Haiku - Solstice

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Eyes of the devil

Goodbye black hearted woman

The sun may not rise

Olsfred James 2014©

Hackney

Awake

Surrounded by the confusion of incomplete thoughts

I’ve dubbed “The Memoirs of The Discontent”

Ripped from its backbone and crumbled to a ball.

These disorganized ideas, hopes and desires

All smudged together into a heap of garbage…

The pages are tainted, stained by the bittersweet I have tasted and spewed carelessly

I find myself battling a troubled mind

Filled with unanswered questions and regret of the year passed.

…I pity the mess of it all and pity myself even more.

I blame my mother for bestowing this lack of patience upon me.

I sometimes wonder what a woman who seemingly ran through life with her head screwed on backwards

Came to be with my ever so patient and nonchalantly passive father ever had in common.

I’m rambling…

I do not miss you on most days.

Some days it’s your fragrance, other days your laugh, your lips and even your touch but not… you.

I doubt that makes sense

I could never have had my fix and deep down I accept that fact

Yet these social mediums become the place to vent

While it’s users become your shrinks

These motivational speakers leaving comments on their versions of our events

The Do’s and Don’ts on the next step

Opinions from the ones outside of the box

Outside of the equation of me+you…

I digress…

My handwriting can't be seen on these pages.

I wish you could see it.

I want you to witness the many alterations in my scribbles

Representing the changes in my mood,

Slashes against the paper when I’m angry

As my mind forces words too quick for deliberation

And everything pours out as my ink soils line after line on sheets of paper.

I confess, if these words were spoken it would only be rambles of a madman.

Yet, I want you to see the changes in my scribbles and the delicacy in expressing how I feel about you.

My letters, are… much more pronounced each time I write "I Love You"...

Each time I begin lettering your name…

I want you to witness the errors within my words and the grammatical flaws...

I am aware of the imperfection in expressing myself

I press forward to have you understand…

All this because I want you...

To understand that is...

I need you to understand…

I love you beyond the measure of space and time…

Olsfred James 2014©

Sin-Eater

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Release to me

All of your fears

The fabrication of reasons

Why there are bumps in the nights

While the cold night chills your spine

Why the air seems to stall

Drowning you on your last breath

Why time lingers

Trapping you in thought

Expiration of time until you implode

When all that is becomes what was.

Let me absolve you

Relinquish you from

This hell you’ve created for yourself

I’ll pay my penance

With good deeds in your name

Consume your guilt

And they will become me.

As I call them my own

I’ll take your pain away

Cradle you as a child

Protect you from the darkness

Shield you from the lies

Falling from the tips of thoughtless lips

Yet without a word

I will become your enemy

No deliberation or justification necessary.

Release to me

All of your hate

All of your anger

All of your sins

All of your fears

Until them and I too become, evanesce.

Olsfred James 2014©

#NaughtyNotNice

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The bullets whizzing past my ear collide into the wall behind me. “That was close” I think to myself.

All I wanted for Christmas was to see Santa Claus on the street late one night, knock his ass over and steal his big red bag. Yet here I am, stuck between a rock and custom modified AR15 refitted for 4 of the meanest looking… toddlers, ever.

I didn't really expect much from half pint, forever jolly elves whose only ambition in life was to do the big guy’s bidding while hopping around singing carols. This was the happiest sweatshop workers I had ever seen. They should be on my side if you’d ask me. Nevertheless, the smiles had faded long ago with the signal of my intrusion.

There was no time to waste; the longer I stayed here the more of these little runts would trap me in. Wait for it… Wait for it… As expected, their bullets couldn't last forever. I used the split second between their reload to unleash hell upon them. 3 shots; 3 bodies. I hopped over the center table kicking the last of them in the face. His green blood decorated the floorboard as I squeezed the trigger. Sorry Frodo but today is not your day.

All quiet. If my directions were right I would have just a few more doors down the hallway before reaching my pot of gold. This place was like both a museum, with its many artifacts most plastered in gold and an amusement park any kid would die to see. 

The sound of marching feet echo through the halls. I take cover behind the first statue I could find. Counting each passing footfall, I estimated about twice the sum of my previous battle. I could take them, crack a few skulls, slit a few throats all without the use of “Matilda” but I need to be wise about the fights I initiate especially when my whereabouts are unknown.

I use the adrenaline to focus on the task at hand. Rolling and ducking behind the many choices of statues and display cases. Then there it was… just as Manny described, except, the door was open and there were no guards. This place was a maze with more traps than King Tut’s tomb yet, there it was, unguarded and ready for the taking. Got to be a trap, must be a trap.

I brace for takeoff and began running across the hall, dropped to my knee pads and slid into the room, arms apart with Matilda ready to hello. Then the thought hit me as I found myself flying across the room from a kick to the rib… Why have guards when they got him; old St. Nick!

I coughed a draught of blood. Yup, something was definitely broken inside. The pain was intense yet as he towered above me while I could not help but wonder… “How does his big ass get into my house?”

“That’s enough theatricals.” He said in an old and raspy voice, like Edmund Gwen from the 1955 Miracle On 34th Street movie but… deeper.

 “I know why you’re here but if you want it you will have to go through me. I have retired the elves. It’s only you and me”

I laughed at the thought of fighting his big ass.

“Well Nicky, that’s the thing… it’s not just you and me. Meet Matilda!” I managed to say before squeezing a few rounds in his direction. “Holy shit he’s fast” I thought. Surprised at the speed he dodged my shots.

Click! Click! Click! I ran for cover behind a column. “Fuck” It seems all my ammo went flying the same time I did. I could see a lonely cartridge laying in the middle of the massive room. Just to get ov….

A loud cracking sound and the tumble of rubble forced me from my hiding place. Nicky had just punched a hole in the column aimed at my head.

“A few inches to the left and your head would have gone flying boy!” he said while laughing. The only thing missing from that laugh was maybe some thunder and lightning back ground effects and his famous “Ho Ho Ho”... never knew St. Nick was this cynical.

He had no weapons, should he attack it would be close range. If I wanted to that cartridge I would have to face him. Let’s do this old man. I jumped at him with everything I had and caught him off guard. With a devious smile on his face saying “About time you put those toys away.”

Blow for blow we fought each hit forcing both closer to unconsciousness. From the ground up I managed to land an uppercut. He staggered back and dived for the ammo. He launched at me with another huge boot coming my way. I dodged and shot him in the leg and back as he flew by.

“Sneaky boy.” He exclaimed, standing at full height, ripping off his shirt. “You think your pebble shots could ever harm me?” The bullets protruded out of the wounds they created then dropped to the floor.

Then there it was again, that cynical laugh of his. His eyes began to glow a demonic red spreading his feet apart bracing for an unknown attack in my direction.

The sound of a bell chiming echoed the hallways.  St. Nick’s face wore a sight of unbelief and shock as he ran off towards his big red sack, then making his way to the staircase at the back of the room.

I chased him, ran him down through winding stairs then another narrow hallway. I was surprised I managed to keep up; the wounds he sustained may not have fully healed. The clock made its twelfth and final chime; Old Nicky was off to a late start. Oddly this made me smile made me feel accomplished in a sort of way.

He burst through a door at the end of the hallway. I followed him in full pursuit guns blazing as I stepped unto the landing. Two shots connected yet he didn't stop. Adamant on his escape with one hand unto the ledge Old St Nick jumped off the roof.

“What the…” I said as I came to a stop at the edge to see Rudolph was already waiting to catch Nick mid fall. I stood there watching as he flew away on his red sleigh thinking “Fuck. Does this mean I’m on the lifetime naughty list?”

Created by Olsfred James & Jim Lafraichere 2014©

Temptress

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It came as a whisper

Talking in tongues

Brushed against me

Brought magic from the wand

Steer from a goddess

7 5 sprung

Discovered like Columbus

Inhabited like Taiwan

2, 3 pairs before me

Drowning in promiscuity

Detained without question

Aloof to my discretion

By any means it seems

Their needs exceed my pleads

So I surrender

Giving in to the acts they render

No, overcome her, deliver her

The subliminal criminal acting only to meet her needs

The takes pleasure, taking over the vicious deeds

Now she is soon relived

It’s my time to concur the imaginations creed

Whips, chains, filthy names

Sweat drains, pulsing veins

Hands bound, thirst drowned

I marvel at my work

A king is crowned

Slaps, taps, crawling between cracks

Toes crossed and body lapsed

Moans erect, torn breath

Generations at work

A prince’s birth

From the windows to the wall

From the bed we fall

Burchardi recall

Out of the rubble we crawl.

Olsfred James & Mikhail Simmons 2013©

Extract pt2

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I’m embarrassed

She blushes

Yet we both smile.

The awkwardness of the outcome

Does well to dispel my failed attempt at a kiss

Yet does nothing to comfort the throbbing of our foreheads where they collided.

The sunlight rests softly against her delicate skin

Her gentle smile mirrors the beauty of our day.

We had walked some ways off

Unexpectedly yet knowingly “away” from earshot and disturbance.

Making our way to a rundown jetti

The surroundings reminded me of a scene from the Blue Lagoon.

The entrance was encased by the lush island life

The harsh squawking of seagulls could be heard just up the coastline.

Coconut trees dangling overhead shaded us from the afternoon sun.

I could stay right here and get lost in this moment with her.

She dared me to walk out to the water then unto the jetti

I did not plan on getting wet but the eagerness in her eyes stoked my spontaneity.

I shuddered from the cool water rushing at my feet but that did not faze me

A few steps out I thwacked over hanging trees and vines from my way

Then there it was - I stumbled a bit but managed to climb atop the wooden structure

After ensuring my seat was properly supported I called out to her

Who had already begun her decent into the water.

Unlike me, she dived right into the shallow sea

Fully soaked and wore an even brighter smile on her face

She propped herself next to me

I drooled at her carefree attitude.

Maybe it was a trance created by the day

The beauty of nature and the girl before me

But I had too; the moment she looked into my eyes I had too

In a split second I had imagined caressing her skin

Trailing my fingers through her hair

Tasting her lips as her lips tasted mine

But maybe I did not think it through properly

By the time I knew it we had already bumped heads

And the romance novel had been wiped from memory

Now all that was left was a throbbing pain and a bruised ego.

She hadn't mind though

Didn't seem fazed by the pain nor by my unwarranted attempt

She only smiled

Then giggled

Threw her head back and soaked in the day

I was in awe and lost in a gaze as I wanted her from my perch.

“Can I tell you a secret?”

My ears perk up. Taken aback by her willingness to share

A secret.

One of those events, ideas or thoughts that no one else knows

These confidential matters only known by the initiated few

“Su... Sure…”

I awaited the weight of what she was about to share

“Well… I hate volleyball”

I exhaled a sigh of relief. Not as heavy a weight as I feared.

“Why though? You seem to be really good at it.”

For a moment she paused. As if a quick answer would lead to a half truth

Something said without much thought and you reluctantly go along with it

Then with a bewildered expression she responds…

“Honestly… I don’t know."

This girl before me... This girl, Brianne... This girl was some kind of special.

Olsfred James 2014©