Empty Nest

It was the best time we never had
And she was in costume
With only her round little face showing

As the wagon slowed, we got off
First untying the balloons that adorned its bed
And with that bundle of balloons in tow
She joined the children who scurried and scattered
And was quickly lost among the crowd

With confidence, she played
And with confidence, I busied myself
With the mechanics of the day
And after a moment, I put down my tools
And that day, that beautiful day was over

I looked for her as a wagon arrived
With new children, ready for their day
And when I finally caught up with her
I lied on the ground to watch her play
But something had changed

“What happened to the balloons”, I asked
And as I watched her look for them
I felt compelled to explain to the unseen crowd
That she was in college
And to their unspoken question, I answered
She is short for her age

I watched the happiness drain from her face
As she realized that the balloons where gone
She began to cry releasing a lone Mylar balloon
And as she fell into my arms, I reached up
Barely grasping the balloon’s edge
And noticed it was old and deflated

We fell to ground and were all alone
For the crowds had gone, as had our time
And I began to sing to her, a song she had loved
But the words choked in my throat
So, instead of singing, we cried
She for her loss
And me for mine

And then I awoke into the darkness
And the realization
That she was gone

The Banner of God

The sickening men who rule the land
The things they think they understand
They spread their death for all to see
Then pray and weep on bended knee

They kill those they don’t understand
And deliver their souls into His hand
But any god who’d accept the fee
Is no god fit for you or me

I wish there was a placed called Hell
Where He would burn and forever dwell
For all the things he’s said and done
With the Holy Ghost and his bastard Son