~it very nearly breaks my heart~
~every time my brother goes to prison~
~the first time was the worst~
~he had a wife & baby son on the outside~
~we were young & I wondered~
~how he would survive that place~
~face the days alone in that crowded cage~
~all our lives I failed to protect my little brother~
~I wrote songs about how he must feel~
~sent him a couple bucks when I could~
~for zoom-zooms & wham-whams in the joint~
~sang my heart out in the band~
~the songs started out like this~
~A Vanishing Face~
~if truth were a sparrow & I learned to fly~
~I would never again walk to catch a lie~
~if moments were forever & days could be years~
~love was a rainbow & happiness fear~
~I would drown in a moment of fear every day~
~color my love with your smile & say~
~I love you today & yesterday too~
~only tomorrow will know what to do~
~I’ll hate you never, love’s kindling feeds the flame~
~I’ll always hear whispers of your sweet name~
~my clothes may be ragged, these shoes may be worn~
~my shirt may need washed, these underwear torn~
~only the sparrow knows of the seed~
~dropped down from heaven, our love to feed~
~clothes do not matter, the heart tells the tale~
~success is not beautiful to those who fail~
~my love & your love, two hearts as one~
~summertime breezes, summertime sun~
~remembering touching, the softness was real~
~no words to express how it made me feel~ ~blue eyes turned hazy, a vanishing face~
~I reach out in vain to be back in that place~
~I don t really blame you, these bars I can’t climb~
~& I’ll never forget the last time~
~no, I’ll never forget the last time~
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©artwork & words conceived by & property of
Tom (WordWulf) Sterner©
A Vanishing Face was published by
Flesh from Ashes
 ~Kathy & me~ ~as a man working the soil~
~so I appreciate my daughters & sons~
~imagine a friend for life~
~that is a long time~
~& so the five of them are~
~imagine the harvest perpetuating itself~
~so it has~
~further gifted with a partner to share the love~
~complete the circle~
~family~
~so it is done~
~a joy to keep – a~
~treasure~
~I used to get aggravated on holidays~
~trying to choose the right gift~
~something special for loved ones~
~telling them not to worry about me~
~my agitation was sorely exasperated~
~if I happened to be broke at the time~
~never seemed to have enough money or credit~
~to cut loose & buy whatever I chose~
~I confess I was as excited as everyone else~
~{except the children}~
~wondering what was in that package with my name on it~
~my folks have long been gone~
~{is there anyone left who refers to their parents as folks}~
~siblings blown away/scattered by the winds of life~
~as if they exist in another realm of time & space~
~as do I in my tower of word~
~I have lived long enough now~
~experienced the big ol’ world~
~seen folks alone~~all the way alone~~yeah, those folks & others~
~in alleys & penthouses~
~islands adrift in wandering crowds~
~I ain’t easy to know & I know it ain’t easy~
~through all the struggles of this life~
~there has always been someone who cared for me~
~there to pick me up & know~
~when to turn away & let me go~
~my mother first & children~
~before & when she passed away~
~we held one another always~
~starving & laughing~
~feasting & weeping~
~round the family camp our fire~
~grandchildren~
~when they place a gift in my hand~
~are likely to see a tear~
~a smile visiting my lips~
~what greater gift is this love~
~I have always held~
~& a tear for those who don’t~
~a weighty pride to bear alone~
~that hunger to reminisce & share~
~the good love for the little ones~
~& their folks who were my little ones~
~I slept with a ghost who knew these parts of me~
~she listened & never complained that I kept her awake~
~she seldom slept & neither did I~
~I treasured her existence & promised myself~
~to always be loyal & true to her~
~that one day she would answer~
~hold my hand & kiss my face~
~be folks with me & one day it was so~
~this is for Kathy~
~my treasure, my wife~
~the unexpected joy~
~she has brought to my life~
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©artwork & words conceived by & property of
Tom (WordWulf) Sterner©
~there is no recipe for love~
~when it starts & what it does~
~unique & specifically wonderful~
~it creates a glow within~
~that reaches out to transcend our being~
~we may see through the eyes of another what it means to possess…~
~a window & chalice & key~
~if we had a window~
~we could tie ribbons in the trees~
~hang a crystal mobile in its frame~
~enjoy a prism of colors~
~each & every time it rained~
~if we had a chalice~
~we could sip from it each night~
~fingertips meeting to touch~
~sharing the blood of our love~
~& daring to love too much~
~if we had a door with a key~
~we could lock away our sorrows~
~begin again & learn to be~
~lovers and friends as we were~
~if we had a window & chalice & key~
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©artwork & words conceived by & property of
Tom (WordWulf) Sterner©A Window & Chalice & Key was published by Skyline Publications
~Eye of the Cat~
~life is manageable~
~problems diminished~
~when she employs her ability~
~to connect & receive~
~images through her familiar~
~hinge theory established~
~precise & momentous~
~mind without its human cage~
~joined & engaged~
~in the art of stranger~
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© artwork & words conceived by & property of
Tom (WordWulf) Sterner ©
~Mary liked to snort amyl nitrate~
~smoke a little hash~
~she favored a bloody drink~
~her namesake~
~about halfway trashed~
~she’d start talkin’ suicide~
~I put a pillow in the toilet~
~handed her my locked & cocked .357~
~lay your head down baby~
~go to sleep~
~closed the door & went to have a drink with her ol’ man~
~they didn’t talk to me after that~
~1000 Days~
~Day 985~
~Schism~
~a man might identify~
~himself in the mirror~
~& ignore the necessity~
~of the bullet in his brain~
~marked in the cylinder of his gun~
~with the initials of his name~
~in the holster~
~in the schism of life~
~that singular piece of each creature~
~faced with the ultimatum~
~accept the status quo~
~or take the next step~
~believe in the power of self~
~pull the trigger~
~take that jump into the beyond~
~beyond what~
~backed into a corner~
~cowards learn a fresh reality~
~that preservation of self~
~is not the end & all~
~courage is a shade of giving up~
~no body no space to claim~
~a willingness to sacrifice~
~to be or not to be is not a question~
~it is a declaration~
~we may blow through & vanquish~
~formidable enemies~
~through the realization~
~the absolute certainty~
~that no one knows for sure~
~flesh is a poor proving ground~
~the nether a noble reward~
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© artwork & words conceived by & property of Tom (WordWulf) Sterner ©
~Zedidiah strumming his guitar~
~we’re lookin’ into the fire~
~spendin’ time with my kids~
~ah the rewards~
~a new song to add to our war bag~
~a first for my youngest son & me~
~we visit Tommy~
~my oldest son~
~he sprinkles some of his magick~
~we have a first cut result~
~me & my boyz~
~What You Do~
There’s a lion asleep
in the bottom of the well
his secrets died with him
that’s the story they tell
There’s a lone one watching
yeah, the trees have eyes
I confess that
it comes as no surprise
Don’t tell me
don’t tell me
don’t tell me
what you do
We been talkin’ all night
making love at dawn
I been voodoo trippin’
you are the drug I’m on
I almost made it
past your lies
but the truth between them
made the lion die
Don’t tell me
don’t tell me
don’t tell me
what you do
You hear the lonely lonely
it’s the voice, they say
its echo of madness
chase the moon away
yeah, the lonely hearts
at the wishing well
toss in a penny
on the road to hell
Don’t tell me
don’t tell me
don’t tell me
what you do
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© artwork & words conceived by & property of Tom (WordWulf) Sterner ©
~1000 Days~
~that’s what my brother named years spent in prison~
~I’ve been tossed in jail a few times in my life~
~no down time like him~
~twenty-eight years~
~God damn~
~Day 998~
~Down Time~
~a person learns it is wise~
~to take life in small steps~
~my family has stood witness~
~to instances of stumbling~
~running downhill on my part~
~embarrassed perhaps~
~they love me still~
~and I~
~for my part~
~each & every one of them~
~it is as if failure confirms us~
~defines the difference~
~as we look into their eyes~
~friends & family~
~whose spirit eyes reach~
~& those that look away~
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© artwork & words conceived by & property of Tom (WordWulf) Sterner ©
~Might Have Said~
~I might have said I love you~
~ten thousand echoes reside~
~three wandering moons of Atlantis~
~conspire to conceal, they hide~
~the city, my love is a rainbow~
~whose path is come open and wide~
~a tumble me down & forever~
~whistling of prayer, neap tide~
~I might have said who are you~
~whose sleep I have come to share~
~far misty mountains abiding~
~a halo of sun as they bear~
~tree children, my love is a whis’pring~
~wind through the needles, their hair~
~lift me up, I’m a flying man~
~whose heart is lighter than air~
~I might have said where are you~
~lonely nights lying awake~
~a misty gath’ring of shadow~
~fair ghosts of tomorrow may shake~
~their heads, my love is a phantom~
~a cry of hope for their sake~
~whose spirit may lie in my bosom~
~a lay me down I would make~
~I might have said I’ve found you~
~into the face of the night~
~the sun, a cascade of falling~
~makes narrowing pathways of light~
~a fire, my love is a ribbon~
~shimmering gem of delight~
~the body of faith come rewarded~
~healing caresses ignite~
~I might have said I love you~
~then finally found your face~
~the stars, a sprinkling of heaven~
~find sorrow & come to erase~
~the dark, my love is a promise~
~a choosing of time & place~
~whose moment I have come seeking~
~has found me & blessed me with grace~
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© artwork & words conceived by & property of Tom (WordWulf) Sterner ©
Might Have Said first published/editor’s choice in Cupid’s Arrow (Brown County Writers’ Group)
~they are gone to that place~
~bravely going where we all must go~
~no time for a gathering of ends~
~those of us standing the line~
~can only imagine what our world will be without them~
~that wherever they have gone~
~is a better place~
~because they are there~
~I Would~
~if I could be a pillow~
~a safe place~
~to lay me down your grief~
~I would~
~if I could be a basket~
~I would gather all your sorrow~
~cast it out into the seven directions~
~I would~
~if I could be a fountain~
~I would flow with you~
~through the seven waters of your spirit
~I would always be your friend~
~I would ~
~First published in Newsletter Inago~
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~Written On Glass~
A sun/heart drawn in the corner splashed wavy rays across the window. Small stick-figure girls jumped rope and played hop-scotch sill to sill. A dog with a head larger than its body frolicked with them, a big smile drawn across its doggy face. There was writing across the bottom of the scene, a caption of sorts.
He was cold, standing out there in the yard. Having spent the day working in the chill Colorado weather, Jeremy had entertained himself with thoughts of coming home to a warm house. Scrutinizing the front-room window, he forgot all about the cold. Lacy, his six-year-old daughter, must have gotten busy right after school to create such a busy picture.
Jeremy stepped closer and bent down, the better to see her artwork. The writing was scrawled and awkward to read; he was hard put to make it out and there was the artist’s own finger! He looked into Lacy’s big brown eyes and she blew him a kiss through the window. Jeremy caught it on his cheek and headed for the front door. Lacy wheeled her chair to meet him and hugged his head warmly when he bent to kiss her face. “Mrs. Wiley baked us a cherry pie,” she whispered into his ear.
Jeremy held her at arm’s length. “Did she leave you alone again?”
Lacy’s eyes swam behind thick lenses. She was tiny and frail, appeared even more so between the wheels of her chair, to everyone but Jeremy, that is. His number one girl was gifted in every way and he knew it. “Mrs. Wiley knows I’m a big girl and can take care o’ myself ‘til you get home,” Lacy beamed.
“So you are!” Jeremy chortled. “Now how ‘bout some o’ that pie?”
“I’m gonna have a little nap,” Lacy replied. “Now you’re home to watch me, I bemembered I’m tired.”
Jeremy lifted her from the chair and carried her to the bedroom. He laid her on the bed and smoothed the hair back from her forehead. “That’s a wonderful picture you drew on the window.”
Lacy smiled. “It’s you ‘n me.”
Jeremy removed her glasses and set them on the nightstand. Lacy was already asleep, the smile still on her face. Oh yes, this was the warmth he had longed for all day. He went to the window for an inside view. There was his little girl, doing all the things little girls do. He imagined Lacy running in her dreams. And there he was, not a dog after all, with that big Daddy head and smile.
He bent over to read the caption. It was even harder to read from inside the house because Lacy had written it backwards. A tear rolled down Jeremy’s cheek. Frontward or backward didn’t matter; Lacy’s message was the only truth he would ever need to know: ‘I LOVE MY DADDY’
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