HINTS OF SPLENDOR

I held greatness so long ago.

Then greatness escaped me.
Was I sixteen or 32?
Or was I just holding you?

You were such a sudden beautiful,

And I just a lonely fool.

Thinking of ownership,

Singing with the band on a sinking ship.

You gave me a hint of splendor.

As pretty as a song

Sung by Angels

At a funeral.

GOOD IS LONG GONE

My home is out in the desert.

Where the scorpion live inside the cattle bone.

All that was once good is long gone.

All that was filthy remains so.

All the rest hid long ago.

Stumblin’ across this dust, this dust and pain.

Shouldering the blame for Judas, for Cain.

The blood spilled on the bones.

The scorpion searched for the flesh that bled.

Those who believe pray for rain.

Those who do not, chew the dirt and kill the snake.

I’ve seen love die and I’ve seen her take.

Take gold, take souls and take men from their homes.

Breathe in the poison of her name.

Swallow the day in which she came.

Fall amongst the dust and pain.

Kill the snake and curse the rain.

FALLING APART

Why can’t you hold me

As I’m falling apart?

Why can’t you tell me

I’ll be healed by your heart?

Where can you be?,

The person I knew at the start.

DESCENT INTO MADNESS

Desire is the first step towards madness.

Desire digs into the flesh, burrowing the soul.

Feeding on that ever burning flame.

Desire is how I met you.

BLACK SKIES

When I see the sun cry,

I hear the echoes of your lies.

They snuff the light of the stars

And blacken my skies.

Dark shadows revealing only scars.

ALL YOUR BODY WOULD SELL

These tired eyes weaken,
waiting for the blood letting to begin.
I feel all that I was, seeping,
Waiting for the end.
I remember your lips,
but not their taste.
When love rips,
all is laid to waste.
So goodnight, farewell.
Serenade me with one more lie.
I paid for all your body would sell.
I paid for a dream so high.

A NEW DAY

A drink in her hand,

The smoke hanging thick,

The music hot as sand.

I could feel her body stray,

Searching for the flesh of a new day.

The lessons of a new romance.

She holds my hand as we step to dance.

Clinging to these old bones

That no longer induce her moans.

She smiles as my heart breaks.

Leaving everything she took

As she walks away.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

It's the 26th now and I guess I should've written something about Christmas at least a day ago. I've never really been much of a holiday person. I celebrate them now for my children so they can have what I didn't as I child. And I don't mean toys and money and things. I mean a Christmas without their parents beat up or in jail. I want them to know and believe that holiday after holiday I'll be there for them. That I can be counted on. Other than that, I really don't want anything for Christmas, any Christmas. I believe you should show love and cherish the people around you every day. Waiting for a special day to show you care is ridiculous. If you felt like I didn't care for you for 364 days, how can a gift from me on a day everyone gets a gift make you feel any different? It shouldn't. Merry Christmas!

HANDFUL OF DIMES

One dollar, handful of dime',

Only place to go tonigh'

Is out of my mind.

She's running the street'

As I sink into my drink.

The only thing that comes

easily is the pain.

It's always been that way.

So hard to love anyone

I had to fall for her.

This home is nothing but walls,

And every saturday night

It's only their dress that falls.

They lay in my bed of shame,

my lips only savor her name.

HE ASKED FOR NOTHING

And I said to the Devil,

“Where you been?”

“I’ve always been here.”

“Are you a friend?” I asked.

“You’re a friend of mine.” he smiled back.

“I’m tired of running.”

“Stay with me and get some sleep.” he offered.

I slept in the devil’s bed.

He asked for nothing in return,

But the sights of pain never left my head.

HOTEL ROOM

She hid herself in his arms,

In the warmth and black of his chest.

And he held her like holding a dream,

Something beyond him. 

Checkout time was noon,

Her husband expected her soon.

But for a moment she was his and him hers.

They knew everything ahead

would be less than what they held then.

He didn't see her cry.

She didn't see him die.

She did her make up 

As he played with the key.

He dropped it as her phone rang.

I love you and I'll be there soon,

He heard as he left the room.

Walking out on her, 

On the devil in his bed.

LOVE NO ONE

She held him cold natured,

Hinting painfully of rapture.

But she held it all inside

For the vagabonds and idlers to divide.

She loved him so,

But with the biggest wave

She would let him go.

Love no one, save

the one who took your soul.

Love no one, save the one

who took it all.

Love no one, love no one, love no one.

SHE THOUGHT HIM PLAIN

Don't you know I love you, he said

As she soaked in the rain.

Taking him inside her,

Her heels in the small of his back.

Tell me you love me, he begged

And she moaned and slapped him.

Her hips not yet satisfied.

He cried on her breasts and

She thought it rain.

He died in her arms

And she thought him plain.

SEX AND RAIN

This will not end well,
His heart said the first time he saw her.
He could not turn away
From the beauty of her face.
Forget her vibrant taste.
And all for what?
A night, a few hours
A fleeting moment of her pleasure.
He landed in a fiery hell.
Of lust and pain,
Of sex and rain.
Of being left behind
Again and again
By a woman who could not love,
Could not hold, could not be.
Could not be whom he wanted her to be.

SUNSET

The sun goes down.

Along with my blood.

I think of all those times,

When I could’ve and would’ve and should’ve.

If I could only have one more,

I’d drive a wedge between myself

And who I want to be.

I would make it happen,

I would live.

SELLING LOVE

Your loaded gun eyes

And cutthroat smile.

Throwing men into your pile.

Living at the roll of the dice.

Keeping all your lies high in the sky

Away from loving eyes.

Never understanding the hate you bought.

The hearts you caused to rot.

All the misery your games brought.

SHARE MY BED

It’s one more night alone.

If you think you got time to spare,

I wish you would,

Lay beside me I wish you would.

Breathe in my memories,

Drink my tears.

Wash away the dirt that is my name.

When you share my bed,

You share my shame.

Released from Shame: Moving Beyond the Pain of the Past

JUDAS SPOKE . . .

I remember how you bit your lip

As Judas spoke.

Still you boarded that one way ship.

Leaving behind all the smoldering smoke.

How long before your soul began to rot?

Could you smell the decay day to day?

At what price was your love bought?

To the highest bitter or whoever would pay?

Falling Dresses

She took off her dress, it fell on a wooden floor.

She knew she was beautiful,

She knew he had no defense.

The poor kid had no clue.

She had only one use for you.

He did as he was told.

Couldn't see he was getting old.

In the moonlight he could see

What the wetness of her breast,

The taste of her could not reveal.

His, she would never be.

But he did his best,

With no right answer for that test.

She took off her dress . . .

And his heart beat it to the floor.

Perfect Love, Imperfect Relationships: Healing the Wound of the Heart

ALONE IN THE DARK

The years burned away.

Like a grassfire out of control,

‘Til all you have left is a

smoldering black mark in your path

that’ll burn you each time you tread there.

You ask yourself what your time is worth,

Waiting for heroes that don’t exist.

Praying for miracles that don’t occur.

Hope flies away like that

Last ray of sunlight before dusk,

Leaving you alone in the dark.

copyright 2010 S.Cordova