulled him back to reality. “You lookin’ to get yourself a gun? This one’s a real beauty.” Nothing else he said clicked in Paul’s mind. He handed his card over and soon enough the rifle was in his car as he drove home.

The night was strangely quiet as Paul cleaned the gun for the third time in a row. He had never even fired a single bullet in his 47 years of life, but somehow it felt right holding the gun in his hands. He cocked the gun and aimed at the reflection in the mirror across the room. The sight in the mirror was frightening at first, but soon he realized he had the gun. He had the power for the first time. It was salvation in supremacy and he never wanted to let it escape.

Blue Serenity

The ocean breeze tickled his face as it passed by. The small wooden boat rocked in perfect harmony with the calm waves. Aiden slowly lifted his head from the boat and stared out across the stretch of shimmering blue. Patches of clouds provided the perfect balance of sun and shade while the sea birds chirped a beautiful melody he could lose himself in for hours. He slowly rose to his feet and grew accustom to the beauty around him.
Suddenly, he realized why he had come out here in the first place. He reached under one of the seats and pulled out some paper and sketching pencils. His hands soared across the paper, creating fantastic curves and shapes all over the canvas. It had felt like only moments had passed when his hand fell to his side, revealing his work. On the page was a woman laying across a grassy hill. Her body was kissed by the sun's gleam and her ebony hair cascaded in all directions. She was perfection. She slowly lifted herself off the page and smiled lovingly at Aiden. He could feel her touch, her warmth, and her heart. He was in bliss.
Sirens shattered the foggy morning as Aiden groggily opened his eyes. His body was sore and he had felt like sleep had drained him of all his energy rather than rejuvenate him. He painfully pulled on a shirt and shorts and limped to the cold cramped kitchen. His mother, preparing for her arduous work day she was already late for, was startled by her son. "Honey," she said sweetly, "the doctors said you need to stay in bed. I'll bring you breakfast."Without a word he nodded and made his way back to his room. A few moments later his mother brought in a plate of soggy eggs and burnt toast. "Please be good," she said as she kissed his forehead. He nodded once again silently as she hastily left.
Rain began to trickle down against the window, irritating Aiden with every resonating drop. He pushed the food aside and lowered himself to the bed once again. His eyes shut tightly as he prayed through tears to see the ocean again.

Window

It was dark outside. The flickering lights did little to illuminate the streets. The scream of sirens in the distance occasionally broke the silence. All I could do was stare out the window. Nothing could be seen from the second-story apartment, but all I could do was stare.
The darkness was welcoming and soothing in the spinning reality I was thrown into. Small shapes that I could make out turned into dancing figments of my imagination. I found serenity in darkness and I did not want to let it slip away. This window gave me a portal into a world of unknown but also a sense of peace. No screaming, no anger, no hate. It was just darkness and my mind hand-in-hand. I let myself fall further into the new world and saw past the shadows and heard more than the sirens. Comfort and acceptance was found in every corner. I was free to think as I pleased in the oasis through the piece of glass. It was all I ever wanted.
But I know it could not last. Escape had only gotten me so far, and running into the darkness would get me nowhere. I tore myself from the window and made my way back into bed. Her loving eyes slowly opened as I took my position next to her.
"Where did you go?" she asked.
"Nowhere. I'll always be here."

The Crushing Song

She made me smile every time she looked at me with those deep brown eyes. The warmth and comfort I found there was all I ever wanted. Every time she would speak to me it would feel as if I was the only one that mattered. I was so easily intoxicated by her voice and charm. She called to me and I flew to her.

But the senseless following only made it worse. It was never a call for me, but for company. I was no more special than a simple passerby. All she wanted was to continue playing her song for all to hear. I was a fool for allowing myself to be tied down and hung upon her wall as a prize. It was nothing to her, but so much to me.

The pain grows knowing I was nothing and never could be anything. A “friend” can only ache for so long before they push themselves off of the rocks and forge a new path through the treacherous waves of unforeseen passion.

I have learned from my error, but do I want to face that song once again? A new chant can be heard in the distance, but does the same fate await me? I have only scars and doubt where my heart had once been. Can I find it ever again?

The Undying Flame

I saw her eyes finally connect to mine. The vibrant orbs had grown weary and worn in the long few years. The once beautiful golden skin had begun to fade. The lush dark curls had loosened and tangled. The elegantly shaped body had started to thin and shrink. The smile, however, was as warm as the setting sun across the way.

The one thing I will never let go. Nothing will take away that fire within that keeps her fighting. She still sees the life around her and revels in the fact that she is able to continue on. It is that fire that has pushed her forward. Her body has begun to fail, but her soul burns brighter than ever.

I started to feel water trickling down my cheeks and fall to the cool floor. As I moved closer to her I could feel the intensity and passion in her. I never wanted that warmth to leave me. She raised a cool hand to my face to wipe the tears away. Another smile shined across her face; her own trail of tears soon following. We stood there in the sun’s light entranced by the fiery sensation between us.

“You’re late,” she whispered into the air. She leaned into me and nuzzled my chest, letting the warmth into my own being. The tears fell harder as I curled around her to preserve the flame. “I’ll keep you safe… I promise.”

Reality, Fantasy, and Truth

Dreams are something every person has. They range from acing a test to traveling the world. But is obtaining a dream really possible? Dreams after all are sometimes defined as “wild fancies” and “unreal”. Do we really want to chase “wild fancies”? Sure, it feels nice to leave reality and dwell on the fantastic, but does it really do any good for anyone?

People battle between what they have and what they want. Reality and fantasy are always battling for control. We are told so many different things: “Reach for the stars”, “Get your head out of the clouds”, “Be the best”, or “Be realistic”. The world throws so many confusing orders at us that we get lost in the frenzy.

That’s where I see how dreams come in handy. We can balance our world with them. You can’t always be the best, but you see how your life could be if you were, so you have something to work for. Dreams show us our deepest wants, but they leave out the little point on how to reach them. That part is left up to us to figure out.

So how do we obtain these “wild fancies”? Honestly, I don’t know, and I doubt I’ll ever know. But I’m ok with that. Life is full of mysteries and unknowns. It makes it fun. What fun would it be if you knew the outcome of the battle between reality and fantasy? Walk through every day with your head held high and your mind and soul ready to experience the world. Let your experiences define your path and your dreams push you on. Never give in to impossible fantasies or dull realities. Be unsure and love how and where it takes you.