I have your death sentence here
In a pile of question marks
I’m digging for answers
Searching for more desirable words like
Benign
Mistake
Remission
Recovery
Survival
I’d trade all the question marks
for a pillow

My Tiger

I’m seriously considering getting rid of my tiger
Don’t get me wrong
Of course she’s magnificent
Saunters into a room confidently
Fearlessly
Never backs away from a challenger
Never reveals what’s behind her eyes

And she can slice a lamb to pieces in seconds
With her around, I’ll never go hungry

But she almost killed the kids the other day
For eating her gelato

I once saw her leap across the conference room table
Snarled in the face of the boss when she questioned her idea
But the boss has her own tiger
That's why she didn't look scared
Just smiled
Everyone else gathered their files and slowly backed towards the door
She’s gonna get me fired
And I need that job

Feeding her is a chore
She wants her meals alive
All the unsuspecting innocents
Nervously asking for a favor
Or earnest advice
Never knew what was coming
I just don’t have the stomach for it anymore

How I wish I could tame her
Or at least keep her on the leash
I’m tired of carrying around a whip

I’m thinking of getting a regular old cat
A nice snobby, indifferent Persian. Maybe a Tabby.
One that purrs instead of growls
One that revels in being cared for
One that might even allow someone to pet her once in awhile.

Woke up desiccated
but hopeful
Illuminated
Imagined light pouring from my eyes
Chest open,
exposing my heart.

Bring in some armor 
or at least a trench coat
People don't want to see that
put it away
cover it up

You're like a flasher
A heart flasher
What's more offensive
a penis or a heart?

I remember going to court over a flasher;
I don't remember the flashing anymore though.
Maybe just a naked man
running around
desperate to turn his insides out

and he couldn't paint
and he couldn't sing
and we put him away
for a few more years

He imploded in his cell.
All the elements
of the periodic table,
compressed.

This is not a fable
There isn't a happy ending either
Just a warning