Poetry

Shake

I shake myself Earthquakish

at times when I’m all alone practicing

the sound of you starts at my feet

not that I like dancing but you make them move

Gregory Hines would be proud

the way you guide them

tip tapping on air as though hard wood floors

couldn’t bare the impact

your hello feels

like tears in the eyes of my Soul

I know love hasn’t always worked not broken

but surgery in the wrong hands is butchery

I kiss you as though each one could patch craters

in the Earth of your being your sound

cracks the bones in my legs petrified

like trees that belong where they are

I belong here – you can push me – leave me

but can’t run from the shaking

Earthquakish you touch me like faith healers

do those that don’t believe in miracles but me- I believe

in the miracle of you your sound

turns my stomach Imagine a million butterflies

anxiously waiting to be released

you shake me awake at times

when sleeping is the last thing on my mind

I would gladly close my eyes if that meant

you would lay beside me and hold me

sleeping you remind me of every storm

I’ve ever been through knowing they knew their purpose

was to bring me to you

you shake the inside of my chest

letting my heart know what it feels like

to be resuscitated from near death experiences

I shake in anticipation of the sound of you

like a new born knows what love

sounds like too I shake myself – earthquakish

at times when I’m all alone practicing waiting

– anticipating – the sound of You

– aj houston –

Un Convinced

I tell myself I don’t Walk on water anymore,

fly like eagles Control the elements or Spit

fire with my tongue All these

I believed I could as a child I keep telling myself

I don’t Love like time – never ending

Touch like a baby learning textures

Kiss with my eyes open I gotta tell myself

I don’t Know how – know less – know more Know quit – know stop

Took a moment to read the lines in the sky

To find my future Like reading Gods palm

Since God is love maybe it is

He who placed you here

But I keep telling myself I don’t

Still cry in the rain so no one will notice

Hide my pain in the sole of my shoe

Search for joy in the corner of your smile

Love you deep like uncharted space I keep telling myself I don’t

Chase silence till I find the sound of you

Google Fate because I need an interview

Wish all the wishes that true lovers do

Took all the happiness I’ve ever known

Placed it in a bottle to pour you shots as needed

Because happiness these days is hard to come by I keep telling myself

I don’t Know how – know more – know quit know stop – Know no – know yes know you – need you – want you I gotta tell myself I don’t

Squeeze Hope in my palms like its escaping

Track lightning bolts trying to shock my heart into beating

Walk on clouds to find that first twist of tornadoes

Hold you like you are the force of life

I need for sustenance

Love you blindly like children do regardless

I keep telling myself I don’t

Speak with my Soul because human tones are inaudible

Ripped the words from my chest so you would hear I meant them

Positioned your hand in the place where my rib is missing

Showing you are the perfect fit

GPS my destiny to insure the most direct route

to get there I keep telling myself I don’t

Listen to Thunder when it shouts your name

Blame the Angels for thinking when they are with you

They are in heaven

Caress Faith so tight it feels like

She’s loving me back I keep telling myself I don’t

– aj Houston –