depth perception… by Toni L.A. Cross

you think you see me

so clear

because you think I let

you near

I’m hiding in plain sight

my dear

the brightest smile and not

a tear

so bravely hiding

every fear

it’s all about how deep

you peer

She Tells No Spoken Lies, by Toni L.A. Cross

she laughs and always smiles

so carefully composed

while secretly, she dies

no one sees her graveyard

in still lurking shadows

deceiving carefree eyes

they do not see her pain

a great and looming past

that clouds all inner skies

plain bliss is on display

they think that all is well

she tells no spoken lies

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Yet another book by its cover…

 

Well, I did it again.

I judged a person based on what I saw.

In my eyes, he was just a lonely, somewhat creepy, unkempt, dirty old man. I couldn’t see beyond his appearance and his roster of questionable jokes, which he likes to use in a pathetic attempt to flirt with females 40 years younger than him.

But the other day, I observed him with someone less fortunate than either of us, a mother and grandmother, watching her child slipping away. And what I saw shamed me to my core.

He reached out to her, listened to her, encouraged her, imparted surprising wisdom, and before he left, told her he would be praying for her and slipped some much needed resources into her hand.

This was a woman that I had never given a second thought.

He perceived what I did not and gave what little he had, just to help her. He didn’t profit from it, there was no real reason for him to do anything…

But he did.

Confessions of an Innocent Murderer

I have been thinking lately about the myriad of hypocrisies in my own little world.

The essence of right and wrong means that one wrong cannot be “wrong-er” than another. All things are equally right or wrong.

Killing someone is wrong. Secretly hating someone is the equivalent.

Stealing a car is wrong. Keeping a CD someone else made of illegally downloaded music is just as bad.

Taking control of someone else’s life by abducting them and exploiting them is wrong. Manipulating someone to get them to do what you want is no better.

But how can that be? How can it be that something seemingly harmless is on par with a horrific crime?

Well, the only difference is how obvious the results of your actions are. You may think illegal downloading hurts no one… but what about all the people effected by not getting their fair share of the music’s proceeds?

You may think that hating secretly only effects you, but what if that person commits suicide because no one bothered to see beyond their faults and love them?

How many people have I killed? How many people have I stolen from? How many manipulated persons fill a slave quarter in my life?

…..Just a thought…….

inside… by Toni L.A. Cross

will you break through this shell

to seek the gold inside?

will you spill me out

to find the treasure that I hide?

what pain must I endure

to melt into what’s pure?

this essence beneath

so guarded and concealed

this glorious worth

waiting to be revealed