By Lake Saint Claire

I invest in my instincts

Cause brains tend to get frozen

And hearts they just skip beats

So when walls started to close in

I listened as my instincts screamed their best idea

Run

So I wore holes in my shoes and scorched the soul

Leaving black spots all over highways

Turning scenery into flip books of my past

Finally

I could take no more memories

So I sold my life to a man who was in need of one

He gave me a pair of wings

Told me they were valuable

He paid friendship for them

Apparently the sky is a lonely place

And freedom just don’t pay in comfort anymore

But that’s fine with me

Cause comfort just isn’t what I need right now

I need perspective

So Ill let the endless expanse cleanse my soul

Hanging 1000 feet up

Cruising through cotton candy clouds and everlasting skies

Listening to the wind blow prayers up past my ears

Listening as Jesus turns to silence

Leaving me with one more piece of advice

Go chase your answers

Cause I gave you all of mine

And then he left

Leaving me hanging arms spread wide letting curls of hope carry me far away

Trying to find a place where dreams spin the other way around

Searching

Searching for a place to burry my name

I am just not the man it was meant for

I will hide it within the shores of Lake Saint Claire

Letting the current burst past

Wrapping it up in weeds

And bringing forth the lady hidden within

She collects those kind of things

You know names that don’t quiet fit

Awkward stories

Old unwanted memories

And broken hearts

She is built from the lake floor

With old skipping rocks for eyes and fishing line hair hooks dangling about shoulder length swaying along to the beat of my heart

Smiling with a broken bottle grin

She stood there letting the currents strip away her muddy skin

She leaned forward

Placing her hands on my chest

I told her please take these shards

Take this name

I am not the man it was meant for

Her hands danced as they pulled out sutures

Stitching used to sew up gaping holes

Releasing a puff of dusty words

Each one stained with desperate memories

Collecting each one as if it was a forgotten treasure

And as the last puff of smoke seeped from my body she said

I’ll keep these safe

Cause even if you feel the pain of a name

It is still what defines you

A label tying your actions and character too

Remembered when you are not there

Faces fayed
Smells float away

And flesh doesn’t always run under finger tips

Names

They give faces to mannequins

Context to memories

And smile to faces

Each syllable is a melody

Crisp notes spelling out a story

One that is never appreciated

Till it’s gone.