3 of 65

Poetry: Observations

by James Lyons

Thoughts of Self creep in. Self-centeredness settles. Unpacks.

Making itself at home, Worry moves down each hall.

Doubt chooses its room.

Negativity finds a cozy nook.

The twins, Sadness and Despair, play in the backyard.

I do not recall answering the door. Did I? An open window, perhaps.

I stumble over boxes, furniture. Piles of soiled clothes, dishes in the sink.

Disrupts my organization. Consumes my thoughts. My life.

I cannot find my things. I barely remember the times that Quiet and I

spent together, alone by the fire. Quiet is now gone. She left with Peace.

Love packed and left in the night, as I slept.

Resentment and Bitterness taunt me. They want to play.

I am helpless. I feel alone in a crowded house.

Then, I remember. They did not move in uninvited.

I gave them the keys. I let them in.

Now, they are no longer welcome. One by one, they leave, dejected. Rejected.

I cry out for Quiet and Peace. They hear me. They did not go far.

Love also waited for my call, and returned.

I return their keys, keys to my home. My heart. My life.

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA