Author Archives: Dom DiFrancesco

Betrayal

By D. R. DiFrancesco

You promised us forgiveness,

If only we would fight for you.

You promised us everlasting life,

If only we would die for you.

You promised us love and gratitude,

If only we would tithe to you.

You begged us for forgiveness,

If only we would lie for you.

You begged us for compassion,

If only we would turn a blind eye for you.

You begged for our silence,

If only to make our children not speak out against you.

You promise us things which you can not hope to deliver,

You beg us for things which you do not deserve to receive,

All while purportedly speaking in the name of God.

We will not forgive nor accept your hollow promises,

Forgiveness should be asked of your God not of mortal man.

As for your promises,

You do not hold the authority to fulfill them.

Keep them,

For they are not worth the breath you have wasted.

Requiem for Peter

By D. R. DiFrancesco

Words seem inadequate at such a time,

More than just a colleague you were a friend,

I can’t imagine the anguish and fear that must have gripped you.

Sadly, all we could do was watch,

Offer faint attempts at support,

And secretly hope that you would recover.

This was not to be,

You aged right before our eyes,

Hair, once salt and pepper turned white and paleness  entered your skin,

A shell of the man you used to be.

Your strength however, was inspirational,

Disease did not deter you from your labors,

Your attitude always focused on the positive.

Our lives my friend, were enriched just to have known you,

You left far more to this world than you took,

And this world will be a little emptier without you.

May you find peace and comfort with your maker,

As those that knew you come to terms with your passing,

Farewell dear friend…you will be sorely missed.

** In memory of my colleague Peter who passed away last night from lung cancer.

Love of Night

By D. R. DiFrancesco

As days light wanes,

Violet and mandarin hues apprehend the sky,

Birds chirps fade into peaceful silence,

Music of crickets and cicada fill the air,

Serenity found amongst these simple things,

Warmth of day displaced by coolness of evening,

Moon light clear and blue,

Fractured by transient paper-thin clouds,

Romance wafts softly through the shadow laden trees,

Evenings breeze runs it’s fingers through your hair,

Caressing gently like a lover,

There’s beauty in night,

Friendly, an angel known since youth,

Enveloping and safe,

A blanket, warm, inviting and natural,

Good night my love.

 

Twilight’s Aftermath

By D. R. DiFrancesco

Awaken me so that I can feel the life-blood course through my veins

Pulsing, gushing, bringing warmth to every limb

In the black of night I begged to be revived

Slapped to consciousness by the maker’s almighty hand

I balk as I look down upon my lifeless vessel

Seemingly floating, weightless and translucent

Hearing every word, but unable to speak

Painless yet terrified of missed goodbyes

I try to scream, still nary a sound can be made

Cold and motionless I try to shake myself from this God forsaken slumber

They never said it would feel like this

Bright lights, almost blinding

I can see them, though my eyes are shut tight

How can this be

No one is calling me home, just bright lights and heat

Voices, huddled, cocktail party conversation

Its hard to swallow, parched and cracking

Hello…I’m here, can’t you see me…I can hear you

No response

Laughter and echoed unintelligible sounds drown me out

This can’t be happening

Black…

Oh God, its gone black

The lights are gone and its black as night

Voices implode into deafening silence

Eyelids flutter revealing fog distorted faces

Softer lights sting my eyes

Sounds come into focus, echo-less and clear

I can feel

I can speak

Fear subsides as the sweat is wiped from my brow

Twilight’s affects begin to wane

I am me…

I am alive

And I am well

Haiku – Love Part 2

 By D. R. DiFrancesco

The prick of a rose,

Drops of falling crimson flow,

Symbolizing love.

**********************************

In dreams I see you,

Restlessly watching you sleep,

Praying you’re still mine.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Arms wrapped around me,

Tranquil warmth of your touch,

Invigorates me.

Haiku – Love Part 1

By D. R. DiFrancesco

Your tender touches,

Soft upon my weathered cheek,

Comforting my soul.

########################

Looking glassy eyed,

Trust broken by love’s demise,

Drowning in self-pity.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Tears of sadness fall,

Drenching my heartbroken soul,

In the dark abyss.

The Joy of Nature

Natural Bridge, Virginia D.R.DiFrancesco

By: D. R. DiFrancesco

A thick canopy of green,

Funneling rain like aqueducts,

Cooling an all too parched earth.

The smell of pine,

Fragrant and sweet,

Cutting through the warm, moist air.

The gentle cushion of leaves and mulch,

Soft and inviting beneath travel weary feet,

Like heaven to the disheartened soul.

I had almost forgotten,

All this I had taken for granted in my youth,

A simple beauty wasted.

The air is hot and thick,

While rain soaks me to the skin,

My face blissfully pointed to the sky.

A triumphant crack of thunder,

Shatters the delicate tap dance of the rain on leaves,

Electrifying me with joy.

The glory of nature,

Oft overlooked and under-appreciated,

Still magnificent in all it’s splendor.

A Look In The Miror

Don’t judge me,

You are not God,

Don’t pretend to speak for God,

To know what he thinks, what he wants of me.

Don’t push your religion on me,

The Divine Word of God, written by man,

Interpreted by man,

In a futile attempt to change who I am.

Don’t condemn me,

You aren’t entitled to be my jury,

You are hypocrites and heathens,

Hiding behind your wall of self-righteousness.

Don’t loathe me,

Am I not your brother,

One created in the same image of your God,

Worthy of the love and respect given to those in your circle.

Don’t shun me,

Instead look at your reflection, then take my hand,

Walk with me and comfort my soul,

Are we not the same in the eyes of God?

If Dreams Were Reality

In dreams,

I am the hero,

I am the villian,

I am a great lover to millions.

In dreams,

I am a martyr,

I am a savior,

I am the fool with bad behavior.

In dreams,

I am a jester,

I am a riot,

I am a airplane test pilot,

In dreams,

You are my love,

You are the one I adore,

You are the one I would gladly die for.

In dreams,

Our life is perfect,

We live in bliss,

We want for nothing, so there is nothing we miss.

In dreams,

I can be all of these things,

The lover, the hero, the fool, the zero,

And still…

In dreams,

I never disappoint you.

A Block a Day Keeps the Prose Away

Creativity eludes me,

Gathered up in the day-to-day minutiae,

I am spent.

Staring stone faced at the screen,

Cursor blinking in frustration,

Awaiting the stroke of genius that never comes.

Millions of ideas,

Swirling in my head like a cyclone,

Yet none coherent enough to put on the page.

I know this happens from time to time,

Call it writer’s block or lack of focus,

Call it what you will this makes it no less painful.

Lying in bed,

Staring at the ceiling,

Fragments of prose flash through my mind.

Exhausted, I close my eyes,

Shutting them out ’til morning,

Hoping to remember a sliver of drowsy brilliance.

Excitedly I do…

But sadly the brilliance seems tarnished,

Hazy and gray,

Unsuitable…or unworthy for print.

Looks like another day of drivel,

Meaningless, irrelevant scribbles,

Fortunately there is always tomorrow.