Unrequited Love

Unrequited Love

By: James Dubeau

I walk alone

Along a dusty path

Headed toward the horizon

The desert

Then the sea

And the edge of forever

A land I do not know

A future unsure

She doesn’t know

She doesn’t care

My words go unheard

My gestures unseen

Just as the emerging stars

Twinkling above

Cannot comprehend

My screams

Does it even matter?

Anymore?

Did it ever?

Once before?

But I cannot turn away

Lock her out of my mind

No matter how hard I try

That is how it goes

So I must continue on

With an outstretched hand

Waiting

Wanting

To be filled

By another’s

On This Night

On This Night
By: James Dubeau

On this night
I reach out
For you
To be in my arms
Held close
In this heat
That suffocates so
The land is dead
Wilted
By the oppressive sun
But the ten
In my belly
Keep me
Where I need to be
Under the air conditioning
Letting me sleep
Alone

Doppelganger

Doppelganger
By: James Dubeau

There he sits
Staring at me
Waiting
For me to turn
To acknowledge him
Before he strikes
Slivers of light
Pierce the night air
Illumining
His evil
Sharp toothed
Grin
And the blade
Clutched
In his hand
His thoughts mirror mine
But yet
Dark and twisted
For he is a doppelganger
From another time
Another place
Another dimension
I refuse to turn
To look at him
To grant him satisfaction
Of seeing him
Crouched
Down the dark hallway
Leading from my bedroom
He cannot become me
He cannot replace me
If I do not open my eyes
If I do not turn in bed
If I do not
Look upon him

Casino Night

Casino Night
By: James Dubeau

When the night
Is still young
The young do say
Lets us go out and play

And before you know it
You are thrown in a car
To travel two states away

On a mighty quest
In search of drink
Casinos
And a bit of trouble

Before too long
Drinks are drunk
And dice are rolled
And one arm bandits
Are wrestled

A stranger at the bar
Buys a round
For all the couples
Making assumptions
On a pair of cousins
Free drinks which cannot
Be refused

Just before last call
Two fistfuls of drinks
Are pounded down
Except for the Irish
Which is slowly enjoyed
Hidden away
In the Styrofoam cup

Minutes turn to hours
Stars and moon
Set outside
While the revelry continues under
Unsetting fluorescents

Second winds become cashed
Pockets are emptied
And eyes grow heavy
The young ride off
Into the sunrise

The Torment

The Torment
By: James Dubeau

No matter where I turn
Or try to think
The torment
Is ready for me
Mental anguish
Which stops the brain
From being rational
Or being sane
There appears to be no end
To the pain and suffering
I seek
At least not any time
For which I can see
Forever more
This is baggage
Which I must carry
Until the time
When the torment ends
And the cool black hands
Of night embrace me
Envelop me
Into darkness

The Winter That Could Have Been

The Winter That Could Have Been
By: James Dubeau

The poem I’d never write
Would have been about a time
Which was to be
Full of joy and romance

A winter which would have began
With a night watching the lunar eclipse
Or a drive through the festival of lights
As snow fell on a starlit night

Then there was to be days
Full of outdoors fun
Such as
Snow skiing
Ice Skating
And even sledding
On these Wisconsin hills and ponds

Then we would have
Tried to stay warm
Drinking mugs of hot chocolate
While attacking each other
With freezer cold feet
Under the cover
Of warm heavy blankets

Cuddling together
Sharing bodily warmth
Through cold winter nights
All the way to the morning
Waking up to breakfast
Which I love to cook
Of eggs and bacon
And coffee or tea

And then there would have been
The handful of holidays
Trading gifts by the tree
While laughing hysterically
At our tacky sweaters
Or sipping champagne
While the ball would have dropped
Sharing a kiss
From those first fireworks
Until cupid buzzed
About our heads

But those events
Never did happen
In the winter
That could have been
And the poem
About that time
And about that girl
Shall always remain
The poem I’d never write

Candy

Candy
By: James Dubeau

Candy
On the brain
Candy
Delight
Candy
Will soon
Be eaten
All night

Ravishly Imagined Never

Ravishly Imagined Never
By: James Dubeau

Wrapped only in darkness
Our two bodies writhe
Together
Passionately devouring
Lips
Souls
Feverishly hands
Rake across skin
Clawing
Grasping
Caressing
Pulling you to me
And me into you
Silken sheets drape
Across our bodies
Twisting
Tying
Binding
Our legs
Our bodies together
Star shine
Filters through
Illuminating you and I
Eyes lock
Pausing
For mere moments
Taking it all in
Heart
Mind
Body
Soul
Before attacking
Ravishing
Once again lost
In deliciously carnal
Lust

----------

My hand reaches
Across the bed
Grasping
Squeezing
Nothing but sheets
Eyes flash open
To nothingness
You were not here
Not with me
Not tonight
Not ever
Chilled air
Raises mountains
Gooseflesh upon my arms
Legs
Entire body
There was no way
You could have
Been with me
As always
Everything is a bit
Complicated
Sadness overtakes me
Only briefly
Replaced by a wolfish grin
Eyes close
As my mind
Drifts
And dances
With the
Technicolor dream
Before it fades
With the dull gray
Lights of dawn

The Candle Burns

The Candle Burns
By: James Dubeau

Days grow longer
Nights grow shorter
The candle burns
On both ends
Soon the wax
Will burn away
Leaving
Only darkness

Night Is When The Demons Come Out

Night Is When The Demons Come Out
By: James Dubeau

Night is when the demons come out
Crawling from deep dark places
Enveloping my head
My mind
My soul
How can the torment stop
When my mind races though mazes
Hoping to find a weakness
A thin spot in the hedgerow
That will hasten my journey
And allow me to escape
Lead me to sanctuary
From the night demons
Before all is lost
To the darkness