Sweet Lies

Sweet lies fall from your lips
like fresh honey, enticing,
creating beautiful, deadly traps
of hardened amber casings.
Creeping into the bedroom at night,
shadow falling against the soft lamplight
leaving a trail of smoky deceit.
Deception looms behind a leering smile,
eyes sparkling pools of poison.
Truth illuminates the landscape
pulling you under into quicksand
produced by your own tongue.
Desperately seeking escape
by flight on liar's wings.
You tell one more delicious lie
then cunningly disappear,
leaving them wondering
if you were ever really there.

The Vulture's Grasp

Carried violently on the winds of life,
huge talons digging into my flesh.
Imprisoned in the ivory tower of society,
released from the vulture's grasp
only to become a mindless slave
to irrelevant addictions and passions.
I roam about my gilded cage
with the vulture as my guard.
I realize now that freedom
is nothing more than illusion.
The bars may be invisible
but I'm held captive all the same.
Oh great and terrible creature,
take me upon your wings, have mercy.
Fly me from this existence.
Free my heart and let it rise beyond
the confines of material existence
to become one with soft, smoky clouds.
A menacing beast to all you seem
but I see compassion in your eyes.
Although your grasp is tight and firm
I feel tenderness in your touch.
For now, I will walk the beaten path.
I know that someday I'll be free.
Then I'll eat forbidden fruit
and turn my spirit loose
to open doors that once were locked
and taste of the primal soup
savoring that which remains,
the remnants left in the vulture's grasp.

Darlene Zagata is a freelance writer and poet. Her work has appeared in several online and print publications including Verse Libre, Wellspring Christian Poetry Journal, Spirithunter, Ascent and Some Words. She is the author of "Standing On The Edge Of Time", a collection of poems. She currently reside in Uniontown, Pa. with her family.

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Email: Darlene Zagata

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