"The American Plague"

"The American Plague"

No room for the nervous
When you're underrated on purpose.
Purpose by societal definition?
Overkill of cheap thrills
Induced by purveyors of pills.
Happy candy for the sad we.
Sadly basking in the glee
Of the Technicolor shapes they see.
Their splendor but a brief celebration.
Conquest for not much more than the score.
Would divide tribes
To be conquered by factions.
Swift in pursuit of bitter fruit
Yielding side effects and delayed action.
They tend to the bars;
Spreading the black tar
Just to chase the dragon.
Residue and fingertip scars.
Fell far from grace.
Mirrors hold too much to embrace.
No yearning for a silhouette to trace.
Attention drawn to an aging face
And they are barely middle-aged.
Would inhale a can of mace
If it meant another taste.
Briskly sporadic in pace.
Heart racing faster
Than the cadence of their tone.
They would rather be alone;
Left to fade into that zone.
Mind and body faded.
Intricate like hair braided
But they will conceal the roots.
No one reveals the truth.
Rarely around to request it.
Adopted as the norm
Until it remotely harms
But it was always a swarm.
Support replaced by slander.
Taught to mind our manners
But we treat junkies like crap.
Addicts get the scraps
But can't eat them at our table.
So willing and able
To invoke the need for labels
When we share their categories.
Unfamiliar stories.
Tales so damn specific
Yet we don't see the connection.
Our ignorance is our protection.
We wield this heavy shield
fortified with the implied:
That which we would let ride
Long as it isn't inside.
God forbid.
Raising a gifted kid
With such lofty expectations
And the potential to change the nation.
They dare to change their destination.
No longer drawn towards your bevy.
How long before the heart is heavy
At the sight late night
Of a daughter under the influence
Or a son more thief than nuisance?
How much remains in house?
Arguments with your spouse.
Had to hide your purse
because your child sees your prescription
As peace offering from the nurse.
High school drop out shut off;
Cut off from acceptance.
Negligence never presumed as a factor
Viable enough to make perfect sense.
Since the earliest inception,
Contact viewed as a connection
But it lacked impact and passion.
Listening became a latent action.
We scoff at the criminal
and often judge the prostitute
but our children need their fix;
So this is where it constitutes.
Few things are black and white.
Debate well into the night
Over which race got it right.
Similarities will surely be disclosed.
We hate the owners of our stores
But not more than doing chores.
We sit drinking on the porch
Raising bottles like a torch
to every neighbor passing by.
We sit and wonder why
In place of beginning to think how.
Are we so different now?
Don't lend retort to the rhetorical.
The difference between he, she and we
Is that although he collects the fees
While she is often on her knees,
We are who they've longed to please.
The derelict appear diseased
But we harbor the infection.
No differential diagnosis.

And sadly,

No detection. †

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"Phoenix Force: Captivity"

"Phoenix Force: Captivity"

If bondage is predetermined,
grant me playfulness in resistance.
Instantaneous the initial moment
of our embrace in violent splendor.

Me,
the lender of means
with no intent of retraction;
falling through like I've been calling you.
Reach in the secrecy of indecency for me.

These wings weak from diligent expenditure;
fascination rekindled and smoldering.
For what I'm shouldering,
lust takes step between breaths.

I inhale the atmosphere just to see clear.
Found my vision impaired
by the scent of your hair.
Sight blurred by the things I've heard.

Coupled with fragrance is the cadence;
sharp yet soft in melody.
Your response my levity.
Therapy keen and unclean;
filthy and floral.

Floored by the noxious fume
that is your perfume;
I barely manage a wince
in light of blatant hints.
You coddle me as I continue following.

Embers burn slow as the wind blows.
I am now less feign in surrender:
The pretender you will find
is now your willing concubine confined.

Fits of strength abound,
you illustrate what you've allowed;
straddling stints of my desire
before gorging on my fire.
You pick me apart.

You carefully impart
certain fragments of my heart
to that which remains within these walls.
Wishes left untold you surely swallow whole.

Thoughts that you find
you engulf and bind;
be it maligned or undefined.
Never felt this fine.
I'd hazard no guess on you being so kind.

I've done wonderfully nasty things
to you in this mind of mine;
acts better left at
the knees of pure conviction.
No contemptuous affliction.

No opinionated snide would dare
to venture where these thoughts reside.
My favored adage is your point of view.
No disjoint in your vantage.

Slated between your misinterpreted indifference
and misunderstood drive
are these talons of mine;
digging deep as I am slow to seep.

You endeavor to have me reach your core;
basting me in my own languish
until my flame is extinguished.
If vitality is left, it crept forward;

Finding refuge in lips divine
that have offered warning signs:
the song of sirens foretold
to those willing to be bold.

Only the foolish scold;
slashing through the burning cold
as if dry air leads
to the fountain atop this mountain.
This is where I remain.

I embrace the stains
and these moist chains;
flying high enough to shriek
but returning when you speak.
I am yours within our will. P†F

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"Dirty Laundry"

"Dirty Laundry"

Feelings this hard to explain
Can't make sense of all this pain.
In my mind, you're thriving again.
Dirty cloths highlighting the stains.
Honestly don't know what I'm feeling.
Not quite sure I should be revealing.
Quite impure. You should be concealing
But you're so focused on appealing;
Peeling stitches back like skin.
In God's eyes. Wonderful sin.
You would dare invite me in.
This beginning has no end.

You just slide it to the side.
Hold on to that pride.
Can't afford the price of shame.
Free admission for this ride.
Steeper than the price of fame.
I'm all for it. Play the game.
Guilt looms forward as we hide.
You just slide it to the side.

Stayed up for you last night.
Wait.
I'm up for you most nights.
Right?

Didn't need distractions.
I just wanted action.
I have purpose. I want passion.
I want unruly. No rations.
Don't need to be told
That I shouldn't be here.
I'm truly not concerned
With what they see or hear.
My mind is at ease
Yet I coast like the river.
You lay here in need
And I stand to deliver.
So ready to overflow
That we push past the simmer.
I'm on a stint of greed;
In need of a giver

So just slide it to the side.
Let me grip and glide.
I'm done with the patience.
I am not willing to bide.
I forgot your name.
Can't remember while inside;
But I know you'll surely guide
So just slide it to the side.

We haven't talked in weeks.
Yeah, I know the rules.
This game is for fools.
We cross paths and don't speak.
Her touch lines my arm;
I act like it's warm
But you know better.
Knew that I'd let her
Lay around and linger.
I rub and lick these fingers
That have split and spread you wide
While you take it all in stride.

You gladly slide it to the side.
Temptation was tried.
Told myself I didn't want it.
Fed myself some lies.
You don't hesitate. You flaunt it.
I'm hardly surprised.
No campaign or compromise.
You just slide it to the side.

And if I knew this years ago,
We wouldn't be here years later.
I would quit and find favor.
There's no shame in my behavior.
This is our fault;
Vaulting from on high
To plunge in darkness so deep.
We don't even creep.
As they go separate ways,
We work well around the days.
The malaise should be considered.
We briskly shake and shiver;
Braving circumstance so vaunted.
We jaunt through excursions;
Collecting halfway diversions
For our bevy of perversions.
What is certain is uncertainty.
Certainly, the curtains will be torn.
Discovered by jealous lovers scorn.
Sworn to never see the forlorn.
Never knew what I needed
Or why we never conceded.
Contrite couldn't frame our means.
Just a silhouette in jeans.
Used to be once in awhile.
Now we travel mile for mile.
Used to erase every trace.
Now we keep it all on file.
Would leave in the dead of night.
Shameless skin shines in sunlight.
I no longer wonder why.
No remorse left in these eyes.
Hunger stronger than you know.
Doesn't mean I'll let her go.
I reserve what I will show;
But before I let you go,

Please.

Just slide it to the side.
Not about the pride.
I'm a man of many faults;
So please spare me the snide.
We made this addictive now.
Don't dare resist the ride.
It's like hell on this carousel
but just take me in stride.

Dim eyes. Blank stare.
So high. Dry air.
Moist thighs. Wet hair.
Just stay right there
While I climb deep inside.
Let me grip and glide.
Nothing left to hide.
Just slide it to the side.

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"The Knew Me"

"The Knew Me"

Peruse the meaning.
Those closest to me fiending
At the first lapse in control.
Stranglehold softened
And I rise out of my coffin.
You say you knew me
As if this is the new me;
But if you truly knew me,
then you'd know that truly
There is no new me.
Change is relative
And we've forged a disconnect.
Subjects you require.
Derelict in my desire
to break free from the "knew me."

Change is relevant,
a requirement in a sense.
I was a broken case quarter
before I made change for 15 cents.
The blocks raised me
and corner arithmetic was bliss.
These combat boots molded me
and the result is this:
The new me
don't require the old me crew;
So to knew me must mean
that a new fee was due.
I live life like cashier
and my mistakes are often few.
So if you're still who I used to be,
your change might be due.

Change is evident.
Evidently, nothing remains the same.
Won't return from whence I came.
I refuse to play the games
that ensure a lapse in progress.
Progression enslaved and staved
By those concerned with the banter:
Mindless chatter from the envious.
Those who love to show
How much they claim to know.
Never here to watch me grow;
So I'm not what you used to know.
As sure as wind blows,
Inevitably I will see
That the knew me you wish to see
Can't hold light to the new me;
Chains like thick veins
Imposed will coursing intravenously.
You impart your will to knew me.
New me with bolt cutters,
Crushing links and closing shutters.
While the weaker hearts flutter,
I proclaim.
No semblance of stutter.
Originality is seldom slept on logic.
What makes it tragedy
is when we use it for profit.
If not for the swerve
or the fits of hot topic,
lost souls would never line pockets.
I've found it in the knew me:
Knew he didn't reach his worth yet.
There's still some work left.
There's time to perfect.
Haven't expunged my perks yet.
New me knows knew me had regrets
So I decided not to settle.
Revel in past where fault clashed
Or treat present day like yesterday.
Change has occurred
and the control freaks weep.
Blatant in the burbs.
Knew me used to creep.
New me never discreet.
For every me you used to know,
I will have more to show.

Change is indispensable,
a self journey ritual.
Had to appreciate my proceedings.
for guidance towards my pinnacle
Many cynical wishes disguised
but hate is typical.
I'm a antonym to settling
so I focused on changing my syllables.
Once stood in crowds of many
but my presence wasn't integral.
Their realities were fictional
so I became invisible
Constantly transitional while remaining original
Progress is essential
Disoriented directions will always dead end
before the reach is potential.
The Knew me and New me
embraced the differential before they assembled.
Amazed at how they resembled
cause even congenial siblings are identical.
Their disgust is a constant menstrual;
Clearly exhibiting how growth is non consensual.
My wish is that it comes eventual.

Written By: Infragilis A.K.A. Frag Da Scribe and Devin Joseph Metz

"Gray Matters"

"Gray Matters"

The hardest questions to answer
Are the ones I can't evade.
I could use some illumination;
But I just sit back in the shade.
I watch the water stand still
Just before the sky blackens.
You would swear I'm right at home.
I never notice when it happens.
I don't have to find a way
Or scramble to hide away
When I can take one glance
And see the sun just ran away.

The hardest pills to swallow
come with consistent prescription.
Never mind the diagnosis.
I rarely ever cared to listen.
See, I know my reflection glistens
As sure as water is wet
So denial is not tradition.
I embrace all my regret.
I let time consume me whole.
It might even claim my soul
If I sit here long enough.
Guess I knew it would get rough.
Nothing smooth across these pores.
Gave me silence. Give me more.
Do the job until it's finished.
Make light of this gruesome blemish.

Am I ugly? Are you squeamish?
I wonder who else might've seen this;
But I'm past the point of concern.
The stares used to burn;
But I'm indifferent to it all.
Downfall like cat calls.
Sharper hearing through thick walls.
Vision clear in what I hear.
I can't vouch for lack of trust
Without disclosing the lust.
Flushed between what I pursue
And the heartache that ensues.
The toilet backs up
And I wake back up;
Submerged to my surprise
But never close to my demise.
Decrepit under it all,
I drift and await the fall.
I subscribe to lifeless labor
As grounded as every anchor;

But I still float back to shore.
Some call it hunger for more.
Others see it as my fate.
I've stopped asking what's in store.
Nothing offered by the merchant
Could truly ever be worth it.
If I'm flung back to the sea,
most of me would deem this worthless.

Most of me.

Some questions I still can't answer.
I may still look to evade.
The light is bright and warm.
I'm complacent in this shade;
But I glow beneath the garbs.
I'm not always willing to admit;
But I've no true will to quit.
Every dire decision is split.
Scenarios and variance.
Dormancy in decadence.
Made darkness my norm
Like I knew it wouldn't harm.
I observe the swarm:
My black hedge serving as shelter
from the hands that keep me warm
And the pain I've surely dealt her.

Trust unfamiliar as it sounds.
Fragments of atonement abound
And I've barely been around.
If it ever comes crashing down,
Before it cracks and hits the ground,
From the shade where I am bound
I will swiftly expose my crown.

Shells must remain hollow. No inquiry to follow.

 















Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

The Gray Always Matters.

"Voyeur"

"Voyeur" 

You may already know.
Maybe you can see me.
Privy to the nerve
of you sharing time reserved
exclusively for singularity.
Fancy me.
I bear witness.
Bear with me.
Lament with my desire
to observe your excavation.
Tools fashioned with the intent
to push past your extent.
Extensive stints before deep breaths.
I'm to wonder what is left.
Right hand clutching the mantle
as you ravage and dismantle.
You mangle as if entangled.
Lips clasp with every breach;
yet you continue to reach deep.
I sit and watch with every move.
You tug and yank;
probing in need of reprieve.
No doubt I should leave;
lest I implore your detection.
Your inflection piques my interest.
Can't see past you for days.
Legs emerging from their quilted maze
squirming beneath stained sheets.
They reach for the ceiling
in yearn of the skies.
They flail and flutter
in response to your cries.
I'm already hung
but you're not done yet.
Hair ringing wet.
You're nearly set.
Perspire in pleasure.
Your motivation measured
by what barely merits murmur.
How long I've hoped to circumvent
secrets that unlock your intent.
Is it I that you lust after?
Inquiry addressed by laughter
but I've serious all the same.
Yes. I hear my name;
but what features are envisioned?
I can't help but listen
as if the moment would change.

Nonetheless, 

Your flowing night gown
is more short skirt than dress
given this current encounter.
Counter clockwise circulatory shifts
between the moist cherry
and her two swollen lips.
Tight grips follow finger slips
and I'm sure I've lost mine.
Knees bent to this cold pine
breathing hard behind this door
and you plunge in; asking for more.
You bypass moans for screams.
Lust so smooth and thick
flowing like an endless stream.
Freshest furnishing of cream.
I sit her stirring
while you lay in silence.
Violent the means of my intent;
but not nearly as terrible
as the abuse that you rile in.
Compiled with the fact
that the air we now share is thin
is my overlooking your inviting grin............
................................................
.....guess that means I can come in.

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz 

"Master's Puppet"

"Master's Puppet"

So long I've fancied severance.
Compensation in raw form.
Driven deeper into chests
Than pearls clutched below necks
And yet you unlock it at will.
I remain still; even amid beckoning.
Your subconscious is vast and unruly;
Laying summon to that which never lived.
Doing what I can
To give you some semblance of normalcy.
Dormancy seems fitting for you:
Alone laying awake behind drapes.
Haunted by your transgressions
And swift defeats you fondly recall,
Heads bang against walls.
Fortune is my only protection.
I know nothing of your plight.
You scream as if I've planned this.
I'm not meant to understand this.
I'm indifferent to your trials.
We have traveled miles
For children with bright smiles
And have very little to show.
Used to place me where light glows.
I am now bound to my threads
and thrown under the bed.
Can't recall what words were read
Or the harsh things that were said.
Your gimmick is your plague.
Vague will serve you extensively.
They ignore the recluse.
Your manic wiles a mystery
Better left for the old or untold.
Who would be so bold
Of a wandering vagabond
To stand before your scold?
Only me, I'm afraid.
Lifeless instrument of diversion
Still unable to lend aversions
To your countless fits of perversion.
Your dim beam of liberty
Shown as a path of considerable libation
Amid foul acts unfit for the sane.
I never sought to pick your brain.
I am your greatest failure.
Triumphant in your downfall,
You drag me as you crawl.
How I detest closed quarters.
Nights I've sat in this corner:
Wet and mangled,
My threads tangled,
unfit to greet the day
But to my dismay,
I am wiped off and unbound.
You work in secrecy
As if I would make a sound.
I sit upon your lap;
Pretending to recite fables
Until placed on wooden tables;
Be it countertops or barrels.
Spruced up and unraveled
to an audience less enchanted
With what you've barely managed
Than how pathetic we seem in vantage.
My garb like a dirty bandage;
Barely concealing or healing my scars.
The embodiment of what is truly marred.
I dance as a distraction;
But in my mockery of vanity,
Do I serve more as a fantasy
Or your last shred of sanity?
Am I your display of propriety
Hiding what their eyes might see?
No doubt you're ashamed.
They are not entertained.
The bond between us surely strained;
But we cling nonetheless.
You manipulate my threads
Until I tread under your rhythm.
Silence rips into you;
Rooting deep within your mind.
Your levity isn't hard to find;
But you choose to stand behind.
I am not you;
But you are we.
Herein we are bound;
We can be free;
But you hold fast to my strings.
Such feeble things.
The frailty of each extension
Making tangible the tension
That you succumb to earnestly.
How easy is the release?
No complexity or crease.
Just threads woven in unison
Bound to what has claimed your peace.
I can't implore your decision.
If able to manifest this vision,
It would be a swift division
And we would part ways.
Can't say that I've grown tired.
Can't claim to have retired.
Can't even regulate my tone
To ask you to leave me alone.
And you can't do what you can.
You are your own sanctuary
Locked behind a cage of loathing.
A million keys line your clothing;
But here I prance.
To your music I shall dance;
Unfit to shield your emotions
Yet routine in my devotion.

Part the curtains
And take your chances.
All that remains certain
Are their judgmental glances.

 

























Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"Thread Between Shears"

"Thread Between Shears"

I am not yet.
I've no regrets
but I need substantiated purpose.
The surface it seems
Is riddled with seams
Yet to be sewn together.
Strewn together like lei
Placed on the broad shoulders of today.
I will but I'm not ready.
Solid rock but not steady
Enough to serve as foundation
To a plantation so stern
For those more concerned
With the porch than the interior.
In perspective I am labored.
In directive I am angered;
Smattering of soulless snide.
I glide till I fall; colliding with walls
Like there's nothing to see.
Consumed by the sea,
I float amid danger.
No semblance of anchor
To ground my leads.
Less painful to bleed
Than struggling to breathe;
But that's what you don't read.
I flail in the wind:
Lifeless leaves swept in autumn.
I break and I bend:
Brittle branches before them.
Can't shout when hollowed out.
No one hears the whispers.
Daybreak robs me of refuge
As if one would enlist her.
The moonlight her sister.
She delights in games
That isolate dire straits
and yield audience to shame;
But I know nothing of shame.
I am merely the frame.
Seldom reinforced shell
That must cope with the hell
Of substance forlorn.
Was once tugged; nearly torn
Between sirens that saw potential
But would not be instrumental
in what would be derived.
I have survived in simplicity;
Implicitly dissecting "complexity"
As if to offer therapy
to those who chose to spare me;
Slighting without first notice
Unconcerned with if I'll notice
As the rapture starts to fade;
Taking form as endless shade.
I am amorphous as well.
My means thrive undefined.
Refined I will not revel.
First place or last level.
As indifferent as the stray
breathes you take before you pray.
I am not okay.
There's nothing wrong with me.
Nothing more to see;
Should you be so endearing to me.
No set of sympathy requested.
I am all but well rested
in the bastion of the uncertain.
I stand before you as curtains:
Differential in displacement.
No candor. No cadence.
I am harmed by uniform.
I am water in spite of order:
Edges singed and steamed;
Evaporating in your dreams
Until what floats near your face
Barely even warrants chase.
Your grace wreaks of pity.
Sullen is the stench of your "contrition."
Conditioned to be on call
For every instance should I fall.
Even learned how to bawl in tears.
I strain to recall the years
Where you clung to authenticity.
The rungs were never slippery;
Yet you descend before me.
You defend and contend.
You ignore me. I am boring
And you are no more than we.
Incomplete with pride so concrete;
Seeking conquer in your wars
But your eyes revere the stars
While your subjects incur scars.
Severed heads in plains you tread
Before returning to your bed.
I am but a limb lopped off
To reveal organs once deemed vital.
All may prod and trifle
And I'll barely feel a thing
Because I am barely here.
So shallow and sheer
That lesser silhouettes are acknowledged.
Tarnish without polish.
Cracks and creases abound
But no creaking sound
warning you to walk around.
I must have purpose to be nervous
and I've never been so brave.
Barely knave behind my loyalty.
No true slave or heir to royalty.
Unfinished I remain.
Wash away the stain
And the film will line your finger
If you let me linger.
So proceed as you've been trained
And employ the fawn you've feigned.
Hide the notions behind names
While true motives flee your brain
And it won't matter all the same.
Some things we don't get
And I could find room for regret;
But I lack form. I will not set.
I am not done.
I am not yet.

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"[High Speed]{Going Nowhere}"

"[High Speed]{Going Nowhere}"

Dial up the need
like cows grazing for seed.
They won't wait for the grass.
They love chasing the ass
So it never gets tender
And it clings to both genders.
When the psyche is dismembered,
No one reaches for the cleanser.
Poor decisions are the lender;
So you can't return to sender
When it's bred in house
And you are the only member.

You're moving fast, ma'am.

So prude and truculent.
Juicy peach so succulent
but bitter in aftertaste.
Charge it to the chase.
You chase away the chaste
And avoid the piece of glass
That would dare display your past
While you judge the lower class.
Your brief meetings and disclosures
cite that you're so far from closure.
You're on the search for peace;
But won't allow it to be over.

Slow down a little, ma'am.

None of it is kosher.
You're not even sober;
But you just might be alone
And I'm still on the phone.
A voice as bittersweet
as the one that used to greet
Or say things to reach my peak
That we often kept discreet.
Was surprised you'd even speak.
Not surprised at how it ended.
Haven't talked in months and weeks.
No wonder you were so offended.

Pace yourself some, now.

Since I'm no longer on,
I don't feel the need to get back on.
Feelings aren't something to snack on.
You have nothing to keep a track on.
No forums to place wise cracks on,
No material for you to snap on,
No stint of witty retort,
no friends to render observation reports,
No trace to supplement your plans.
The lines in the sand
Have been replaced by cement.
I believe it's fairly decent.

Take a breather, miss.

I'll admit. I reminisce.
I won't lie. I have my days.
Where I wonder about the way
We just threw it all away.
Most of it fashioned for strays.
None of it fancied by owners.
Even pets taste the ammonia.
Perfumed poison laced with passion
Misplaced in deliberate fashion
By one privy to distractions
That led to unruly actions
Resulting in a staunch detraction.
But hey, it's cool. Minor infractions.
We've incurred new interaction
and laid fresh root to current factions.
Just try your best to avoid traction.
You're damaged right now.
There's nothing left to recycle
Yet you tend to trod and trifle;
Even reaching for the rifle
But you'll never pull the trigger.
You're already an exposed figure:
Full bodied spirit laced with bitters.

The past like a cast
Wrapped tightly around your waist.
You tug to feign distress
But cease when it starts to chafe.
You sidestep and strafe.
You spin and swerve
As if it gets on your nerves
But you welcome what you deserve.

Ma'am.………
Ma'am…
Miss.
Hey…………

Take a break.
You don't have to shake
And give yourself the chills.
Your heart clings to these thrills
Like an addict with a fistful of pills
and you never wait for the water.
You're so close to overkill.
I believe you've had your fill.

Be still.

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"Stale Donuts"

"Stale Donuts"

Spent mornings wondering why I'm awake.
Is it all a fake?
Is this life a fluke?
Am I bound for truth
Or will I uncover a lie?
Still asking why
and it's such a beautiful day.
Nowhere to get away.
She's still asleep;
Likely floating on a cloud
And I'm thinking too loud.
She tells me that she's proud;
But how much of it is feigned?
The greater question, though:
Am I really this vain?
Do I need belly rubs to handle pain?
Is this the extent of my ego?
Parents show me off incessantly:
"Look at how he grows."
Maybe the process is too slow.
Maybe I'm impatient.
Never felt so latent.
This stagnant state so filthy.
These random thoughts might kill me.
Regardless of whatever
Or today's rainy weather,
It's still just me
And I have yet to see
Why I can't lay next to her
Instead of going out to face the world.
She's my songbird of solace.
My conduit of comfort and peace
And yet there are still times
When I feel like love is leased.
The less one expects,
The harder it is to express.
If I fail to impress,
I fear the impending stress
Of a bogged down state.
I'm going to be late.
The sun is blinding in it's beckon.
Bed sheets barely stifle it's detection
As if it's focused in my direction.
I've no construed collection
Of thoughts to offer her.
She rolls over to face me:
"Ready for work, baby?"
I'd love to just shout "SAVE ME!"
But I just respond "Maybe."
She notes how I've looked lately
And inquires accordingly.
I tell her "I've just been lazy;
But it's a new day. No worries."
Toothbrush in the shower.
Loose change on the dresser.
Work shoes with worn leather.
One long kiss with a smile.
She'll likely lay awhile
Since it's her off day.
I guess I'm on my way………… †EVL

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"My Scarlet Harlot"

"My Scarlet Harlot"

Spiritual schemes in unfamiliar themes.
Critical cream hits the skin before the gleam.
Skin pale in hue.
Pure hell in view;
But I see no evil.
Eyes full of distortion
in lieu of your generous portions.
I shout towards the sky.
Thought you were a blessing from on high.
Never thought I'd have to sigh.
Time surely flies.
I spent most of it trying to float.
Wet dreams are the means
For the words I swore I wrote.
Could've sworn better.
Thought that I would never.
You collect the love letters.
Mere notches in your belt.
You hate the holistic;
But apply it to yourself.

No doubt you love yourself.
Keen on selective preservation.
No concern for weather
Or the nature of your ledger.
Fresh blood stains
mix well with pouring rain.
Victims get the hose again.
There's no lotion for the skin.
There's nothing to win
When our insatiable lust
Meets your unwavering hunger.
Rough sex and torn flesh.
Private rooms become tombs
That all eventually escape
Before returning in your twisted glory.
We are the statutory:
Souls full of direction
That chose to toss the map
for one avid in detection
Sitting firm upon our laps.
Passed around without a sound.
We acknowledge the shame
but love to play the game
As long as no one is around.

Profound how we seek crowns
For those who "Ho around."
We frown if we go around town
and find nothing to pound.
A few rounds with round brown
Or light skin. Or buttered tan.
Or a caress from the darker hue.
You are truly pale in hue.
Nearly see through;
But we see no evil.
Heartless witch resembles hell's angel;
But so many are willing and able.
Obtuse expectations crushed by a cute angle.
The harlot in the H2 with the sunroof view.
Eyes to the sky with the tears you will cry
As you laugh at God between each sigh.
Another heart ripped fresh from lustful flesh.
Conquest not reserved for the contrite.
No remorse in the middle of the night.
The break of day will see you steal away.
Laden with impurity. Soaking in your sins
Like swine in salty brine.
You should be reviled. You're as bitter as bile;
But forbidden fruit has deceptive sugar.

I have arrived; knowing I'd soon realize.
Call me the antithesis of prodigal.
The one victim that returned
With much more to earn
Than another night of brief desire.
You with the fiery eyes and thick thighs.
Hair cherry red and longer than you said.
Crimson lips glossy red that invite souls to bed.
Names dangle from your calves
to just right above your ankle.
Your collection is extensive.
Their donation so expensive.

I once stood in need of quench
In the presence of a wench
That would alter her forms
To conceal what intends to harm.
Dissolute in your lust driven swarm.
Warm in your offering contingent upon desire.
Appealing to the ire of the one who got away
Or one who wipes away words we want to say.
You would rearrange your pores
To resemble the girl next door
Or the one who deserved more
That was left washed upon shore.
You are our wildest dreams
and our heart's true desire.
Too bold to hang behind the scenes.
You'd prefer we see the fire.

You are the tragedy of fantasy.
Calamity with a deep throat
and a bevy of back shots;
But I've studied the plot.
Far too hot to blow your cool.
There is limit to your rule.
The carpenter is still a tool
And you will fall through your foundation.
You enslave whole nations.
Aware of your wiles
But afraid to resist your trials
My life comprised in miles
And I've come back to strip you naked.
Your looking glass riddled with names
Is now your mirror filled with shame.
Play your twisted game!
Peel away those perfect pores.
Reveal blemishes and sores.
Calloused are your knees.
Lips riddled with disease.
Blow yourself a kiss.
Enchant yourself until you're fed
Then indulge in countless beds
Until you wish you were dead.

You own nobody.
You belong to everybody.
Everyone.
Every son of a mother.
Every sister's brother
That you once smothered;
Sapping life from them for fun
Before hiding from the sun.
Laugh at he who sits high
And he will smile back.
Those fiery eyes despise the sky
And everyone knows why…………P†F

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"Redundancy: A Love Story"

"Redundancy: A Love Story"

Stepped on the scene
So that I could set the scene
As if we've never seen it before.
Cliche to the core.
We all know what's in store
Yet we come back for more.
More makeshift moisture
under the moonlit sky.
No desire to inquire.
Never thought to ask why.
This salty scribe observes the vibe
And redundancy is still alive
And thriving well, I fear.
Years of tears chasing lobes
As her eyes stare at strobes
After both have disrobed……
Is the message not clear?
She still isn't wet?
Are there no regrets?
Are we there yet?
Same bar top.
New hairstyle.
Traveled more miles this time
And barely even changed rhymes.

So now the fawn resembles yawns,
Her inner thighs are dry,
There's no emotional high
And the spark is barely spry.

Yeah I know better.
Same climate. No change in weather.
Stale sexuality is favored
Like simplistic nomenclature.
The wet dream rhyme scheme,
Routine scratch and scream,
Familiar fair weather fantasy theme
ending with cold sweat and warm cream.

Enough already!
Not trying to dictate or hate;
But much friction is bound to affliction
In the form of pedantic diction.

I pity the pompous pen
That can't reach deep within
And find some originality.
Step up and plot that fallacy:
Identity dismembered
With soft lips and hard members
Talking champagne in the summer
And warm mouth in the winter.
Throw in some more penetration,
unrealistic means of stimulation,
Tales of "endless satiation"
And various skin abrasions.
All night long to your favorite song,
Took her out to dine, bought expensive wine,
back home to unwind before the slow grind,
Same soaked sheets and the piece is complete.

Top it off with a cheesy title
and sit back feeling entitled
To accolades and praise
from the most insipid knaves
Clutching books about sex
That can't wait to read the next
And it will read just like the last
Until we learn to push past.
Break fast and feed the minds
that await the day and time
When the craft that we've refined
Leaves our legacy defined
By facets of authenticity.
I'm not indicting simplicity.
I just hope that what's in store
Is a desire for much more.

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"By Our Hands"

"By Our Hands"

Peel away my skin.
Dead skin with the nerve to bleed.
Alive it rives in pain of need.
I need you to touch me;
But you weren't here today.
Our minds have gone astray.
Found reasons to delay.
When there's nothing to say,
We slowly drift away.
There is bound to be a rift.
Something shifts us from our hearts
To that which aims to tear us apart.
Late night and one wonders.
Midnight milling through phone numbers.
There was no we today;
But did that incur dismay?

How about leeway?
Intermittent in a segue
Bred of what fortifies the wedge
That breaches such a fragile hedge.
Our house is broken.
Homeless amid four walls,
drippings sinks, dark halls
And shallow sheets in the fall.
So who is there to call?
Who lurks among them?
What unspeakable girth of men
Have clamored for severance?
There is no portion of reverence
Reserved for the hearts it truly deserves.
It gets on my fucking nerves.
Don't dare label me absurd.

I'm not insane. There are just implied times
When one's definition of sanity
Resembles that of a vanity
And that mirror never stood a chance.
At first glance, I may appear at ease.
Nothing easy about my grace.
No energy wasted or misplaced
Because I'm saving it for the chase.
I will lay here on this floor:
This broken house with padlocked doors
And I will dream of ways
To bring this drowning life to shore.
Swore I'd never let us die.
Let this fly. Don't ask me why.
My patience is wearing thin
And I'm not even trying to win.

So please.

Peel away my skin.
Wear my tendons thin.
Tussle with my muscles
Until my bones are crumbled.
Slam me against these locked doors
Until it leaks from my pores.
Plunge me into these windows.
Sweat and blood drips as wind blows.
For once and for only.
Don't leave me so lonely.
Against what you're condoning,
Be here like crowds before stoning.
Witness all the trials.
Watch my mind race for miles.
Soak up all this shame
As loved ones fight under my name.
Partake of my failure.
My self imposed disaster.
Embarrassment so damn extreme
That no one should have to look after.

Be here when it hurts
To be attentive through the spurts.
And the shouting.
And the screaming.
Be here for excuses
that I make to keep believing.
Tear down the cluster fuck:
Down on luck per his own volition;
Granting procrastinate permission
To wash away what should be.
This should not be me.
This will not be we.
I'll have you steal away.
I'll have you remain at bay
Before I rue the day
That I let it end this way.

Before I accept this sin
Of not reaching deep within
For where our forever should begin,
I'll let you peel away this skin.

And shatter all these bones.

What remains can be left alone.

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"Squalls"

"Squalls"

Help me.
I couldn't see
Above this wall
Placed in front of me.

Surely,
I'm bound to fall
In floods so deep.
Can't weather the squalls.

Stood up straight but I'm on my knees.
Figured I'd scale these bricks with ease;
But with the dawn of new days,
You simply spread more clay.
You wouldn't dare let this wall decay.
No breakaway. No brief delay.
Determined to view me serpentine:
Crushed under you, life much maligned.

No life of mine.
Far from complete.
We've drawn our lines.
They're obsolete.

I stand more than six feet tall;
Yet in your hands, I feel so small:
Fragile in wind that howls and blows.
Fingertips feign care before you let me go;
But even if I fall, I'll never be free.
A year full of squalls prepared for me.
No one to call trapped beneath the sea.
Then you lower your wall in taunt of me.

Scaled your wall hoping to survive.
Pain ingrained so I'm still alive.
You let me live just to mock my drive
In hopes that I'll soon take a dive
Face first so that I lose grace first;
Embracing your quench like endless thirst.
You thirst for plea. I thirst to be free;
But one can't flee from uncertainty.

So tall this wall.
The gusts extensive.
The love is free;
This life expensive.

We cannot afford one accord.
No fee will ensure that we agree.
I will never give you all of me
And your rain will stain if I try to see.
Violent squalls that scratch these eyes.
Storm surge rapidly starting to rise.
Spiteful dam placed against the seas.
Flood for the forlorn gathered at my knees.

Leave me.
Just let me be.
Remove this wall
Placed in front of me.

Sadly,
Even if I should fall
In floods this deep,
I doubt you'll cease these squalls.

Hands hang from nails. I'm crucified
Until your storm takes me for a ride.
You know how badly I want to get over;
Yet you sweep me off like I'm perched on shoulders
Another splash in your grand scheme.
Bound my ankles with an anchor of shattered dreams.
Never knew a mother's love so destitute.
If I gave you chance, who would you shoot?

Likely,
no one at all.
Won't even breach this wall
Placed in front of me.

You're so ready to stall:
Keep me between this wall
And this flood too deep
Until I fall asleep;
Tired from times when I weep.
Bricks so slick that I lose grip.
Can't clutch this wall; so I just fall;
Washed away beneath these squalls.

If you truly love me…………

If you really want me to succeed…………

Then why hover above me?

Why can't you accept what I truly need?

Raised me to stand tall.
Taught me to look high
And here you've built a wall
That you won't let me climb.
Showed me how to swim
Should I ever take a fall;
Yet you refuse to calm your winds.
You won't sweep away these squalls.

The rain rinsed away fond memories.
I'm afraid this is as close as we'll ever be. †EVL

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"Shards Of Honey"

"Shards Of Honey"

Sharper than fresh thorns.
Roses picked in the wiles of winter.
Air left to those who dare
To toil for one so fair.

I'll pick you some flowers.
I'll bleed for the need
To snatch up what's born of seeds.
Place them in my lap.

Perhaps…………

Maybe there's no need.
You don't have to save me.
I am not green to this enslaving.
Martyrs always die twice.
So many mini deaths.
So marvelous is the massacre.
Meticulous disaster.
I rive in it like little else matters.

Died thrice times after midnight.
Made me tremble.
I've shed some tears here;
But I've never cowered in fear.
Did you hear?
Nothing reminiscent of a cackle.
No chains or shackles
Yet screams fill my dreams…………

Drawn out like fresh cream.

I steal away.
You snatch me from so far.
You plant me in so deep.
Petrified in elation.
Excited in the rapture
Of such an exceptional capture.
Tight lips like vice grips.
Hands slip and I free fall.
Slammed against walls.
Stained and scratched fabric.
Wreaking havoc.
Never got used to the habit.

Nourishment delivered
From the sacred river.
Floating in ambiance.
Circumstance must stand aside.
I will take control…………

…………I will fold.
…………I will yield.
…………I will give in.

This beard shapes my face
As I run through bare fields
Like one in search of refuge.
I seek something to live in.
I dig in;
Drawing warmth in generous squalls.
Walls close in abruptly.
I've the divine luxury of excavation.
The thrill of the thrust.
Lust in my drill.
Anger in my stroke.
Moist tips and soft lips
Trapped between teeth
That have torn bed sheets.
Teeth that grind and grit;
Only standing aside when you spit…………

Spit trickles where the whistle meets the missile;
running free before tracing your face;
following tears through ears
like they've fallen from grace misplaced…

Lost are the wholesome means.
Whole tongue and cheek.
Knees weak from work and withstanding.
The unspoken so demanding.
Words never heard exclaimed so plain.
Pleasantly listening to me complain
While you willingly drain;
Knowing not where dilemma stakes claim.
So satisfied in my frustration.
Your unruly demonstration demonic;
Unholy your actions. Your devotion celestial.
Pedestal reserved for the one it deserves.
We perch together.
No jocking for position.
Your glowing skin glistens.
Never felt so funny.…………

You inquire: "Do you need me?"
I admit with great anticipation.
Legs streched far across nations.
A world of love where thighs rub.
Soft are the peaks I seek.
The valley thick and slick.
Wandering about plains that transform pain
Into a degree of pleasure yet to be measured.

You feed my greed
You acquiesce in lieu of need.
I crave you more than money.
Swallowing shards of honey whole.

Sharper than fresh thorns.
Your flower void of scar;
But it's dew flung like shrapnel.
Deep cuts only I can handle.

Nothing new for honeydew.
Passion fruit out of pursuit.
Heaven sits higher than melon.
I want the pain that is your rain.

Soaking in your torrents.
Nothing worse than the abhorrence
that is your clear skies.
Can't wait to rinse these eyes
With outpourings from your crease.
I hope it will never cease.
Drenched in drops like towels rung.
Sweetest remnants line my tongue.

Sharper than the winter rose.
Worthy of all fawn and prose.
Shards of honey fill my cheeks
Until words I barely speak.

Went down low to take you high.
Shoulder smolders. Burning thighs.
Daggers falling from your skies.
Sticky swords splash and gash my eyes.

Sweetest cleaver ever felt.
Passion surges as it pelts.
Where love stands, I've surely knelt
Until your shards of honey melt. ♥

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

My desire undeterred.
All admire. Few discerned.
Those in wonder will infer;
But this piece? It's about her.

"Bittersweet Subconscious"

"Bittersweet Subconscious"

Dreamt about you yesterday.
Found some time to hide away.
Found a place far from the chase
Where the mind invites a slower pace.
Thoughts of you sweet to the taste
Like candy chewed standing in place.
Bitter are the yearning moments.
Careful in chaste. No land of atonement.
Soft and delicate your pose.
Remnant petals from our rose.
From dormancy, the ones we chose
Befriend the wind and find our groves.
Cherry blossoms in the fall.
Hands sink deep within the wall.
Sorry that I missed your call.
I just needed time to stall.

Didn't want to wake up.
Our ringtone chose to shake up
My seldom surrendered faculties.
Wanted back my fantasy.

Dreamt of you tonight.
Felt more like a nightmare.
Felt like you didn't care.
Why did you cut your hair?
Swag in your bag,
Swerve on my nerves,
A woman full of fads
Claiming Barbie doll curves.
Wanted back my baby.
Only God could save me
From abhorrence so enslaving
In contempt of my fair lady.

Multicolored wigs,
as shapely as a twig,
and an insatiable itch
To cackle like a witch…………

My eyes twitched for hours.
Took a cold shower
and laid back down
After a few sighs and a frown;

But nothing was better
Than that daydream I had
While writing you love letters.
Sat among an angel's feathers.
Found myself surrounded by clouds.
Suddenly swept up in a swarm.
Spoke to my favorite storm.
She brought you to me.
Everything was so bright;
But I maintained pristine sight.
Dark as ever on this night,
So we collected shards of light.

Since we had light works,
We'll illuminate the sky.

And if it's light work,
You'll feel it in your thighs.

And if this light works,
We'll place it up so high

That Celestial vapors burn pure
Whenever God's angels cry.

How often my heart swells
Amid stints of pure hell
Where the only getaway
are those moments in the day
When I push it all away
And gently scrape the sides
Of this ever active mind
Where fond thoughts of you reside.

I wake up alone late nights.
I pull through with you each day.
I waive no anguish when I say
That my dream is so far away…………

…………I miss you. ♥

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"Other Side Of The Highway"

"Other Side Of The Highway"

Was told I shouldn't concern myself
with the other side of the road.
Stick to my direction.
Avoid the interjections;
But I only see reflection
When I glance past dashed white.
Broken lines separate nothing
Between I and this light.
Broke stride with less pride
And more curiosity.
Wasn't concerned with privacy.
Who's around to stop me? Not you.

Early intent will win this late night.
I've no desirable extent for staying to the right.
It's always easy to delve
When you were never willing to fight.
I'm not looking to get away.
I just never promised I would stay.
So surprised to find belongings packed.
I remember saying I'm not turning back.
No knapsack.
No can of beans.
Just a wallet full of receipts
and balled up dreams in my jeans.

Day by day, the end hides away.
I thought the destination was getting closer;
But you have become my choker.
Fashionable shackles for the fearful.
Said that the other side if the road
Could only bring me back home.
You needed me to need you.
You feared that I would leave you.
Manipulation is a manic maelstrom.
I wish you good fortune;
Feverish fool stuck in your whirlpool.
Motives undisclosed will flatten the frequent.

I've read the signs.
I know what they say.
They weren't designed to lead the way.
They were forged to collect my days.
I even make note at night
Of such an unflattering sight.
Even when the path draws left,
Each sign will read "Turn Right."
And you think that some won't fight?!
I just chose to play the game.
Your aversion was never strange.
We both know where guidelines pertain.

So I'm moving down the highway.
The one that traces my life.
You protest, you wax, you forewarn.
You indict and vow to do harm;

But I'm moving down this highway.
The one that houses my life.
You can impart guilt in swarms.
Let that same guilt keep you warm.

Wonder what I've pondered.
Breathe hard when I blink.
Can't track what I've discovered.
You should've never made me think.
You watch my wheels fall off.
You saw my car break down.
You say that you're the one
And no more can be found.

Quite profound.

Not enough to make me stay.
I know where I am
By what you say.

So you see:

I can't be concerned
With your side of the road.
We've shed our last load.

So I'm moving down the highway.
My phone has a flashlight.
I'm not staying to the right.
Get some rest tonight. Goodbye.

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

Inspired By: "The Highways Of My Life" by The Isley Brothers

"Phoenix Force: A Writer's Wings"

"Phoenix Force: A Writer's Wings"

Got big plans on kickstands.
From tunnels to platforms.
The launch pad isn't a new fad.
Just a recurrent chance to take
For those who choose to skate
Clean past what's "real or fake"
For that courageous leap of faith
High above leaves they used to rake.
So much at stake
For this lifelong raffle
That I broke out of the crate
But grew fond of the shackles.
Slave self served sans shame.
Sharp tongue with no game.
Untamed yet far from lame.
Unsung with no name.

Never really could claim
To be one in the same.
I've no exploitative aspirations.
You look to lord over nations;
But why should I set the table
when you dine in privacy?
Your indictments are unstable
Yet you assign dichotomy.
You try your best to pick brains.
You can command lobotomies;
But arms and legs still remain.
What of your vasectomy?
Where's the manhood?
What manner of man would
Search so deep under the hood
In loathing of what he misunderstood?

I'm not a rude dude.
I rarely shift moods.
I'm such a nice guy;
So I can't understand why
Our oppressors scream in pain
While living in the land of plenty.
I'm an advocate of change.
I'd offer my enemies some pennies
If I ever knew their names.
Joy is free. So is shame.
I don't melee for a payday.
Those were times I overcame;
But my two cents will knock five,
ask for ten back,
write an I.O.U. for payback
And loan back what you lack.

I'd rather press my collars and seams
Than let dollars line my dreams.
I meditate and mull over visions
Too complex for missions
Yet much closer than impossible.
The society at large
And I am but a piece
of this intricate collective.
The wiles of a detective
Would deem our methods effective.
Deduction is rendered defective.
Not true intent to be deceptive;
But a writer's mind is not planned.
We leave not room for one to stand.
You must float to understand.
Just hope to land on a kick stand.…………

…………and once perched,
Look miles past the earth.
God's stars are scattered for a reason.
The cynics call it treason.
The critics assign seasons;
But our calendar is undefined.
No wind chimes mark our time.
No crows of desolation.
No birds in search of scraps.
Just pages scattered, perhaps.
What few feathers are unearthed
Come not from where pigeons perch.
Heaven's angels. Trumpets loud.
Racing down from parted clouds
Willing to extend their hands
To those leaping from kickstands.

Poets fly. No need to land. P†F

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"Oasis Of Forbidden Desire"

"Oasis Of Forbidden Desire"

Woke up in malaise
And I never felt so dazed.
We haven't talked in months;
But I swear it's been days
Since I last had this dream.
Thoughts as rich as cream
And I still have that gleam.
Frigid room filled with steam.

Kept you deep in mind.
Swore I left it all behind;
But what degree of privacy
Comes without a little policy?
Sure. I've been sure.
Said I'd never have to ensure
That there would be any occurrence
Where I would clamor for insurance.

Did so well without you;
But I still tuck you in.
Seldom mentioned among Mrs.
Because it's none of her business
And it shouldn't still be mines.
I'm still doing fine.
Possessed my daily grind
but I'm teetering the line.

Acting like you're here.
Said that you'd always be there.
Moments dreamt in dare
That I'll likely never share.
Protecting my baby's ego
And my future in swift secrecy.
Lingering desire lets me perspire
Between stints of recalled indecency.

Guilt is a trip.
Life is a bitch.
I dream of your lips
And my legs still twitch.
Gotta scratch the itch.
You're so far away;
But different times during the day,
I find time to steal away.

Words you used to say.
That smirk that shapes your face.
The way you used to taste.
The expressions on my face
And this is my fourth time today.
Quick draw and swift stroke.
Never really took forever
Before I pulled myself together.

Felt a little shame
When I almost used your name
To address my incumbent.
Emotions so vile and pungent
As when he was still her subject
And I was settled into predicate.
Drove me months past insane
Just having to hear his name.

I won't play that game;
But I still protect the flame.
Lust is strong in linger
But the love still looks the same.
Get away from me.
Please hold on tight.
Leave me be today;
But visit me tonight.

Can't make up my mind
Although I've divulged solution.
Told her I was clean
But there's so much pollution.
Can't call it confusion
When I aspire toward seclusion.
Nothing tangible between us;
But you're far from an illusion.

I asphyxiate myself with you.

Noose loose neck tie
Fashioned from your thighs
As you stretch and dangle
At such a cute angle.
Constriction my addiction.
Such passionate praise
For a desire that closes my airways.

I suffocate.

It's never too late
To grant myself reprieve;
But I'm not ready to relieve.
What's most difficult to conceive
Is how I'm so willing to deceive
Although I'm sure that she may leave
If she knew you lined the sleeves
Of my inner recesses.
You command corners in my mind.
It gets harder to find
A way that will not bind
Thoughts of she with thoughts of we.
This will eventually tear me down;
But before she sees a frown,
I'll submerge myself in memories profound
Rather than cast them to the ground.
I'll fancy my ankles bound
And without making a sound,
I'll dive into our past…………………………
...............……………………………………
……………………………………and drown. †EVL

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"Diary Of A Valedictorian"

"Diary Of A Valedictorian"

Only want to leave
If I can get far away.
I'm on par today.
System running well.
Had to dodge hell
On the way to occupation.
He who rules a nation
Must contain the infestation.
No more lent to clues;
So in other news,
I just stripped the taxes
From my daily dues.
Praise to him forever.
Faith kept me together
When I knew that it would fall.
Never knew much at all.

So focused on learning.
Interested in earning.
Longing for new lecture.
No time for Trendsetter.
Nothing circles the cortex
Quite like a pair of squares.
Three angles of my attention
And I'm in the fourth dimension.
Stirred cyphers in study hall.
More than books lined the walls.
Academic bliss like a french kiss.
Rosetta stoned from the tongues.
Rhetoric I rarely ever speak
Splitting space with her tongue and cheek.
Said my study habits were weak.
She's my tutor twice a week.

On my way soon.
Just had view her swoon.
Time rescues the truth
From it's cage tooth by tooth.
Always took a chance
Without relinquishing my stance
And when making my advance,
I wield my wiles like a lance.
Javelin meets jugular;
Tearing down her muscular tones
Until her voice invites dial tones
And the need to be alone.
Not under the moon's eyes
Have I ever felt the need
To make room for another
Atop my restless, wandering steed.

So here we are. No luxury.
Traveling far across country.
Culture rich like cream.
Creating tomorrow's dreams today.
So much left to say.
Struggled finding ways.
I'm so fond of being fancy.
I should just say that I'm happy.

System well oiled.
Above par today.
Got so far away
And we did it all our way.
Home is in the miles.
Deeply delved in these domicile detours
and a haven of vast horizons.
We don't hear the sirens.
Crime replaced by wind chimes.
Gunshots are now slingshots;
Launching bullets at half speed
In the form of nourishment for seeds.
Blue streaks no longer scar pupils.
No blood left under cuticles.
No woeful sights to see.
Just my tutor and me.

Just daydreams.
Mercy me.

Life is so very grand.
She has a mean handstand
and a marvelous grind.
Such a rare find.
I want to use my hands
But this back to school dance
Is riddled with chaperones.
We can't be alone…………
…………we still have our zone.
We silence our phones
And sneak off to study hall.
Time to line her walls.
Skirt dangles from her ankle.
Awesome display of an acute angle.
A perfect forty-five degrees
Starts with her separated knees.
Coursing through trembling thighs
And deep sighs between cries.
Her love of pain against the grain
Gives me a residual high.

Everything felt right.
We walked home that night.

Okay; so it's all a story.
Let me forge my glory!
I'll never be a jock.
Nobody thinks I'm hot.
I'm cool with being a nerd.
The jocks don't know big words.
They can't even spell "absurd."
I win most verbal disputes.
I won't choose cleats over boots.
I'm sarcastic and astute.
I love to play the flute.
My tutor thinks I'm cute.

My words will pave the way;
But anyway,
There's not much more to say.
We'll talk another day.

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"Suicide Beneath The Sky"

"Suicide Beneath The Sky"

Held hands with hope
While forewarned by fate
That the sky would be falling.
I ignored the warnings.
It all crashed around us.
Stubborn heart.
Foolish mind.
Had to leave my hope behind.
Lodged within the rubble.
Said that she was trouble.
Nothing was more absurd
Than her dieing words.
At least that's what I figured.
Felt broken and disfigured.
Days from reaching for the trigger.
Guess I was waiting to be delivered.

The setup.
The sketch.
The plan.
The schematic.
It was so awesome and tragic.
Head over heels between meals,
more thrills, high heels, deep chills,
Thick legs well fed.
Restless nights in bed
Pondering her like stories unread.
Festering fascination and infatuation.
I wouldn't own up to obsession;
Yet I clung to it amid objection.
Down to ride although unidentified
As her affectionate equivalent.
Monthly lease. Not even rent.

I was content.
I wouldn't insist.
Never could resist;
Even while she would enlist.
So willing to desist
That I ignored the list.
No way I'm on it.
No way it exists…………
Jumped over turnstile and fence
Against the grain of common sense
Even when it all felt tense
For a love worth three cents.
Phrases coined for wooden nickels.
Penned verses profound yet simple
From a heart so quick and nimble
Threading heartstrings without my thimble.

Daredevil duty in surrender.
Relentless consent to malicious intent.
Stalwart diligence in pursuit
Of branches bearing little fruit.
Our tree yields no nourishment.
Seeds planted deep in holes wide open.
Token child of love's light well rooted.
Hopeless romantic rogue to paths chosen.

Hopeless? Yes.
Love? Sure.
Learned to hope less;
Yet I still loved more.
Loved with all I had.
Would borrow more from lenders.
Thought I wore her heart tender.
Not much progression rendered.
Played possum and pretender.
Her and I.
Her for reasons why.
I as if it would never die.

She doused my sunlight.
Stole stars before midnight.
Cracked the crevice of our heaven
And crushed my clouds with might.
Fate and time screams loud.
I ignore and stare like I'm proud;
Overflow of elation like asphyxiation.
Ties never severed for sake of circulation.
Brother smothered.
Twisted sister.
Makeshift markdown hoping one day
To be addressed as her mister.

Sky falls with tears.
Moist eyes trace trickles to ears.
Hope is all I see
Since she no longer wants me.
Hope would lay with me
When my emotions were doubled
and I ignored impending trouble.
Held hands beneath rubble.

Debris cuts my face.
I still seek her grace.
Eyes scratched raw and wet.
Blood burns like mace.
Here, my dear.
Hope, draw near.
Even she forsakes me.
Hopeless love sedates me.

Nothing more to shake me.
Worked so hard to break we
That she would even berate me.
My lifeless love so unrequited.
Death of hope like life extinguished.
Hope floats; leaving me undistinguished.
No substantial trace. Just my disfigured face.
Life of love for the death of me.

Hope floats. Faith anchors.
Love desired. Faith favored.
Lust savored. Time trials.
Tread me thoughtless. Heart defiled.
Basked, wallowed and riled.
So much ambiance in my wiles.
Faith couldn't stall. The sky still falls
And love for her trapped me under.

Nowhere I'd rather be.
She means so much to me.
I'm sure one day she'll see.
My body scorched whole for we
And scattered across the sea.
Extensive stints of tears she cried;
But I don't understand why
She'd choose to lie under the same sky…………†EVL

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz

"Black Water"

"Black Water"

Rinse that mind with black water…………

Rinse your mind with black water..
Collect my darkness in a coffee cup..
Press your lips to my broken identity..
Consume me..

Expound in space.
Search for grace
in plain sight without light.
Conjure a cure for the pure
that never new bright for night.

But the pure dies in agony
atop the bed of nocturnal respite..
once drowned in blue matter
the crater of light ascends truth..

Pillar is not pedestal.
Even intellectual brilliance
claims no radiant luster to muster;
flustered by the fact that black defies

But black embraces the corrupt
beauty of altered lucifer..
muted light absorbing the
ever present anomaly of intangible dark..

I agree. Isn't it lovely?
Darkness……how her arms hug me
with no comfort displaced.
First tastes left me
to revel without fear…

She..a deity..
a noir queen taking into her soul
the pungent taste of wandering youths..
we move thru her like radiant children

We the woeful left seeds
that she breast feeds with earnest.
Character slips with every sip.
Skin masked and shrouded in tone…

We..the remembered wicker of her womb
gathered like pearls at her feet..
hearts absorbing the energy
of metaphysical symmetry

No counsel of divinity.
Obscurity fashioned in rhythm
akin to the blind
that never touch but always bind;
clinging to acceptance.

..but acceptance cures obscurity
that drips from clouds
spray painted the color of eternity..
dark expands time..and we..die..

I defy that notion!
I partake of potion set in motion
for those void of their fathers:
Mother's black water rinses daughter fresh.

But mother's seed is as bitter
as the fruit she could not refuse..
a daughter bartered against the image
of what black eludes.

Crude course across corpse corps
riddled with plague because
their sin was being vague.
Black is depth in a queen's silhouette.

..and with the sins of a queen
twisted in spirits like skeleton keys
that don't belong to anything..
sepulcher winds blow..

and the moon glows in mockery of thee.
So decrepit is the world's decadence.
Why would I want to see?
Black water soaks pupils……

..hanging in the shallow balance
between the sin & the shadow..
a black lagoon washes clean
the muse of midnight moon's blues.

And I incur fits.
I have seen wicks
that should have never been lit.
Used to miss the way you greet the day.
Now I steal away………

..and yet we set the night aflame
and burn the clever envy
down to the filter..
black water fills the substance..
molding men..

Black water in abundance.
Wear me thin like onyx torrents
sharp as shrapnel until housed
within this ravaged heart torn apart………

..your delicate ebony pressed
to the essence of the queen's clarity,
cut from stones of jet,
a tempest swirling..black reign.

Dare I feign to subscribe
to blinding existence of an adverse nature?
Would I so much as pretend
that illumination is favored?

Lit upon the brethren convened
for the word upon a treasonous tongue..
you need not express your rebellion..
black oceans cry..

And these tears would have me die.
The years would have me hide away.
Not today.
Leave me to swim void of shore.
I implore you.

And I control you..
give me the strength of depths
too dark to abide..
give me the murkiest sunrise..
drink of this acrid black tide.

I am reborn derelict to said orders.
Structure secures dismay and disorder.
I flow free within black water.
Come to me.

Rinse that mind with black water…………

Written By: Brittany Perry(Harlo Haven) and Devin Joseph Metz(EndlessInkPen)

"Crumbling Shelter Of Repugnance"

"Crumbling Shelter Of Repugnance"

I'm coming home.
Been away for too long.
Felt like forever.
There are skies where I stare
And it all looks bare
Until I close my eyes.
That's when I feel her hair.
She was there. I swear.
I was never scared;
But I used to run away.
These lungs never last long
So I never got away.

Certainly not today.

Fancy me.
Used to fancy thee.
Fond of we.
Fondling.
Late night longing.
Hands dig with grace.
Sweat eludes your face.
Curdling cries lead sighs.
Yummy.
Lapped you up lovingly.
How they squeeze and hug me.
Loving vice grips.

Still on my lips.

It's been years.
Just a little while.
I still smile, albeit brief.
I don't focus on the grief.
So many memories.
Good times.
A million ways to rhyme.
Artful sublime.
My muse of sensuality.
Greatest casualty
Of a failed recognition
Of our eroding positions.

Slave nor Master ever matter.

One comes harder.
One comes faster.
It all splatters.
Not much laughter.
Too much chill.
Too routine for skilll.
We've grown disinterested
After all the time invested.
Likely why I'm sitting here
Comparing lust to fear.
Trying to power up
Like I've never shed tears.

This is comedy.

Parody complete with puppets.
Pawns in a play
That went through swift production.
Where's the eruption?
Where's the pomp?
Are we out of ambiance already?
I'm kidding, love.
The supply was never steady;
Especially since she'd let me
If I told her I was ready.
If it's been that many years;
Then maybe lust is fear.

Afraid to purge the mind.

So we always look behind
Like there's something new to find.
Same old. Same role. Same road.
Sane to scold? No.
Nothing sensible about we.
I could find a new she.
She could fall for a new he.
This will always be.
So we can walk away
As moments have us rue the day
That we said it was okay.
Never had that much to say.

But anyway,

I'm coming home.
Been away for too long.
Felt like forever.
Nothing up high for me.
Just fume and feathers.
Some fluctuating weather.
I've managed to keep it together.
Wrote a few love letters
About how we should be together,
She made it easy to forget her,
How my words got her wetter
And how we could've done better.

Words she'll never see.

I know she's lonely.
She'd never phone me.
We share no medium.
The pull is premium.
Lips connect to tip.
Bodies forge the script.
Never ending trip.
Hearts and minds unzipped.
We don't share many goals.
Just two filthy souls
That would sell them whole
To let the other take control.

I'm almost there.
I can feel her skin.
I can smell her hair.
Nothing really compares
And I never cared.
Not a matter of emotion.
This manner of devotion
Is reserved for shallow oceans.
Puddles that last a few sips.
Ravaged till the record skips.
Will dismembered. Power trips.
Love disfigured. Lustful lips.

She drips with every lick
From this pretentious prick.
I her flame. Her my wick.

She makes me sick………… †EVL

Written By: Devin Joseph Metz