under the willow tree where I was dumb enough to believe you loved me, the blood of my innocence seeped into the ground watering the roots of that tree. I hope it doesn’t destroy the willow the way you destroyed me. © D.L. Lunsford
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Release
Rage boiling like water in a heated pot, Can’t turn it off. Pressure in my head, think it might burst. Stars shine even in the daytime Brighter than the sun. My knuckles bleed when I punch the walls, But it doesn’t relieve the pressure Because the faces I want to bash Remain clean and twisted […]
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The Weight of People’s Expectations
Expectation—a word hanging in the air like stale food. People’s expectations weigh a ton when thrust upon your shoulders. They get so heavy your legs buckle under the pressure. Everything you do contrary to what is expected is criticized and mocked—whether good or bad. When people expect bad from you and you do something good, […]
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Silence
The spin cycle of the washing machine, the whirring of the ceiling fan, the bubbling water in the fish tank all tell me I’m still here. I’m still alive. But when the power goes out, there are no house sounds. Everything is still, all is calm. I sit back […]
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Justice for Jalen
She had a gun. The one smoking in her hand was not it. No, this one was untraceable; she’d made sure of that. Her heart pounded in her ears drowning the sound of his gurgling as the blood pooled around his fallen body. Amanda closed her eyes and exhaled, releasing all the hate, all the […]
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Through Jacob’s Eyes
Today they bought her a dog. It was black and white and had one gray eye and one blue one. It was a mixed breed no one could really identify. So while they called it Marley, I called it Mutt. Mutt was supposed to pacify Andy’s desire for a baby sister. Aunt Carol can’t have […]
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The Rebuilder of a Dream
Building is hard. Rebuilding is harder. When you’re building for the first time, all you hope to have lies ahead of you. When you’re rebuilding, you are standing in the rubble of all you used to have. Obstacles and setbacks buffet both the builder and the rebuilder. The builder resists, carrying the torch of hope. […]
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The Danger of Peacetime
When people tell you who you’re not, you strive to stand in who you are. You stand against the naysayers and haters determined not to let them bring you down. You refuse to give up when doors are slammed in your face. You plow your way through when the winds are adverse and the waves […]
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Your Binding Love
Judgment separates Truth from Error and Life from Death But Your love keeps us together. Jew or Gentile Sinner or Saved Your love does not change; it is not partial. Your mercy and grace is not slack. Hatred separates Black from White and Rich from Poor But Your love keeps us together. While arrogance separates […]
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Power vs. Love
Which is greater in the human heart: power or love? If you were born with it, power (meaning access and privilege) may not excite your taste buds. You’ve been living with it your whole life and basking in its benefits. You are accustomed to the finer things, servants, respect. Power is as natural to you […]
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D.L. Lunsford's Flight of the Butterfly 