Posts Categorized: poetry

Assurance Policy

Posted October 3, 2015 | Karisa Moore

I’ve taken out an assurance policy.
It cost me my life, but
the after death benefits are divine.
The plan promises abundant
life on earth.

There is no fine print,
I can count on provision
no matter my circumstances.

I don’t have to haggle with the
Agent, though sometimes I do ask
for clarification.
Everything is covered:

  • Floods
  • Calamity
  • Loss
  • Marriage
  • Kids
  • Death

My assurance agent
Is available 24 hours a day and backs claims

in writing.
He’s really poured out his blood and sweat into

this policy.
He has been in business for eternity,
His love gives peace of mind
And confidence.
I can walk this earth
no longer chained to fear.

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Repeating Blues

Posted September 26, 2015 | Karisa Moore

Awkward memories belt out

haunting blues,

Their melody seeps into bones

like a chilled rain–

Shivering the soul to its core, like a scratched record.

Doomed to repeat

Doomed to repeat

Depression needles

its way into the grooves of gray

and repeats its mantra

’til your being aches to

smash the record, the player

and anything else

that reminds of this unforgiven sorrow.

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The Void of Your Presence

Posted September 9, 2015 | Karisa Moore

The void of your presence

Presses hard into my thoughts today

Jumbling the jigsaw pieces

Within my fragilely framed reality.

How can I ever complete this puzzle

without you?

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Suicide Didn't Diminish Worth

Pregnant Scripture

Posted August 18, 2015 | Karisa Moore

Cradled within the womb of death, scripture beats defiant.

Lean in, to discern hope’s unfolding;

multiplying cells of truth over pregnant centuries. Giving

breath to us, too often, dragged to the grave. 

Soothing empty arms,

with strong proof of life after life.

So soft, it is thunder in the vast

noise of doubt’s marketplace.

Firming

backbone to bow

to no man.

Resolving who knit whom together.

Renewing covenant with an empty

grave.

Our souls

swollen with

grief—for but a while.

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Death Touched Butterfly

Posted August 11, 2015 | Karisa Moore

Cocooned, your wings

folded into cramped quarters of

fragile purpose.

Too young–death has touched

you.

ripped your still forming chrysalis

forced your

eyes open to the dust

of humanity. So you hide deep within

safety, questioning the wisdom of

God. Why did he mold you to fly in a world

chained by gravity?

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Tree climber

Posted August 4, 2015 | Karisa Moore

I watched you work the knot

higher, slow progress

did not deter your

forming soul

from quiet goals of

resilience, the gravity of your

situation pulling you

towards earth

but determination

calling you defiantly upward

till you lay your weary

head in the hammock

content.

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Nitty Gritty Love

Posted | Karisa Moore

We need

Love that sweats, pours

Out humility, serves

Like it’s goin’ out of style.

Love that callouses,

But isn’t calloused, that

Has dirt under the nails, while everyone else

washes their hands

Of you. Love that endures the scars of loss,

Hangs on in darkness, when others hang loose

in light times.

Love that climbs into pits, pulls

us from flames and washes our wounds.

Nitty gritty love that removes royal robes to know

the dust of our humanity!

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Archer’s Paradox

Posted July 16, 2015 | Karisa Moore

On our own, the miracle of belief misses the bullseye.

Our arrogant eyes, religiously taking aim

at flesh, with log or spec setting

off truth’s perfect course to the heart.

And nature reveals the gravity of our sin—friction

setting law against law,

pulling faith to the ground.

Words fail to hit their aim; faulty

and misshapen by the stiff spine of intent,

but, flexing improves our accuracy.

And three fletching feathers (love, faith, and hope)

gives the necessary rotation

So that life doesn’t plane out of control.

And the word hits its mark every time.

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Suicide & Prevention Hotline

National Suicide Hotline

If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call the National Suicide Lifeline at 988 or go to the website at https://988lifeline.org/