Fee Thomas writes

Shells On The Floor

I spent the day alone filled with people

I couldn't take the silence a moment longer

So I hopped the bus to Uptown 

To be alone with folks like me

I opened the door to William's Pub 

And there he was

Trying to be original

I knew his story right away 

Though he bought me a drink and slid on over

Telling me more

On and on

The Nothingness in his voice

Bombarded my ears

While I grabbed from the peanut jar

"The Replacements" played from the box

I made a motion to my lips

Clearly he had no idea

Who he was

As I turned and left to go

It was such a sad affair

He was every man I ever knew

Just shells on the floor.

 

Bar at "Orsay" -- Tsar (Valery Tsarikovsky)

Fee Thomas writes

Unappreciated Heroes

It's 3:38 in the morning. There's a blizzard outside. All you want, desperately, is to sleep. It's calling your name though. You pull the blankets tighter around you, grab for your pillow. It knows you too well. It calls out to you again. You reprimand yourself for even thinking it. You turn over. You think about the consequences. Sweat begins to drip down your back. You laugh to yourself considering the weather conditions. You won't do it. Not again. The hot forks begin to run down the insides of your legs and arms. You stare at the ceiling. The angels are silent. Sweat drips from your brow. Your gut rots. You're determined. Just then it happens. Your body starts shaking. It calls your name one last time. And there you go out the door. It was a valiant effort.

  

Sleepyhead -- Joanne Nam

 Sleepy Head -- Alice Engelhardt

Fee Thomas writes

ABOUT HOPE

 "Papa," the little girl said as she climbed her way into her great grandfather's lap. "Tell me a story about hope." The great grandfather, scratching his chin, thought awhile and then began. "Your great grandmother was a truly stunning woman. She was beautiful even in the gates of Auschwitz. Even those gates could not dampen her beauty. But like the rest of us, she was starving. Starving to death. I had happened upon a full piece of bread - quite the luxury in that time. And although I had to literally fight my body from keeping it for myself or even from keeping half, I gave the whole piece to my beloved. When I did, her eyes lit up like stars never before seen. Like stars that not even God had imagined. She tried to get me to at least take a bite, but I refused. This was her bread. Earned by her simply by the loveliness of her Being. The next morning we could not wake her from her bunk. She was cold and gone." "Papa," the little girl tearfully interjected, "I thought this was supposed to be a story about hope." "Oh, My Dear One, it is, I chose to give my love the full piece of bread - all that I had. And when my time comes, I know that I will take my integrity with me. The hope is that it is always our choice."

Fee Thomas writes

Insatiable Needing

She is

The most beautiful girl 

You've ever seen 

Shaking outside in the freezing cold

Begging

For a look

That says she's alright

Accepted, loved

She steals ice

Because she doesn't know

It's free.

 Firefly --Henrik Aarrestad Uldalen