May 2006 Submissions

Interlude: Bring Me the Sunset in a Cup

“Bring me the sunset in a cup…” quote the vampire. “Or how about in a bottle, little one?”

The dark-haired infant squirmed in his crib as his papa picked him up. Dakotah situated his small son against his chest and walked out of the nursery, applying the bottle of breast milk and blood to his lips.

Austen grasped at the bottle of pinkish liquid and sucked for all he was worth. Suck. Suck. Sigh. Suck. Suck. Big sigh. The vampire just shook his head and continued out into the living room where the little dhampir’s mama sat waiting.

“What was that you were mumbling back there?” she asked as she took her son.

“Poetry?” Sierra cocked an eyebrow. “A vampire who quotes poetry?” She shook her head. “Now, I really think I’ve seen everything.”

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” Dakotah grinned, doing his best ‘punk’ impersonation.

“Sheesh. What a dork.”

“I’d be careful if I were you, Sierra. This dork has fangs.” He gave her a mock growl.

“Oh yeah. Riiight. Fangs. I think they’re how I got into this situation in the first place,” she lifted the baby outward just a bit to indicate she meant him. “Like I’m sooo scared.”

“Bring me the sunset in a cup,” he began. “Reckon the morning’s flagons up, And say how many dew:”

Sierra raised both eyebrows and looked at her husband oddly.

“Tell me how far the morning leaps, Tell me what time the weaver sleeps, Who spun the breadths of blue!”

“Wow. I’m impressed.”

“It’s Emily Dickinson, and just the first verse. I became enamored of the poem the moment I first read it all those years ago. Nothing has spoken to me quite like these words. It defines a piece of my life that no one quite understands.” He paused and watched her burp their son. “Well, no one that isn’t like me, that is.”

Dakotah walked over and sat beside Sierra. “Please, let me have him again.” Once Austen was nestled quietly against his chest, he went on. “It’s almost like, ‘tell me a story’ and tell me about the day, all you see, all you experience without me by your side. “

“Interesting. So, what brought all this on?”

“I’m not quite sure,” he confessed. “I think it was something about the color of Austen’s dinner.”

Sierra studied her husband for a moment realizing that even after all this time there was still a world of things she did not know about him, and most of which she may never get the chance to discover. That there was more depth to this supposed creature of the night than there was to most ‘deep thinkers’ of her time. She smiled as she wondered what this meant for their child and what kind of man he’d grow to be.

The Ranting of a Mom

somewhere around the middle,

the work is never done,

always a load to wash,

a stack of dishes in the sink,

the cat box needs changing,

a baby is squeezing,

Mommy is pulling her hair out.

is the home work done,

the other holds a fussy toddler.

let the sun go down early

Brandy

What he did for me

the guys I met are afraid of giving

they think love means not living

I know there's someone out there for me

who wants so much more

than just to work my body

in some ancient past

we're condemned to strife

there is no time for love

I knew by the look on your face

that we'd go straight to your place

and this would be a one night stand

but you made me understand

that all you need was to feel my warmth

and my comfort in your arms

and as we laid, the soft music played

I realized you're not afraid to give and live

Genta

Wound/Blood

Crimson streams threading through strands of gold

Gold eyes dull, their shine lost to pain

Metal limbs lay broken, shattered on gray washed streets

Laughing, gleeful violet eyed creature stands tall

Casting a dark shadow over his fallen prey

Then lips drawn in a smirking smile

On a face that often looks like a beloved person

Far off shouts and bullets blasting

Little time to waste

As Envy may not kill his prey

But he will enjoy breaking him

Wound/Blood

Jessa