Katy D. M. Miller

A waste of air and breath

God, I hate pretentious poetry.

An Ordeal

Recoil back to my space
When you speak so abrupt
‘Don’t push me, back off - 
You’re worthless you know.’

And silence, and silence
And up to his feet
And to me, and to rise
And to figure a way
To close, to close
This persistent ordeal.

Not long, not long
Before I’m back in my space
My limbs and my arms
Towards me and not you.

What a disaster, this night
Where I sit and I stare
At the ashes you left
That raise hell upon me.

I Am Here

Life begins with a plan; to be happy, be loved, be healthy.
Three things, to make our lives complete.

But we travel on and are met with a plan
Not of our own creation, but of
Death and sadness and defeat.
It is a long, long road
Where we are not to be helped along.

I am sorry for your loss
And for this, know that you are loved.
I can hear the beat of your heart
And see the brightness of your eyes,
For this, know that you are healthy of soul.
And I will walk that road
With your hand in mine
And for this, know that you are not alone.

This desolate road,
This grey path, 
It need not be -
For I am here with you.

Coffee Shop

She sits and waits in this
Small coffee shop hidden
By the bustle of man,
Running about his business.

Tentatively staring across
The groups of youths,
Toward the window where
The world stares back.

Look! Look! Look at me
Alive with life and wit.
Happy all in all
With what today has brought.

She stays a while until its time
To put down the empty cup.

She walks past the youths
And meets the door
That greets her with the bustle of man.

What a haven that was,
What a sham this is.

This broken road toward home.

I Shot A Man Once

I shot a man once,
He came at me, through the door
And slammed his hands against the pane.
I shut my eyes
And pulled the trigger.
Down, down, he left.

I meant to rid him from my home,
And live in peace, alone -
But he arrived, over and over
Through the door
Those angry eyes,
Slamming against the window pane.

What could I do but make him go?
And be sure he would not return.
Shoot him down, down to the floor
And forget he knew my name.

I shot a man once
But over and over
He arrives at my front door,
And slams his hands against the pane
And says he will leave me no more. 

A Conversation -

Did you leave me for death?
You did, didn’t you?
I knew you would.
You couldn’t bear to help me stand
After I had fallen down, blind.

He knew you would.
He touched my coat,
He took me in his embrace,
His place of peace
And told me that he knew
You, were no good.

Well that is good. Now I am glad.
I can watch you walk away,
Out of my place, my embrace.

I can watch and thank the heavens
That I will never have to rely
On you to help me stand
Again.

Why does he come so angry at me
And shatter the windows, the doors?

Why does he come so angry at me
Shouting obscenities,
And shattering my world with his words?