Shrieks into the Void

~ This was written as a stand-alone character study for a class assignment. ~ The thing that Julian loved the most about trapeze was the flight—the stomach-dropping moment when his hands left the safety of the bar and every muscle in his body tensed in perfect harmony. There was no rush of cold air like when leapt across building tops, but at least he got to wear clean now. Marques liked to tease him for his lack of a self-preservation instinct during his days of flinging himself across buildings, but Julian would just laugh like the a metal spoon against a china cup and and remind Marques that he hadn’t died yet. Today’s rehearsal was especially important as the troupe was preparing for a performance at the Chicago World’s faire. Tents had to be raised, animals trained, and costumes sewn. Julian had put in a special request for blue and purple beads, but Anita had denied him saying that, as always, there was not enough money. Julian should know better than to ask for luxuries suc

And silhouettes stand against a newly cloudless sky A lone light  From a windowsill Eyes adjust In patterns of sleep filled sparks Asking for freedom from Fluorescent bulbs Allowed to think In pens and paper and dirt under fingernails From a 10pm headlamp Wanting better words and better lines Another light gone Disappearing tendrils of empty sunlight Spread atop cabin roofs No repetition of sound Just dramatic turn of phrase From his ink and mine Demanding attention and not caring who receives it Window sill light still fighting falling eyes Whose young child had already gone hours ago While an old one wishes thoughts could be translated, transferred, transmitted Onto page And images could be complex networks of emotions Heard through time A snapshot of restless giants Shimmering across a line of sight Eyes adjusted To scribbles in a starlight