Fire And Ice

He took the stage with a reptile's slink
And cocked a brow
Letting his vertebrae rest, leaning to the left
And his dark hair framed his face
Cascading
Down
His black collar
He stared and stood motionless
(Amusing himself)

The crowd grew bored
Agitated
Disruptive
And he grinned
(Getting his way)

The ocean of people applauded and stomped their feet
He moaned
He screamed
His body melted, his flesh collapsed
He thrashed, hurling his rapture
Possessed with anger and poetry
He was cool
He was hot
Innocent and sinful
Imploding, exploding
Chains and freedom
Wither and amplification
Fire and ice

He flicked the microphone
(Pretending a heartbeat)
And his hand tore into his chest
He offered its mad pantomime to the masses, laughing like a demon
To the last second of the crescendo
When his animation trailed to an almost, helpless shiver

He was the reluctant, rock-star poet
The forever young, stunning and tragic, leather angel
The caesura, punching through, shocking and punctuating a time space
The epitome of beauty and death's alluring, fictional character
But he was real
And he was destined to become the immortal, iconic image
For chaos and eloquence
... that left us too soon

He took the stage with a reptile's slink
Growling and singing and whispering ... until silence met the spotlight
And the foreboding, snapshot-pause, in that moment, was captured
As he fixated ... someplace
Beyond this world

(c) Kay Irvin

~ For: Jim Morrison
James Douglas Morrison
The Doors
[December 8, 1943 - July 3, 1971]

"If the doors of perception were cleansed,
everything would appear to man as it is, infinite."
- William Blake

Night Ballad For Jesse

It's the quiet strength when light dusts to dim
It's the pause, laden pain that's part of him
[be at peace, be at peace, be at peace]
Foggy wind blows, river flows troubled chase
Still, his eyes prove wise, gazing sagely pace

You are never alone
Burdened soul, set in stone
(Set in stone) ... to be strong
Because the river moves elusive song
Jesse ... heavy night rains cold, dark and long

Rest regret ... sleep where no nightmares can go
Let misty hours sweep rueful feelings low

May the stormy shore's ballad heft and break
To Paradise, to home, crystal foam wake
[be at peace, be at peace, be at peace]
May the crisp morning calm the moody night
Lift weight from your shoulders with floating light

Rest regret ... sleep where no nightmares can go
Let misty hours sweep rueful feelings low

You are never alone
Burdened soul, set in stone
(Set in stone) ... to be strong
Because the river moves elusive song
Jesse ... heavy night rains cold, dark and long

(c) Kay Irvin

~ For/About: Jesse Stone
Several members of my family and myself enjoy a series of movies
Based on detective novels written by Robert B. Parker [1932 - 2010].
I really like the lead character (Jesse Stone & find him interesting),
And the other characters in the small town of Paradise, Massachusetts.
[Love the rainy, foggy atmosphere of the scenery also]
Movie (series) actors include: Tom Selleck, Viola Davis, Kathy Baker,
Kohl Sudduth, Stephen McHattie, Saul Rubinek, William Devane,
William Sadler & Joe the dog.

Skull Creek

This city is a concrete coffin
I'm a speck in the muck I'm lost in
Day after day, smoggy clouds go by
And underneath ... all is only lie
(more and more, I die .. and more, I die)

And the sirens charge ... ten-deep brigade
And the chopper is just overhead
Ozarks sound good, how I wish I'd stayed
Hope that I return before I'm dead
(or I guess my soul will be a ghost
... calling, searching out Skull Creek instead)

Here, I can't think or breathe (where is home?)
The cracked mirror turns me towards myself
Here, heaviness won't leave (where is home?)
It's the kind of tired that sleep can't help

And the sirens charge ... ten-deep brigade
And the chopper is just overhead
Ozarks sound good, how I wish I'd stayed
Hope that I return before I'm dead
(or I guess my soul will be a ghost
... calling, searching out Skull Creek instead)

(Where is home? - Where is home? - Where is home?)

(c) Kay Irvin

Made In Hell

Tell me a tale that's a beautiful lie
Kiss me like I won't be here tomorrow
You grab that place in me that's destructive
Where I know this world's much with sorrow

'Cause while you love screaming, I love dreaming

Climbing, grieving, reaching out for Heaven
Reality bashing down, 'round so soon
Blood and tears seem to almost glow
Under a burning, alabaster moon
And that lonely place is one I know well
(what a match [we are] ... made in Hell)
And Hell in Hell, and Hell in Hell with Hell

All of my best intentions cry
Goodbye, fallen, goodbye, my damned, goodbye

It's amazing what you can get used to
I thought you were the best that I could get
I thought pleasing you was all I deserved
I've paid long with star-crossed scars of regret

'Cause while you loved screaming, I loved dreaming

Climbing, grieving, reaching out for Heaven
Reality bashing down, 'round so soon
Blood and tears seem to almost glow
Under a burning, alabaster moon
And that lonely place is one I know well
(what a match [we were] ... made in Hell)
And Hell in Hell, and Hell in Hell with Hell

All of my best intentions die
Goodbye, fallen, goodbye, my damned, goodbye

(tragic magic, tragic magic)
(we were, we were, we were, we were)
(once upon a time,... once upon a time)

(c) Kay Irvin

Vulnerably Yours

Where you end and where I begin
I don't care
Deeply drawn from unraveling
Heart in hand and an open vein
Blood-stirring
All consuming in traveling

My life's been filled with slow goodbyes
My world's gone black with hurt and fear
I sacrificed some sanity
To get to now, to get to here
I love you and can't get close enough
I'm most alive when I'm lost in you
Take this heart, light my eyes, love me back

Where you end and where I begin
I don't care
Vulnerably yours, suspending heart
Don't lead me to disappointment
Don't leave me
Alone with ache and torn apart

My life's been filled with slow goodbyes
My world's gone black with hurt and fear
I sacrificed some sanity
To get to now, to get to here
I love you and can't get close enough
I'm most alive when I'm lost in you
Take this heart, light my eyes, love me back

(I love you,... love me back)
(I love you,... love me back)
(I love you,... love me back)

(c) Kay Irvin

Nocturne

The sparkling moonlight hesitates
Clouds scarcely sketch lilac
The invisible moves and waits
'Neath velvet skies of black

And I am the hunter, I am the prey
I am the wolf, I am the lamb (I am)

His eyes are blue ... baby, ice blue
But warm impulse is led
Blood and fire create a brew
Crimson, red ... baby, red

I am the hunter and I am the prey
I am the wolf and I am the lamb
If there is heartbreak for me to know
Let it come ... from one ... so beautiful
Ravenous and willing, I will go
(catch my wink ... if you ... offer up the same)

Death (dream life) ... baby,... life (dream death)
Who will be the sleeper?
Lovely pensiveness, take my breath
Shades of gray call deeper

If I grasp only a shadow and you do not exist
Know, I will disappear and be the unseen, unknown ...(*kiss*)

I am the hunter and I am the prey
I am the wolf and I am the lamb
If there is heartbreak for me to know
Let it come ... from one ... so beautiful
Ravenous and willing, I will go
(catch my wink ... if you ... offer up the same)

(c) Kay Irvin

Zero

No games, no fracturing with off topic hits
No surrender, no promise that wanes and quits
You and I, without a plane of must endure
We're braving it, putting behind empty lure

We're at a quiet and unassuming place
Discontent history cannot leash or chase
There's no surge or attempt faking cool to go
We begin, and it starts, feeling from zero

No pretend, no nervousness with falsity
No test, no agenda that baits jealousy
No shutdown or starving by stringing along
No wishing away or misleading belong

We're at a quiet and unassuming place
Discontent history cannot leash or chase
And yes, I want, I need so very much more
And yes, my want, my need is more than before
You're indulgence, happiness that I adore
Inspiring, beguiling, cool to go
We begin, and it starts, feeling from zero

(tired of being zero, wanna feel, love real)
(should I believe ... wear my black heart on my sleeve?)
(be a hero, be a hero ... for zero)

(c) Kay Irvin

Firefly

Delicate trees
Honeycombs, honeybees
Whirling in late morning heat
Locust clicking
Grandfather clock ticking
Gold-glazed iced tea is a treat

Sparrow flying
The cunning fox spying
Deer sip to ripple the streams
Woodsy perfume
Wispy scent flows each room
Kaleidoscope, stained glass beams

Lilac and dew
Lavender mixes through
Honeysuckle, jasmine, rose
Ivy spreads out
Blush daisy blooms about
Meadows calm as Spring clouds close

Horned owls, raindrops
The first firefly pops
Heart of a wolf, leading way
Light dotting dark
Mystic May blesses spark
Night song and silhouettes play

(c) Kay Irvin