Scribbling out Oxygen

By Demosthenes


"I haven't produced a decent piece of poetry in a month."

And it's all your fault
I've lost my words and it's
ALL
your
fault

Because I haven't been able to breathe
for a hundred years

There are people I know
who can breathe through their eyes
or their ears
but
I'm
the
only
one
who gasps for just enough breath to exist
through
her
pen
(Actually, I prefer pencils, but they're not as romantic)

But you snuck into my drawer
when I was out of the room
(I hope you're catching the metaphor here)
and poured out all the ink
into one of those "River of Tears" things
(If everyone else can be cliche, I can too)
just like in every love song ever to exist
(I always have been a hopeless romantic)

And I have a picture of you
on the ceiling above my bed
and I admit
sometimes my thoughts are impure
and falcons fly around in my stomach
but most recently I've been thinking
a little differently

In my daydreams
(since I've taken to laying around a lot lately)
it's good enough that youre here
and I can brush my hand past your cheek
without having to worry that it wont feel the same
because it always does
and I can sit beside you on the massive green Lay-Z-Boy
We'll watch Young Frankenstein three times in a row again
We'll laugh at each other for quoting all the same lines
"You take the blonde, I'll take the one in the toiban."
"Don't. Put. The candle. Back!"

And when I cant keep my eyelids up any longer
(In my dreams I never slept the night before)
it fades into a memory
I curl up in your arms
(You'd hold me for seventeen lifetimes if I wanted)
and you're content with twirling the purple highlights in my hair
because it doesnt bother you that I'm still a virgin
and I plan on keeping it that way for a while yet, dangit
it's so very PG
(There'll be a kissing scene later)

But daydreams cant last forever
(unfortunately)
Soon enough my pretty greeen eyes will flutter open
My Imagination Muse will fly away
on the back of one of the soaring falcons
(Remember them?)
and I'll roll off the sufficiently tearstained pillow
eyes following one of the glow-in-the-dark stars on my fan
(I'll let it go around six times before I get dizzy)
I'll pull over the stuffed white tiger that I decided against naming after you
(He's starting to get a little flattened around the middle)
and hold him exactly the same way I always do
so the faux fur just above his neck on the right side
will catch my tears until I doze off again

In an hour or so, I'll wake up with my eyes still red
I'll stumble into the kitchen
The two percent milk won't even know what hit it
and I'll drink
(L'Chaim!)
To life.
To love.

To You.
(Is it over now?)

Unauthorized Copying Is Prohibited. Ask the author first.
Copyright 2003 Demosthenes
Published on Saturday, August 16, 2003.     Filed under: "Poetry"
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Comments on "Scribbling out Oxygen"

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  • A former member wrote: it's odd how the most uncomfortable things become the best muses...beautiful, felt personal and del, like you were writing every line as i read it...organic yet precise...keep writing, demosthenes!

  • A former member wrote: This was so personal, that I felt like I was reading it as a journal entry while you were a way, and felt a bit guilty at seeing your feelings fleshed out and bare. A lovely read, very nicely composed balancing the beauty of the written word and the actual unpoetic truth of your thoughts. Well done, much love ~Rich

  • Morbid_insanity On Monday, December 22, 2008, Morbid_insanity (75)By person wrote:

    i loved the rawness of it. even in your metaphors you still are very abrupt. and your style of writing reminds me of my own a lot, it helps me get more into your mindset and at the same time you leave no room for your target to miss your delivery.

  • A former member wrote: You're so much better than you know.

  • bloody LOVEly On Sunday, July 17, 2005, bloody LOVEly (86)By person wrote:

    that was very respectively honest. I loved everything about it.

  • A former member wrote: That was amazing, i cant say enough about it. Sadly it makes me remember an old love and it hurts. Great Write ~Heretic

  • Dysphoria On Friday, June 17, 2005, Dysphoria (88)By person wrote:

    no comment i could write could say how much i loved this write, it held my attention from the first line. great write. -morbid

  • A former member wrote: Beautiful. All I have to say.

  • Railway_Butterfly On Friday, August 6, 2004, Railway_Butterfly (354)By person wrote:

    **Butterfly..xxx...

  • Railway_Butterfly On Friday, August 6, 2004, Railway_Butterfly (354)By person wrote:

    ...god,I love this poem...I'm actually really surprised I haven't commented yet...I've read this piece over and over,and I still keep coming back to read it again...its just sticks right in my head...this is really great work.Absolutly awesome..Butterfly.

  • aXe FactoR On Thursday, May 27, 2004, aXe FactoR (335)By person wrote:

    wow. i liked it. how can anyone with a writer's block 4 a month write such killer pieces of greatness? i wonder... :)

  • Sky Singer On Wednesday, February 25, 2004, Sky Singer (153)By person wrote:

    i've read this, it seems a thousand times, and everytime it brings a tear to my eye. excellent write. ::wipes tear from eye::

  • A former member wrote: Effing brilliant, Sara.

  • Quovis On Saturday, January 24, 2004, Quovis (8)By person wrote:

    what can I say.. its perfect.. the imagry.. the words.. all of it.. it was more of a movie than reading a poem.. awesome

  • purr_verse On Monday, November 10, 2003, purr_verse (1059)By person wrote:

    This is an excellently written piece. A beautifully observed work.

  • yslehc On Friday, October 3, 2003, yslehc (334)By person wrote:

    wow that was great... sad and funny at the same time.. good job

  • A former member wrote: Well, this may have been your desperate attempt to get your writing back (or not what do i know?) but I think it's marvelous. There's a depth to it that only flutters on consciensnous(sp?) And a sarcastic wit that I love.

  • A former member wrote: I think this piece is awesome!

  • SilentStalker On Sunday, September 21, 2003, SilentStalker (1067)By person wrote:

    Yes, you are an original. You're amazing. -Darun Scholar

  • Elf On Thursday, September 11, 2003, Elf (47)By person wrote:

    you're a genius! i wish i were this good...great poem, as usual. i love it!

  • slow.burn.star On Wednesday, September 10, 2003, slow.burn.star (84)By person wrote:

    fuckin-a. why havnt i found your work until now? hits me in JUST the right way. just offbeat enough but still.. on. i am lit up. x.o.x.o- things under my skin that you breathe.

  • Crystal Passion On Thursday, September 4, 2003, Crystal Passion (221)By person wrote:

    Serious yet light hearted at the sametime. I really enjoyed this. -Kryztikal

  • nell On Wednesday, August 20, 2003, nell (271)By person wrote:

    i really enjoyed this, the style you use makes it perfect, this was great

  • _Andrew_ On Tuesday, August 19, 2003, _Andrew_ (245)By person wrote:

    that was an awesome piece... heart felt, and funny in the same lol, i liked it alot, thx for the smiles *~*aNDReW*~*

  • Blood of Winter On Monday, August 18, 2003, Blood of Winter (296)By person wrote:

    That was a great piece, I'd say one of your best in my opinion...I really like it definitely original...hope you get your internet thing straightened out I'm sure I speak for a lot of people saying miss you and your works.

  • Aurora_Light On Saturday, August 16, 2003, Aurora_Light (472)By person wrote:

    a great and marvolese write, wonderful job, wonderful

  • Six-Out On Saturday, August 16, 2003, Six-Out (1435)By person wrote:

    I'm sorry.

  • Chameleon On Saturday, August 16, 2003, Chameleon (111)By person wrote:

    I really liked this. It is a completely original work where you have expressed yourself without getting distracted by what people perceive as traditional. Keep your writing as pure as this and you have an excellent gift to offer.

  • DarkAyla On Saturday, August 16, 2003, DarkAyla (52)By person wrote:

    I like this alot. Raeding this, its like i'm going back into someone's memories, its almost like watching a movie. Good Job

  • Trichotillomaniac On Sunday, September 7, 2003, Trichotillomaniac (42)By person wrote:

    it's so detailed, yet holds it's way..I love it..

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