Lacking Voice
I long for a time that never was.
I’ve been seeking after an illusion all my life.
The truth is just a crashing wave…a rise…a fall.
All my eggs were smashed while still in the basket
but at least I had a final scrambled meal to devour.
Luck has nothing to do with fate
but choice has everything to do with the fall.
Life is a question without answer.
Love is a song without a voice.
I always try to say too much
but never wind up speaking my mind.
I’ll lay down softly in a field of poppies.
I’ll meet you later on the right side of the throne.
I’ll dive in after if you start drowning
but will likely end up remaining in the depths ever after.
My heart is a fire without a gauge.
My mind is a bomb that already engaged the target.
There is nothing here except the rubble.
There is no one home except for thieves.
I tried my hand at being honest
but all it brought me were these empty palms.
Platitudes toward Paradise
It has been said
a time or two
that the early bird
gets the worm,
so I’m up with the dawn
to dive into the dirt,
rip into the soil,
and tear apart the Earth
until I get mine.
I’ve heard it spoken
by three or thirty
that nothing is ever easy,
so I’m breathing deeply
until perfect mindfulness
completely engulfs my psyche
and I become able
to laugh at and be thankful
for every little challenge
that helps toughen my resolve
toward the enlightenment I seek.
Some people sing
about how chaos leads to order
in this experience
full of pain and pleasure,
and I couldn’t agree more,
so I raise my voice on high
with the symphony of the spheres,
praising this precious life
for all its ups and downs
as I rise and fall
in rhythm with each stage
that guides me along
toward the fate etched upon my heart.
Bio:
Scott Thomas Outlar spends the hours flowing and fluxing with the tide of the Tao River while laughing at and/or weeping over life’s existential nature. His words have appeared recently in venues such as Clockwise Cat, Oddball Magazine, Calliope Magazine, Tuck Magazine, Dissident Voice, and The First Line. Links to his published works can be found at 17numa.wordpress.com.
