Title art by Rimel Neffati. Click image to visit her studio
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Frank Sinatra & Sammy Davis Jr. “Me and My Shadow”
I’m a he
I’m a she
I am all things in-between
I’m unquestionably we
Can you see me?
I’m a London boy at heart
But my soul was grown in Pennsylvania
Born and raised in state of cool and calm, collected mania
Cannot fault my best behaviour
Though I’m thought to be a naughty one by nature
Kinda short standing tall
Always caught when I fall
Not a bluff in sight to call
Not got time enough to stall
I’m all woman but I feel like I man when I bleed
Finger licking as I sit here picking scabs on my knees
One and only dominator, though there is indeed another
Missed the breakfast club, too busy fixing up their supper
Everything’s a fixer-upper, but I may not get around to it
Would break it down to Lehman’s but you may not like the sound of it
I’m double down with sickness and immune to common ailment
Locomotive, crossing tracks to action the derailment
Hail from where I lay my hat
Fail to see what’s wrong with that
Just your average Cockney Yank
Best of both when off the crank
Tanking meds as means to ends
Banking left to lose the feds
Not confused or under false illusion as to what precisely lies ahead
And should you sneak up on my blind side
Well then I guess there’s always hindsight
Blind lead the blind right?
Okay, you’ve got me bang to rights
I’m easy led
I’m a he
I’m a she
Something of anomaly
Both a king and a queen
Answer to the royal we
I’m a chick with a dick
And this dude looks like a lady wearing lipstick
Nothing cryptic
You tell me
Can you see me?
I wear socks when I sleep
Turn back clocks when I creep
Have a cock and it is pretty
Got a cunt and got a rocking pair of breasts
Got a little thing for kitties
Got a litter tray to prove it
Not a bit of me embittered by listening to bittersweet sheet music
Eclectic taste in everything
From lean cuisine to midnight movies
Hectic when I’m on the spot and not so much when moving
Violation to the rule which states that breakdown shakes down mental state
Can takedown enemies of state with no great thought dismissal
Precious little gristle on this steak
Give some way more than I take
In my own way
Give considerably less when stressed or vexed
Could really do without the dead weight pressed against my chest
Feel blessed when I’m cursed
And reimbursed when stripped down to the bones of me
Will only see the woods with good vibrations in the trees
Be advised to choose your last words wisely should you take that tone with me
I’m copiously low-key when approaching those who grope unceremoniously, you see
Misquoting me reproachfully, both overblown and tonelessly
Will only ever see the side of me that I confide to keep them sweet
And hide away a tidal wave of homicidal rage
At least until the trial date for their libel case arrives
Rather kill with kindness than waste idle days annihilating
Look into my eyes and find the prize
I’m a he
I’m a she
One time ghost in the tree
Now the host with more than most
Raising toast to open minds
Make my own space and time Inner child fully grown
Can you see me?
I stare down at the ground when surrounded by unfounded boundaries
Sounding out my nagging doubts that lost cannot be found with boundless ease
Have figured out the bigger picture, died inside too many times not to live the dream
Now I’m keen to clean my act up, acting out disgracefully to take my tasteful place due south of down and dirty
I’m murderously flirty, downright shameful for the hugging
Absurdly mean when hateful and first degree when loving
Prefer to be referred to as the early bird that caught the worm
Than turn up late or break a date with destiny
Suggesting fate should break formation, should it ever wish to see the best of me
Not back of me as actually I’m drastically elastic when affronted with the bluntness of traumatic shunting tragedy
Oh dear, what can the matter be?
Scatter my ashes and they’ll soon come back magically
Happen to be a believer, you see
Power to play wide receiver, you see
Once had a golden retriever, you see
And needless to say, was imaginary
Badgered some witnesses, frisked them for facts
Didn’t much care for their lack of exactness
Glaringly obvious fatal attraction for that which paid taxes on fading to black
Shading the edges and hedging their bets on me blanking the canvas to serve and protect my chip stack
Rack led to ruin, misled me to thinking that sinking was doing me favours
Needed a saviour of very same species endangered
Proceeded to glance in the mirror, it cracked and said next time don’t be such a stranger
Looked deeper still and was thrilled by just what was revealed
In my direction, reflection was staring right back at me
Daring to mention that sharing was caring and actually fairly essential
Practically two times potential unlocked at the drop of a solitary hat
Fancy that I thought, with that the other me then caught this thought
Offered up its full endorsement, thought it in return
Lesson learned, I merged in midst of power surge that retrograding Mercury could not make more absurd
greykeeper is the name
Staking claim on full arcane
With twin of flame facilitating exhilarating burn
I am he
I am she
There is two of me, you see
Can you see us and adore us?
Believe the heart within us beats with flawless synchronicity
That every word you hear or read, we write or speak with fancy and in flight of necromancy
That every time we weep, we bleed divinity
That souls we keep can reap rewards beyond the plausible, towards infinity
I am he
I am she
Out of limits
In for keeps
Treat us keen and keep us mean
Beat us black and beat us blue
And we’ll bloom in evergreen
Different take on same old scene
Spot the difference
No disputing
There is beauty in-between us
Can you see?
Richard Charles Stevens
Keeper of The Crimson Quill
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The beauty in your writing never ceases to amaze me….. I envy you your talent but it was meant to be yours alone and I’m so glad to have a friend who can put into words everything I struggle so hard to. You’re the best!
You are so very kind and I am truy honored to call myself your friend. Thank you for your constant and unwavering support. It means so much.
It will always be an honor and a pleasure to be your friend. So rarely does one get to have a friend who loves horror as much as they do, who also has the soul of a poet and the heart of an angel. You will always have my unwavering support.😊