​Amy Waugh

A Measure of Loneliness

A hand smoothing

Searching

Across the place

Where he used to lay

And then

Further still.

The Branding of a Kiss

There should be warnings for dangers like this,

the terrible, beautiful branding of a kiss.


Sudden starburst of emotion, ecstatic bliss,

a drug-laced need all in haste.

This terrible, beautiful branding of a kiss.


To stop meant to miss

the secret thrill and epic taste

of the terrible, beautiful branding of a kiss.


All-consuming lust, this kiss

her inevitable fall from grace.

All for the terrible, beautiful branding of a kiss.


There truly should be warnings for dangers such as this:

the terrible, beautiful branding of a kiss.

Panic

Darkness descends,

covering the body slowly

starting at the head.

Bit by bit,

the eyes first, then the nose.

Air rushes out

but not back in again.

It escapes,

from a throat squeezed shut,

like a cord pulled tight.

There are jerks and jolts,

then sudden stillness.

An immortalized scream

unsounded, until light

shines in and then

I can breathe again.

Fear

Sweaty palms,

Stomach churning,

Gooseflesh rising,

Leaden feet,

Eyes darting,

Left to right,

Right to left,

Only empty space.

Shuffling feet,

Freefall,

Rushing wind,

Weightlessness.

Nothing.