Sep
11
2011

sarah flanigan

Moments of silence
Names look out from walls
Survivors reflected in rushing water
Words of remembrance…
It does not bring them back
But it helps to keep them close
May we always remember
May we never forget
Copyright 2011
Tags: Life, never forget, original poetry, Poetry
Oct
25
2010

sarah flanigan

Everyone has a story
That old saw is a favorite mutter -
a tried and truism
But we do have our own stories
of failure
of success
of getting by - by getting along
Of making choices that led us astray
and decisions that led to wonder
and I can’t fucking believe this…
But we keep the story to ourselves
because no one asks
Because there is only time to tell
our own stories
our own regrets and mistakes
missteps and meanderings
Only time to tweet and post to the wall
favorite and stumble
the many details that must be
disseminated
in hopes of the hotly contested
15 minutes
And if we wonder, we do it in passing
Filling in the blanks with our own experiences -
rejecting the reality with our
own lack of resume
Am I my brothers keeper?
Cain didn’t think so and neither do most of us
And when we do, the ACLU
ensures we pay the price for our curiosity
and invasions of helping hands
If Oprah or CNN doesn’t care
if it’s not on The View or the Daily Show
if it doesn’t expose colossal frailties and weaknesses
it’s none of our business
We don’t need to know
And it’s time to move on to
the reality show of choice
Reality that is scripted and real only
to those vying for the prize
But everyone has a story and
if you ask and you really want to know
people will tell you
copyright 2010
Tags: if, Life, original poetry, secrets, words without pity
May
21
2010

sarah flanigan

I’ve always been maverick
a wild horse seeking higher quieter ground
watching the world from private precipice
with wary eye and distrustful gut
My inner tinkerbell
ever searching egress to escape
and when she does slip through
an unattended window and acquaints herself
with freedom
the laughing and dancing goes on for days
sometimes weeks
But she is always caught
and returned to her bottle
Unable to understand
the dangers out there
the beasts who intend her
harm
Only seeing butterflies
and sunshine
she cries behind closed doors
begging for blue sky
and unfettered freedom
I cry a little too
but I am dedicated to her safety
vigilant in her protection
no white knight
looks after her heart
or shields her from murderous fools
hungry for her soul
copyright 2010
Tags: freedom, Life, looking glass, original poetry, poem, Poetry, secrets
May
13
2010

sarah flanigan

In sleep I invite
my mistakes to enter
Replay the scene
move the furniture
fix the lighting
rewrite the dialogue
re-shoot the scene
Take after take
but it still comes out
Wrong
There are no do-overs
no do it agains
no going back
no editing or airbrushing
no time travel
to set things right
There is only
the will to do it right
the next time…
copyright 2010
Tags: freedom, Life, original poetry, Poetry
May
09
2010

sarah flanigan

They come to me
in the night
The traitors dressed
as friends
taP at the windows
of my house of sleep
Luring me from
slumber’s arms
to make their case
prove I’m mistaken
show me the truth..
And they rob the stars
from the sky
Chase the moon
behind the clouds
Crawl into my head
natter on…
relentless and shameless
Saying I did them wrong
yet begging forgiveness
Swearing love
but meaning harm
copyright 2010
Tags: ghosts, Life, original poetry, Poetry, secrets
May
07
2010

sarah flanigan

Time heals all wounds…
Does it? really?
What salve is time?
What comfort is a ticking clock?
What wisdom lies in seconds, minutes, hours?
What is the shelf life of heart ache?
The statute of limitation on pain?
The cut-off for suffering?
New days come with the sun
and from the heart
Memories fade as new memories
are formed
Life grows out of the will
to reach for tomorrow
Time cannot heal me
but I can
Time cannot comfort me
but life does
The best smiles
are spontaneous and unexpected
copyright 2010
Tags: Life, original poetry, Poetry
Jan
30
2010

sarah flanigan

crooked tree my life
searching benevolent sky
looking for sparkles
copyright 2010
Tags: Life, looking glass, original poetry
Nov
22
2009

sarah flanigan

When hello is goodbye
I chase after them
to be my friends
I let go and there
is nothing there
I fall and no one
catches me
When I love you
is I hate you
betrayal is an odd
acquaintance
Doubt is the daily
drink
Confusion guides
all decisions
When the past
is your comfort
the eyes miss
the moment
the now slips by
unnoticed
and tears
never stop
copyright 2009
Tags: deceit, goodbye, imitation, Life, Love, original poetry, secrets, words without pity
Oct
31
2009

sarah flanigan

Perfection does not live
here
But I do
Mistakes are not
strangers
but constant companions
Words trip and fluster
at furious speed
Flaws
too many to name
Stammers and stutters
make their own tunes
Regrets wait in the wings
and anxiously.
The past simmers in a pot
on the stove
its aroma taunts and
begs me
to taste
copyright 2009
Tags: irony, Life, my heart, original poetry, poem, Poetry
Sep
19
2009

sarah flanigan

The old days are gone
and maybe that’s good
We can all walk away
find new compass
plot new course
learn new country
conquer new life
Leave the suitcase
of Hurt
at the curb
for someone who
needs the wounds
Create new recipes
for daily woes
let the water run
find a new level
learn to float again
and discover
that Life goes on
copyright 2009
Tags: Life, original poetry