《Cardinal Wings》 The Sun Sets Redly No. 01 Water is wet and the breeze a motion. Love is a circle and friendship devotion. These are facts I know to be true. In that vein, allow me to say That- -when words fail, come what may, In the face of terror, Beyond the scope of rage, In darkest night, Sung beside the crisply turned page, We will trust and whisper, unceasing- -and kind. ~ No. 02 It starts with a look- Temptation teasing the tongue, Sly grins soaring on sordid winds. -and it ends with a sigh, Empty wallets and too much powder; Regret giving way to cowardice. The world moves on. ~ No. 03 The fawn runs away, Chase is given between trees. Progress kills them both. ~ No. 04 Suicide was a cold comfort, suffusive and heavy. Numbing. Today, with his boot turned to lead, Jessie raced along the riverside road of their hometown. Night had fallen behind their brow - the too-young adult was drowning. For ever and ever, they¡¯d felt the air was acidic, scorching past bruised lips to fuel the wrong kind of engine; that water was a balm just out of reach, forbidden. Today, with her boot turned to lead, Jessie raced alongside relief. ~ No. 05 Information suppression and oppression go hand in hand, If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.The tools of tyrants and bullies the world over. They¡¯ve no care for your triumphs, your ennui, or your rage- Die and weep, laugh and smile, we¡¯re all the same, just another cog in Their machine of conflict and capitalism. -there are always more children. A vicious cycle repeated throughout history - We the People! - given life anew. The answer is obvious; the right and wrong plain: Black Lives Matter, among other equally clear issues. Yet, people have chosen a side bereft of love. It¡¯s a migraine - a growing pain and self-surgery more so, this division where sons and daughters and those undefined rail against ¡®tradition¡¯. Mayhaps that¡¯s the due, The price of our condition, Borne burning beneath uncertain skies that scream for us to run. ~ No. 06 Whispering leaves dye the forest, Twilight falls and dawn ascends, Winter¡¯s howl sounds ever nearer, Dragon fire breathes again. ~ No. 07 I see constellations of stories untold and unknown and yet to unfold, In every household, on every corner, they sit. Among them, an epic lies close, unfolding, Burning bright above long felled trees and stinging bees of summers past. The quiet click of a painted door, of conciliation and love never past, A woman whose bones bare rings of ubiquitous kindness, Of misunderstood strength spent on guidance, patience, and weary smiles. The innovation of a timeless classic, an aurora of life that stretches for untraveled miles. Words fail to encompass the depth - the debt of a lifetime, incalculable in worth. Thusly, Mother. ~ No. 08 I remember being twelve and angry, six and scared, sixteen and anxious. I remember you being there, wise words freely shared, As if they weren¡¯t shaping goodness from fraught emotion, words a masterclass on the truth of real devotion. I remember books and laughter, reading chapter after chapter. I remember proud smiles, subtle and sunny, inevitable like the dawning of day, At twelve, six, sixteen, all stemming from the eighteenth of May. I remember the scent of safety, old tee-shirts labeled Heinz, sweatshirts Old Navy. I remember confrontations, raw and unnerving, Gifts in hindsight, worthy and discerning. I remember and remember and remember - the theatre, accents, and the radio, too. Everyday, in ways big and small, you make me glad such an act is possible at all. That love is here, presently clear - my luck is astounding. Thusly, Father. ~ No. 09 Salience is a point of contention. The point of contention is time. Every word is a lie, and neither- -we nor I, do decide why, The loss of freedom stings. ~ No. 10 Laughter flutters like lilies on a summer breeze. Tickling the ear, it tugs a brief smile from tired lips. Gales sing into cries, broken hearts a product of youth, They start driving elsewhere for company, drunk on love. Eighteen hits and the nest is empty, the heart is full, Like a four-day bender without any of the fun. Days rinse into months, months sprint towards learned years, Coming and going, they¡¯re never not home. Then they¡¯re present, filling the holiday with talk of ownership, Lilting ideas and subtleties with unfamiliar confidence. There¡¯s a wisdom now, in their thinking, And it¡¯s beautiful, fluttering- Upon the Royal Din No. 1 The coffee has to be black, not unlike what she thinks of her heart. Bitter Candy- -medicinal assurance that paints her teeth. Magma in her mouth, it sings a wicked smile, And she¡¯s beaming, And she¡¯s screaming inside, And everything is a bore. She¡¯s bored of the monotony. The bitterness is a balm. ~ No. 2 -if love is freely found, let it be freely shared, Absent the possessive naturality we mortals carry, Like nails on a board, digging into our skin, Ply them out with help, There¡¯s less pain involved once everything ends- ~ No. 3 Faraway or yonder, Mine eyes do see, upon, And above, Below and beneath, Midnight and dawn, their painted shades. The canvas sings: moonlight raves Silver strokes across the sky: ¡°A muse you seek, a muse you¡¯ll find!¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.¡°Look not to him, look not to her,¡± ¡°View instead the heavens firm!¡± ¡°They taste like madness, and brim with verbs! ¡°Assured, assured!¡± ¡°Assured, absurd!¡± ~ No. 4 Will unto power. Might unto right. Neither is sold in your everyday store. ~ No. 5 Mayhaps the teething will be our end; The greatest of fires, An irradiating bent. What an end that would be, What a finale for sure, To melt as wax. ~ No. 6 Disrepair and corruption are not flavours of the month, They are the dogged marrow of our bones, Viral and unpleasantly common. For why, for why, Would they ever try differently, we ask, Have asked. The denial is simple: They are rich and secure, Paid tidy profits, four score- -and seventy thousand dollars. It¡¯s enough to make a mind rebel. ~ No. 7 If there is madness in love, then must there be reason in hatred? Two of a coin¡¯s three, A paradox presented falsely. Our currency has more than two dimensions. ~ No. 8 Of all the seasons, I love winter best. The cold is seeping, egress embattled, Instincts simpering for yet another mug Of cocoa and something extra Packing a little bit of heat. We¡¯re too tired to fight, We¡¯re too lazy to judge. It¡¯s a wonderful time, Just ignore the holiday screeching. ~ No. 9 On some level, the tipping point is past: Our future is assured: Destruction lies not in wait, It¡¯s here, Unmoored from our foundation; Frigid winds predicted, Fires left untouched, There¡¯s a doom on the horizon, And it tastes like obstinate refusal. -But, -Maybe, -Possibly, -However, -Potentially, There is hope- ~ No. 10 Forever forward, Never back, The past is passed. Our future selves are smiling, can¡¯t you see, Dying and crying, Living and flying on wings wrought from laughter, In defiance of disaster! That we are so conscious of these inevitabilities; the greatest of our- -miracles. -tragedies. Absent Mercy or Wisdom No. One iiiiiiiiiiiiiiflew, Ikaros burned Dead before arrival. It was a tragedy for sure, But not without triumph. To scorch oneself in glory, Far from confinement, Perfectly content amidst the flame; The world might serve in following his example By leaping with exultant aim, Knowing though the goal is scarce(ly a dream), We might save ourselves. Mankind. Unburdened from doom. ~ No. Two If there is a god, let us collectively spit upon its existence, Then love it with tender words and the embrace of brothers, Mothers, fathers, sisters, sons, daughters, friends, All dead. ~ No. Three Spite yourself as you would your enemies, This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.And hate your friends with intimate fondness. Know your lover, but not too greatly, And hug your mother before she begins (to cry or frown, it¡¯s only proper). War against unjust insanity, The inner kind that kicks and shoves. Trust in the world, Bleed over pearl, Hoist wisdom or don¡¯t, Flee from too-warm coats, And never trust a, Liar, every one of them; Those rhymers and schemers, Deceivers and dreamers; They¡¯ve never known you as I have- -poets, what wastrels. ~ No. Four Snow in the summertime, Rain in the desert: I swear I¡¯ve seen them both. ~ No. Five The moon is falling Away from Earth, Jealous of blue love that shines for the sun. It chases Mercury, A quicksilver fuck That will bring relief for a single September. ~ No. Six Boldly did we eight declare: ¡°Survival! Arrival! Heaven is here!¡± Billions were we, divided but sure- -our lives were worth more, our purity du jour, As if we were not all strands of DNA. When the end arrived, it- -clattered and clanged, boomed and banged, And all of us died alone. ~ No. Seven Stupidity is the ultimate sin, Or so we¡¯ve been led to believe. Cannot, should not, be not, has not- -brains are just one part of we; We millions and many, we striving folk. Betterment over languishing, Atop the silken throne. There is joy to be had: In trying alone. In meeting failure And never casting the stone. ~ No. Eight I would dance and sing for the rest of my days- Had I only the strength, had I only a way: Robeson would boom, Freddy would ring, Dolly would smile, And thousands would fling, Notes forever, and ever, to the end of my days, -were I a lobster, Undying ''til braised. ~ No. Nine The lance has shattered- A childhood breaks alongside -the mother¡¯s ribcage. ~ No. Ten I am, Or so I thought, Until you walked and talked, Bearing an old hat that smelled of forest pine. All the nasty things I thought, From then on, I was. It Paints in Sanguine Shades No. Unus Be a man; we¡¯ve heard these words before, Whispered and shouted with unearned ease by those who¡¯ve scarcely thought on the subject. Strength, hard and unyielding, Absolute, so very unlike the circumstantial softness which only dogs deserve. Of women, they are objects (of course), Things to admire and deride, their weakness a tautological inherency: Be a man; a thing that is not quiet or gentle- -in no way can one be thusly; Not in kindness or patience, And especially never in feeling, For assuredly they would make a man literate. How tiring their lives. (To never know the catharsis of a good cry.) ¡°But we are never afforded the opportunity!¡± ¡°We are made lesser if we do!¡± ¡°How would you, and you and you-¡± ¡°-how could you ever know what it means?!¡± And there is the inborn disparity; to presume evil and not good Of so-called fragility. ~ No. Duo The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. You are not deserving of the hatred you hold; This self-inflicted thing of barbarous intent. Not because of some inherent goodness, And never for what you were. Such notions are silly. Instead, You are, each day- -and every hour hence, Stochastic potential: Whatever that may be. ~ No. Tribus If hope- Can hope- Will hope- -we ask, never wondering: Why not? Have hope. ~ No. Quattor The pane of glass is dirtied, Shining speckles a growing trend. They¡¯ll have to wait until next year, There are trails to run. ~ No. Quinque If I must die tonight, let it be in the wilds, Numbed unto warmth, A frigid example of idiocy, Smiling without care. ~ No. Sex Let love be the seed- Let tears be the rain- Let friends be the ground- -and you¡¯ll never know shame. ~ No. Septem Fear sings in the mind, Part of a chorus - the ultimate irony, For it does so afraid Of others and itself. ~ No. Octingenti The night is quiet, unmarred by your brilliance. You are no more than a phantom, Haunting. I suppose I should be thankful, But I refuse as much- -you were a supernova of salience, And I am still blind. ~ No. Novem Should not empathy be the basis upon which practicality is forged? I suppose there are arguments to be made against the notion By those who haven¡¯t a shred of humanity. And I sincerely believe we would be bettered by their leaving, Contradictions be damned. ~ No. Decem I should wash my hair And drink some tea, Run a mile, Cook and sleep. It sounds simple, No? Mirroring the Simpering Sin No. 01.0 A secret embrace, Warm and safe; Two arms that could carry the world Instead wrapped around a single person, As if they were most precious of all. ~ No. 02.0 The dark is not afraid of the light- -how could it be, of the brilliant bright? That simmering softness and lilting sun, Which brims with fun, and fulsome love. Revolution and sleep, the dark welcomes both, The light is its break, Its innermost hope. ~ No. 03.0 The universe cares most deeply for us and you and them. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!One need only look into a mirror to see as much; In your reflection, there is feeling. ~ No. 04.0 Rigidity of thought, How quaint- -as if your stubbornness was new. A thousand have died, just as you¡¯ll do. Why spend that time stuck rutting with hate- -you ungrateful swine. ~ No. 05.0 The bone cracks; it¡¯s a chicken wing- -a wishbone. A girl whispers beneath her breath: ¡°Let me find love.¡± She dies of cancer, fourteen months later. Sammy was seven. Her parents still love her. ~ No. 06.0 ¡®I apologize.¡¯ ¡®I am sorry.¡¯ Two or three words: and they¡¯ve choked many relationships. ~ No. 07.0 Let us be as Zeus, Not as he became, but as he was- -a hero To his brothers and sisters. -an end To tyranny. ~ No. 08.0 I am tired, and so are they. Mayhaps it is best that this is goodbye- -for now. ~ No. 09.0 Romance is no thing of flame or wax; It is the spark and starter, And sometimes it falls splat. ~ No. 10.0 Youth is an invincible feeling- I do not envy those who possess it; An agonizing realization. -in hindsight. Committed by Wretched Sovereigns No. -1 Critique is no less essential to the artist¡¯s soul than water. It is- mmmm(I am no artist.) -a good thing. ~ No. -2 If I could paint, I would immortalize your features In the sky: gold over blue, So that everyone could share in my laughter; For how absurd is it that you- -in all your perfection. -exist beside me. ~ No. -3 This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. We or I, All the same die- -the world won¡¯t end, regardless. ~ No. -4 Peculiarly enough, I don¡¯t think much of love- -or so I might have said, were I the lying sort. If such a thing as the soul exists, then surely- -and verily, I do proclaim: that love is: Sickness and wealth. ~ No. -5 The words will come. You need only open your heart to the truth. ~ No. -6 Let freedom ring from the highest mountaintops, but first know: You are a slave to the machine, stuck: Consent was never given. ~ No. -7 There is no glory in needlessly fighting battles where one might run. So calm yourself. Drink and be merry a few blocks south of the drunk. ~ No. -8 There is a sword in your heart; Steel or iron, maybe bronze- -probably rusted, Assuredly sheathed. Let it remain there, inert. Our world has little need of blades. ~ No. -9 In the frozen December air, I taste: Cold. ~ No. -10 I- -am -or was -and might have been Alone, once. But that was- -now -then -and possibly before I looked inside. Those Heartless Gods of Olde No. 1 x 1 Destiny a winding road, Fate the culmination; To exist beyond such conceptions, A truer freedom none have touched. ~ No. 2 x 1 My bones are hollow, thin like the bird¡¯s. But I cannot fly, Save for in my dreams. ~ No. 3 x 1 Whisper when you rebel against unkindness; I refuse, categorically- -speaking: following such a command would be foolish. Instead, I offer forbearance: twenty, Nineteen, Eighteen, Three, Run! It¡¯s unfair, isn¡¯t it? ~ No. 4 x 1 (It is fine to be stronger, more skilled and swifter than others; The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.And it is good to be confident, to know of one¡¯s worth. But to lord and demean another for such differences- -to revel in the acts of a bully can never be worthy of admiration. Hold to integrity; it is the lifeline with which we might know: To trust or not to trust. I swear this.) ~ No. 5 x 1 If we knew the answer to life¡¯s worth, I do believe there would be a disappointing dearth of care. The degree to which we mind another¡¯s pain is already so low- -and our collective terribly slow in understanding why we should Mind that the mother struggles, painfully aware that her son¡¯s stomach hurts. Giving a damn is sensible - and rarefied like Sinatra¡¯s air. Yes, I do believe there would be a disappointing dearth of empathy. In the face of absolution- -the messiah might be here, and much of the citizenry would kick him to the floor, And they would spit- -and he might think his sacrifice was for naught; For why else would the people be so Empty ~ No. 6 x 1 Normalcy is not overrated. I think our sense of it has simply changed, And we are, each of us- -in our own way, Deranged; At least, according to the old guard. ~ No. 7 x 1 Talent speaks a language all its own: A tremendous silence filled with ease. (I do not mind having to make noise.) ~ No. 8 x 1 If Heaven is real, I think- -somewhat sadly That its gardens are scarcely occupied, Bereft of believers. Abuse is all too common. ~ No. 9 x 1 Smiling patterned rictus matter, Broken grey simple May, Wreaking seeking ample drinking, I would rather not take refuge in audacity. I hear their pillows are uncomfortable. ~ No. 10 x 1 Usurp the dragon- -breathe fire across the countryside estates, And make a home of their hoard. Of Creeping Claw and Horn No. Oneish Do not believe yourself in love, Know it. Remember the taste of such truth Wet against your tongue, sweetest fire through your veins, Breathing whispered passions, Hands grasping hips, teeth grazing skin; The consumption of another soul, body and mind: Let it envelop you, but- -please, be kind about your recollections; Public nudity is illegal. ~ No. Twoish The art of wanting to and never committing is- -boring, common, and ridden with millions. What a world we¡¯d live in, were the population less- -the murders and marriages, the unadulterated squalor; They¡¯d be a hundredfold; society would collapse. Thank the superego there¡¯s so many cowards; My siblings in spirit. ~ No. Threeish I could rhyme each word, every one absurd, Licking and kicking and assiduously drinking myself down- -nonsensically. But that is not I, who loves the dis- Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.-jointed feeling of reading broken people. ~ No. Fourish Examination of the self. It sounds seemly and good, And then you realize: ¡®I should not have done that-¡¯ ¡®-way back when, at four or fourteen,¡¯ And you cringe, But you continue until there¡¯s too much, And you realize- -hopefully, at least: I am better than I was. ~ No. Fiveish Fat can be an unkind friend. It might keep us warm Loving humans whose laughter is like spring. It might make us small Wilting flowers who¡¯ve never known the touch of sunlight- -that thing named self-esteem. Either way, I prefer to think of it as colour; A part of being that can never decide one¡¯s worth. ~ No. Sixish Singular excellence in any field; A feat worthy of admiration; Experts, how inspiring; Stars, how bright; Idols, how worthy; Leaders, how alike. They are ultimately human, no more or less- -the same as you, Who should drink a glass of water. ~ No. Sevenish That¡¯s the sum of things: the blankness of this page: around each word. The electronic hum in our pockets and hands. Whether this is serious or not, who is to say? Certainly not I: alive and well enough to sigh: ¡°Enough.¡± ~ No. Eightish Slay the dragon; The unkindness of the heart, That whispers in the late of night, Of all your dreams gone dark. ~ No. Nineish Happiness might be fleeting, vague or- -rather expensive. But It must be worth attaining. Otherwise, Far fewer would seek it, dream it, and- -lay down their lives for a chance at such: Feeling like the world is kind. ~ No. Tenish The nobility of humanity: Gentle hands, strong defenders, Shouted love, courageous friends, Righteous words, greater actions, Truth as power, made amends. Our biology is beautiful. They Rip and Roar No. 10/10 Humility without ability is like thunder without the bolt: A lie most egregious. ~ No. 20/10 Ataraxia: a state of serene calmness. It was for myself that I said ¡°No more:¡± Hatred or dour thoughts On Tuesdays In the dark, Pillow pressed against my head. My sleep has been easier since. ~ No. 30/10 Loving the idealized version of another person. What a terrible disservice to yourself and them. We are not gods, we fleshly humans, Ichorous and unfailing- -our blood runs thin: Hands on a clock. See them- -their truth, And love. ~ No. 40/10 The heart wants what it wants, Needs what it thinks, Bleeds what it will, And we are left to live, Thumping ignorantly. ~ No. 50/10 Through hills and valleys, Paths paved and not, Your wondrous love Found me Seated at our bench, The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.Eating a stale sandwich, Smiling at the sun, Looking the fool. We laughed, chortled, snickered, near lost our breath: Until the seat was gone, Temperatures reduced, Simmering low, Your tongue was mint. ~ No. 60/10 Brown hair, gleaming bronze, Plaited or free; Blonde tresses, golden pale, Curled or bound; Black mass, thickest dark, Wild or tied; Red waves, sanguine silk, Shaved or shorn; (Both are lovely.) ~ No. 70/10 The sword falls way down, Swiftly past the nothingness. The wrong boy is dead. ~ No. 80/10 She is sickly sunshine Whimpering hopes against the atmosphere, Light enough to reach And never reflect. ~ No. 90/10 Tired, we: Running up the mountain, Roaring off a cliffside, Footsteps taken, Breaths exchanged, Dive into eternity: Our history is remembered: The marks have been made. ~ No. 100/10 ¡°You are king. That means something.¡± ¡°Does it?¡± I asked aloud, wondering if: ¡°It must,¡± my sister asserted. (I) -disagreed with a flattering hum, Rejoining, ¡°So you say-¡± -for: ¡°So I do. So did Mother and Father. So did your children.¡± ¡°So did your wife and citizens too.¡± I knew, ¡°I know,¡± and she laughed bellsome tears, Sounding of rain and lilies o¡¯er my favourite bridge, Splattering The Eos, which overlooked our city, run red by the dawn. ¡°Hah!¡± My sister¡¯s favourite was Nyx, a shadowed thing- -brick and mortar, and rarely touched; It sat far below, and stretched half as much; A bridge of ill repute. ¡°Do you think it true?¡± ¡°Your honesty is real?¡± ¡°Always and forever,¡± my sister replied Half in and out my ear. I let loose a lax breath, streaks ran down my face, Dawning red, featherlight lace. Nyx was known for dying, darkened by the wet River, furiously cleansing itself, Flooding tearful currents towards our city dear. Dead bodies were common sights from those swept off its thick; Our people, dead bodies, gone like morning mist. ¡®How terribly morose on such a blessed day.¡¯ I thought of other things, roughly hewn; I sighed, and my sister sighed too. Together we looked upon our city, Feeling old, far from youth. I loved our people, like I did my bridge. The world went quiet, the world went dim. ¡°If king I must be, then rule I shall,¡± and my sister- -ever clever Said: ¡°Very well,¡± ¡°What is your first-¡± ¡°Edict?¡± I asked, and wonder oh wonder, For I spoke first and fast, She was rent speechless, wordless phantom of the¡­ ¡°Ah,¡± I laughed, ¡°My sister is dead!¡± Like Mother and Father, my wife And them: My children many. Down I looked, upon my ruin. Further down was Nyx, and below my feet Eos, Both of them strong. Unlike I, King of a broken people Leaping without fear. Red and splattered bone, I- Shattering Deserved Peace No. -01 We aspire for nothing quite so worthwhile as love like the shoulders of Atlas, stronger together (part of a whole). ~ No. -02 I love the rain. Each drop is a promise made and kept, Whispered into the air for all to hear: ¡°Fall.¡± ~ No. -03 Nudity is fun and games, Relaxing, unweighted Freedom ~ No. -04 When we are little and scared of the dark, retreating into blankets is perfectly sensible. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.But there is no light within, closed off from the world. How hilarious. How tragic. How presently common. How- -disingenuous of the poet to claim suchly. The dark warmth of being wrapped, cocooned, toes safely ensconced, breath hot and inescapable - few are the comparative comforts. The dark is known, and the (outside not). ~ No. -05 Pleasure over tender love. Love over tender pleasure. Either way or neither, consent is supreme. ~ No. -06 I have abandoned my flesh I am the soil I am the air I am (not) ~ No. -07 I have a thousand endings, each named Failure: At eleven, At thirteen, At five, At two, At eleven months- -old (thirty-five, twenty, seventy million and fourteen seconds) I ask myself: Could- Would- Should- -I Try? Again. ~ No. -08 I hate lawns, golf courses, and inefficient farms; They¡¯re wastes of water; A damaged resource humanity needs. Vector by vector, we seem intent on ignoring peril in favour of profit. ~ No. -09 I do not yet know your name, (though I imagine it pretty or plain: ) Elizabeth or Ruth, Perhaps Amara or Yue, Claire or Bethany who lives by the zoo. ~ No. -10 There is comfort to be found in our dearth of unique experiences. This broken heart has been reforged by softer souls. This lesson has been learned by crueler minds. This victory has been shared by worthier hands. This shame has been loved by greater kinds. It has been done before. It can be done again. We will not die. As if They Matter No. 1 - 1 Feminism, Civil Rights, Pride, Labour; the names are many. Regardless: It has always been a matter of- -CONDEMNATION: bullies, rapists, murderers, sociopathic leeches. -pushing past apathy. -choosing between love and hate. -embracing compassion. -forgiving for one¡¯s own sake. -defying the emptiness of our condition. -CONDONATION: ~ No. 1 - 2 The princess is not waiting to be rescued; She is halfway down the tower laden with provisions, a gleam in both eyes singing of daring and dangerous doing. She is her own knight, armour unbreaking, and her name is Mother, Daughter, Sister, Niece. ~ No. 1 - 3 I am the wound, bitterness given a tongue and ten fingers. Each bone made for breaking - I am bloodless regret. Sour breath like scorching sunshine, I have never known the gentle touch - bruises litter my tapestry. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. I am- -the boy three streets down. -the sister upstairs. -the father in his dreams, the mother¡¯s living nightmare. ~ No. 1 - 4 The broken breath, half a sob - regret coiled, skin fevered. Swallow it down - or don¡¯t think on it: Shame. A most beautiful gift- -to rise above. -to rally against. -to learn from. ~ No. 1 - 5 These illusions we have built; castles in the sky where riches gild our every motion - they are just that: Falsities. Lies that comfort and heal; binding chains by which we are made slaves of another¡¯s will. Collectively, obsessively, let us melt them down and build for ourselves a tower; an edifice of resplendent brick mortared by truth and conviction, etched by the implacable- -love (and) -derision that sits within each of our breasts; a furnace for smelting. We are more smith than soldier. ~ No. 1 - 6 Tyrants rise before my eyes, blinded by their own insignificance. They are small terribly toothsome evils and I (with all my humanity) must profess, not a tear will be shed for their endings. ~ No. 1 - 7 Imagine yourself a stranger- -speaking clearly, each word an invective -scowling, frowning, spitting -professing deep dislike -laughing in the face of grief -rejecting kindness -destroying love If you cannot - smile. ~ No. 1 - 8 The truest of heroes is the furthest thing from a bully- -they are as the stars. Inspiring, guiding, gentle, persistent light. ~ No. 1 - 9 I¡¯m afraid the diagnosis is greedy, hateful ignorance. ¡°Fuck.¡± ~ No. 1 - 10 We Must Triumph Beautifully They Cannot Matter No. Ichi I will be frank: the polities and cults who have deigned to act as their God on Earth; they are as their Devil- -wretched evils to whom innocence falls, riven and digested cruelly, trapped betwixt teeth of hurt and hate. I will be frank: the unborn billions would thank us greatly were we to abandon convenience in favour of morality, breaking down the systems which so abuse US. I will be frank: we are self-cannibalizing fools- -the universe will not care one whit for our deaths or suffering. I will be frank: a thousand gunshots to a thousand heads is a surefire means of combating the bourgeoisie and bullies. I will be frank: my frustration boils. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ~ No. Ni Let us love fully Let us Let us Let us Let us live with dignity and die with full stomachs. ~ No. San The Ideal will fuck the corpse of capitalism with a broadsword composed of suffered symphonies, and I you, and every other thinking soul laughing dancing screaming through life, will weep for what might have been. ~ No. Yon Evil cannot be judged by evil. It must die excised by alien hands and guillotine blades. ~ No. Go Suffer not the breakage of heart and empty home we shouted proudly ignorantly despising siblings of heart. ~ No. Roku Fourteen, ten, twenty, five, thirty, nine, one they¡¯ve died. Innocents. ~ No. Nana Regarding survival: Man must kill God. ~ No. Hachi Love is well and fine when we are not starved of wellness, water and bread ~ No. Kyu Dreams Apologies Love Hate Good Evil Laughter Fun Dread Confidence Grief. (They are for the living.) ~ No. Ju Nazis should do us all a favour and imbibe- -cyanide -and a few hundred bullets. Not Even to Themselves No. 3.14 Love like wine red against your tongue bitter/sweet, intoxicating and less godly than you might have hoped for. ~ No. 3.141 Love is patient, love is kind, love is wisdom, love is wine like water running down your skin at three in the morning staining sheets and paper wondering when the heat will/stop/die/cease/leave/ It never does, until it does -------what needs doing accepts the hurt brewing deep in the heart and soul. ~ No. 3.1415 For my love, I love loveliness. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.For myself, I love them. How lovely: Loving. ~ No. 3.14159 Allow this wretched truth a moment¡¯s percolation: Guilt hangs more often than the guilty. ~ No. 3.141592 You were kinder than he deserved far softer than he wanted. And it is no fault of yours, that he so disparaged efforts made with love. I ask that you forgive nothing less than yourself for doubting whispered I love you¡¯s and sweetly sung smiles. ~ No. 3.1415926 Creation is the ultimate mistake of God/Man. I need only kiss poison ivy once to confirm as much. How beauteous such foolishness - action and reaction. ~ No. 3.14159265 Winter is quiet Stainless Cold ~ No. 3.141592653 A girl falls from the sky. A boy falls in love. (Away from one another, they rejoice.) ~ No. 3.1415926535 This is our folly: Pride unto pride, greed unto greed - ego made manifest in shouted words and frightened tears. Ignorance disguised as righteous wrath. I would burn from us these ills, had I only the strength. ~ No. 3.14159265359 Gardens untended, hearts unfulfilled. They have much in common. Pruning is needed like sunshine and rain. The World Has Moved On No. Won If I asked you to grant me treasures Worth more than gold What would you find in the desert blooms? Watered life and peaceful strife A chance for greater choosing Over and under deserved love? Justice exhumed? I think you would Know you might Take patience too far. In fondness of such, allow me this arrogance Prideful and unearned Dreamt affection. Salience reworded. I am a sorry- -son -liar. And you are anything but unkind. Truly: Know yourself to be worthy of love in all respects and kinds. Grasp it. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Do as you wish, seek what you will. Love will remain. Thusly, Mother. ~ No. Too To break before surrender To trust despite misgivings Unabashedly: The manner in which I admire such courage. ~ No. Tharee Trust me not, oh brother far mine. Trust me not, oh sister unkind. Trust me, I am yours- -no? ~ No. For You lied. God does not care that I swear or argue about hair and misgivings. How can a figment- ~ No. Phive Nonsensical nonsense is simply sense unnamed and disregarded. Unless¡­ ¡°Double negatives do not count,¡± says who? ~ No. Siex I have licked a Peanut Butter Spoon - the capitalization is necessary. It¡¯s like summer on my tongue, thick and heavy humid despite the chill. It molds like rain, and fills like pain- -less opportunities at fun. ¡­I should lick a Peanut Butter Spoon. ~ No. Sehven Oh saviour unseen, oh messiah unsung! You died. ~ No. Ate Rejection lingers in the lungs, stealing breath, stealing sun. ~ No. Nein For why would I be aught but myself? Doth the eagle swim? Doth the whale totter? Forsooth, I am Man. Forsooth, I am- ~ No. Taen Eros, to whom I bleed. His mother, from whom I seek. Steal not this empty parcel of mine. Leave its contents - bare though they are - in hands calloused by softest leather and unfelt scars. Let this heart of hemp and bone feel itself together- -alone. I Promise No. I Beyond Love. There is nothing. So let us look at that which lies before. There is a skier on the Rockies. She is fraught with fear and worry - her muscles are fatigued. Below her feet, the oxygen of a stranger runs low. She is trying. Sweltering summer heat beats down one billion souls. Of them, in a small corner of Churu, a man of little faith sits beside a dog. She is wild and angry. Thirst grates her tongue. He is giving. Chicago is alive with nightly clamour. Friends crawl between bars, sex and slumber on their minds. The alleyways are familiar. The screaming is not. They are fighting. Speak to me of apathy and hatred, and all the evils committed in the name of love. I will gift unto thee a thousand such stories as above. All of them beautiful. For we are more than diatribe and division or tribalistic cannibalism: we are firelight intentions, freedom¡¯s way and righteous truth: we are reheated meals on Monday, tearful hugs and sorry smiles: we are as ever: This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. All too human. ~ No. II I have broken bread with the enemy. I have supped from their tables. I have entertained their children. I have laughed at their jokes. I have listened to their stories. I have shared in their struggles. I wonder if they have care enough to return the favour. ~ No. III 6 times six is thirty6, I think as blinking breaks my mind into a three5seven, spaceless and unhinged ~ No. IV We wear collars like dogs dressed for show. And so We sparkle in sunshine. We rust in rain. We fray in hard times. Willingly. Proudly.. Laughingly... We choke in pain. ~ No. V 1: ¡°If,¡± I asked myself why 2: ¡°Do,¡± stormclouds dream before they die 3: ¡°Would,¡± my subjects understand 4: ¡°Or,¡± would they rail and countermand: 1 ~ No. VI Let me speak of my friends: They are lousy drunks and thoughtful punks Fitful dreamers and explorative souls. They have never known love like wine But wine they have known. They are disjointed and dissociative And everyone needs to drink more water. But they can be kind and good Even if they would argue otherwise. ~ No. VII I am sex on heels six feet underground, filled with worms. I am chained to a forgotten wedding band. Satan, as I have come to learn, is more than just an asshole. ~ No. VIII Live in spite of your horror. Laugh in spite of your worry. Love in spite of your loss. Breathe defiance. ~ No. IX I will shit in the mouth of every god and goddess to have ever graced the lips of Man before I submit to the divinely derived ¡®authority¡¯ of another person. But only ever after eating Taco Bell. Let this be a testament. Let this be an oath. Fuck all thrones. ~ No. X I must apologize for the indelible actions made less in time by I. In Manners Most Gentle No. 001 Desert earth, drained of vitality, burned from this world - genesis divine: My dearest heart, listen well to the thundering of my breath - in and out, I pant and sweat. I am the unsought soul from which dew drops, pittering pain like curved lips against your squalid slavery. Taste the fury of our composite flesh, pulp my heart. Filet the bone, disturb your dark. Add non to sense, bemoan our lark: This written word, my smile embarked. ~ No. 002 upon reflection, the universe is a suicidal masochist wrought and torn, painfully borne a sea of flame named Love ~ No. 003 You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. I am my father¡¯s violence: a small thing of expectation and burgeoning volume welded: and scalding: against shoulders fraught with conflict - tearfully/I am/savage vengeance: inborn criticism- -heavy thickening/quickening/blood. I cannot help but hate this. ~ No. 004 we are as Athens and Athena mortal and divine entwined/inspiration: libations made for love¡¯s drugged mind ~ No. 005 I must be braver than I I must I ~ No. 006 Fear hath consumed, hath doth thine thou doomed-incorrectly done presumed breakage garnishing shaved baboons: Fret not, fellow Man: Humanity dressed down from H and U to countermand: Your lack of meaning is musical freedom. ~ No. 007 Dependent/hateful/glorifying/ungrateful: the manner in which it cockslaps Woman. Pause: Reflect: Failure/weakness/violence/unforgiving: the insidious means by which it grooms mannish children. Patriarchy: Poison: I ~ No. 008 I AM GOD - and to you I beg thusly - KILL ME ~ No. 009 Dear You: Plea Beg (and maybe salt your tongue) ¨Cthe sexual tension between you and the last fry is unbearable ~ No. 010 Feel in your heart the weight of friendship, then: know it kindly, but not blindly and brook nothing less than faltering imperfection