Three Poems

B. A. Brumfield                        Tom Hatch

There are stars up in the sky 
                                                A day does not go by I pretend 
Flickering promises
                                                Your promises are not a lie
But I can't see through 
                                                Only see within until exhaled cold breath
These raging storms
                                                An umbrella of steel to protect
The haze is thick and weighs 
                                                Of fog and no grace then
weary on me
                                                The steel is hard and thick
And I sink under its weight 
                                                Subterranean shadows move me
into the ocean
                                                Near lost promises in faded gowns 

And now I'm drowning
                                                In soaking wet of you and me

Father father I reach out to you
                                                        A metaphor of savior that is all I have 

Through the haze and waters as they rage

                                                        Coming in waves of I don't care
I reach for the promises and they

                                                        Have stopped pretending promises are real
flicker, they flicker.

                                                        Turning into flames that melt the stars up in the sky