Ruthless

once, long ago
a four-legged human
dragged himself up
to the terrace,
on his last mission,
his mouth frothing,
his hind legs limp,
terror and peace
swirling in his eyes
at once,
as he howled
a prayer
one last time
to the black heavens,
while I held him close -
trembling skin and fur,
rocked upon a raging sea,
who churned out
from her wildest depths,
the first sharp breath
of a morning sun,
and the ruthless violence
of dying and being alive,
as he fell against
my sinking heart
and feet.

Eulogy for Myself

I don't want to live
so people cry when I die,
I don't want to live
so the ones I love
hold me in their hearts forever;

I want to live
so I can laugh and cry
sometimes in one breath,
I want to live
to fill my eyes
with sunrises and sunsets;

I want to live
so I can have one friend
I can give my whole self to
without holding back,
I want to live
so I can love
and learn what it takes
to love someone
who doesn't want to be loved;

I want to live
so I can look at the stars
and forget about living or dying;
I want to live
so my living is the eulogy
I write for myself,
etched across the heavens
on one star-filled night.

Dancing on the Edge

s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d
between
the need to love
and be loved
is humanity-
dancing on the edge.