Tear Stained Pages

The Universe now holds its breath
She moves through a heavy silence
Crawling, clinging to the Earth
Afraid of falling into the abyss
Dark chasms opening wide
Rifts deepening under foot
A beloved chapter draws nigh
The tear-stained pages sticking
Holding memories in tension
Refusing to separate to the next
She peels away the worn pages
Finding at last a title refreshed
Tho’ never closing the Book of Life
Jump! Jump to the other side!
Die to the ways departed!
A road splits into trenches
The losses carving a hole
Six feet deep to hold the bygones
The eulogy delivered,
I weep for those who have lost
Things that never existed
I weep for myself to keep
Things that might’ve been
~J.L. Tornquist, July 2010

Exams

The brain oozes
Tears
Falling
Down its face
Pouring out thoughts
Racing with feelings
Then ebbing
No thoughts
No feelings
Gone
Sweet sleep
Denied
Artificially induced
Organic reprieve
~J. L. Tornquist