They placed the gloves upon their hands
and a mask upon their mouths,
a sterile environment
to achieve an open mind.
They set a timer
if the time ran past
it’d be accepted
as long as the mind expanded
and the closed off sections
were cut and spread open.
When the cutters were done
the body would be closedminded no longer
although with an open mind
how could they be sure
that their agenda would be fulfilled
how could they be sure that their thoughts
would be the ones this new version would agree with?
A long pause
as the body sat on the table.
“Shit, lets add a few road blocks
just to be sure
we don’t want them to be confused
being totally openminded will leave them open
vulnerable to all the wrong choices
and all the wrong opinions
shit, close it up completely
just make sure our agenda is all that’s left
for we are always right
and they were always wrong before.
-Thanks for reading.
-Temperamentally Tina
Disguised as a wig.
Disguised as a wig
as if the prey isn’t wise enough
to catch on
although they are vain enough
to overlook the truth.
As the wig reveals its claws
the prey chooses not to resist
for resisting threatens
exposure for the preys truth
that beneath the creature
is a bald exterior.
The prey must be adored
and to be adored
it must be beautiful
and to be beautiful
it shall not have blemishes
for the blemishes makes it ordinary
and if it’s ordinary what will set it apart
from the rest?
Thanks for reading.
-Temperamentally Tina
I swear they burrowed in.
I’ll take the thing this way
you take that other thing that way
wait move a little to the left
I don’t want to move to the right
you’ve always been in charge
and I’d like to be this time
look what happened
when I let you guide us through
repeating it’s the shorter way
we will have extra time
as if warning signs
are placed strategically
to keep others out of safe places
right?
no the warning sign was properly placed
and now look at our arms
these things are attached
I swear they’ve burrowed in
and their eyes are protruding from the wounds
they made as they burrowed
quickly and without any courtesy at all
maybe they’ll burrow themselves all the way in
and eat away through our center
and finally I’ll depart of you
the part of me
that ignores commonly placed suggestions.
Thanks for reading.
-Temperamentally Tina
I wrote a poetry book; Can We Sleep Now?
(I am a participant in the Amazon Associates Program and any qualifying purchases made through affiliate links I may earn a commission on at no additional cost to you.)
I recently self published an art and poetry collection through Amazon. For the collection I drew a new creature each night and wrote a reaction to it. I’ve always wanted to write a collection of short stories that connected together. For my first attempt I went with poems rather than short stories.
For the collection I didn’t want to over think it. I didn’t set off with any theme in mind instead I just drew an image and wrote a reaction allowing the poems to connect in their own way. When I draw creature art I often take pen to paper and allow my hands to draw away and at the end I add eyes to areas my mind makes sense of it. I use the process as a way to let go and not overthink everything. I am an overthinker and an over analyzer and often times because of that I’ll quit several pages into an idea. For several reasons among the reasons are self doubt, always thinking this could be more more creative, and a lingering feeling of what’s the point. It’s hard for me to break past that and keep going with a story.
To overcome my self doubt, and a deep seeded control for an idea before I even get several pages in I decided to let go and try an experimentation. In which I spent 32 days drawing and writing a reaction and what ever happened, happened. To be honest the entire process was freeing and the creative ideas flooded out and into other projects I have been working on. On day one I drew the first character and wrote a reaction. The next day as I wrote a reaction it felt fitting that the voice behind the reaction belonged to the creature from day one and from there that creature became the narrator.
Here is a brief description of
A collection of poetry and creature art that will take you on a thirty-two day walk through the narrators world. (The narrator is the creature introduced on day one.) As they navigate their way through a path of creatures they come across. Trapped within their own thoughts and left to interpret each creature they pass during their thirty-two day walk without sleep.
Below is a short excerpt from
Day 1: Can we sleep now?
Day 1: Can we sleep now?
Can we sleep now?
We can’t!
Can we sleep now?
We can’t!
I cannot perform
juggling
all the frantic thoughts
the anxiety
I am overwhelmed!
So I ask again can we sleep now
and a part of me replies back,
Is that what you want
to run freely
to think
to scheme?
I think about it
and I scream
no
I want to rest
even in sleep I can’t stop
juggling
I live for our fears
I live for our pain
I live for our goals
never do I rest
endlessly we walk.
Day 2: This thing has an idea.
“I have an idea!” says the creature.
This thing has an idea.
Am I a police officer now
even worst a vigilante?
Another job to juggle.
“Hey let’s talk about this
lets slow it down!
Sir put that down,
that freakishly large gun.
Is that an eye?
Is it looking at me?
Is it living?
I don’t care,
just put it down walk away.
Look I don’t get it either
that’s not a reason to end it
especially not this way
just put the gun down!”
“I’m too tired for this
blinking lightbulb on your head
this is a very bad idea.
I’d rather be asleep right now,
thanks for keeping me awake!”
Now we got to deal with this
because they are hurting
they are going to hurt others
that sounds fair.
“I said put that thing down!
The art and Poetry collection is available for purchase through Amazon.
(I am a participant in the Amazon Associates Program and any qualifying purchases made through affiliate links I may earn a commission on at no additional cost to you.)
Thanks for reading.
-Temperamentally Tina
The ones chained by their moral limitations.
I’m tired of our fractions
our need to pass the blame
and in one breath speak equality
and in the other spit out shame
any distaste for race
is misplaced hate
and any hate for any country
equates to a simple mind
unable to see past ourselves
and think wow
am I any better?
filled of hate
and distaste
speaking in terms of equality
and I watch movies
that glorify woman
sexually assaulting men
for humor
as if power is our goal
and if that’s true
the ones fighting
will still be fighting
till the end of their lives
because power suppresses
and the ones suppressed
always fight to rise
even if it feels impossible
because we’re all humans
and we shouldn’t be caged
for some bullshit rage
festering inside the elites
in which the elites are simply
the ones running the people
that run the machines
that make what we consume
and they come in all colors
and all sizes
for sinister minds
are encased within all colors
and body types
and I’m always thinking
do they even have the ability to create
or do they simply take from the powerless
the ones chained by their moral limitations?
Thanks for reading.
-Temperamentally Tina
Volunteers will often do.
Placing trust in other humans
entrusting our bodies
and our minds
as if a collective community
can outright simplify our lives
and yet it’s complicated
because in order to create the right formula
they must dabble within endless combinations
researching and testing
choosing who
volunteers will often do
and when there aren’t any?
Thanks for reading.
-Temperamentally Tina
Goosebumps; my body is not a home.
Goosebumps;
what is something supposed to form
within them.
Bursting;
eww the goo is all over me.
What is that,
is it living?
My body is not a home
for those things
it is for me.
Those things festering within.
“Get out,
Go!
Please I’ll say it nicely
and if you don’t listen
I’ll force you out.”
Are the bumps their indicators?
“Get out,
I’ll force you out
I said it before
don’t make me do it.”
Alright if I have to
I’ll do it,
I’ll cut the blade in
and when that doesn’t work
I’ll burn them.
No that’ll cauterize and hold them in tighter.
It is still my skin
it’ll hurt more than it’ll help.
“If your looking to stay
than I need you to be more beneficial.
Get to work
and think with me.”
Thanks for reading.
-Temperamentally Tina
Who is the highest authority?
Who is the highest authority
all these rules
who made them
are they still living
this place of the living
does what the dead has said
losing their tempers
feeling ill mannered
as if dressing proper
will ease the insanity
I’m insane because of these threads
I’m insane because of the brick and mortars
I keep inspiring towards
I hate when you tell me to calm
I hate that I can’t keep my eyes open
and my ears clean
because I’ll lose my temper
if I hear anymore about a smile
and how it’ll brighten your day
if you need a smile to feel that way
then it’s you that needs a change
are we all in service
if we’re all here to fill someone’s needs
then who is that authority
who needs am I filling
I’ll never know their name
living in a small burrow
and realizing were all meant to be the same
democracy is to ease us in
feel as if our needs matter
to keep us
where we already are
pretending that the highest of authority
is open to change.
Thanks for reading.
-Temperamentally Tina
I’d still be alive right?
I’m alive
because I am breathing
I’m alive
because my heart is still pumping
I’m alive
and with that I’m able to think
because my brain is still intact.
What happens if it isn’t?
If I’m comatose
I’d still be alive right?
My brain would still be thinking,
only I’d be dreaming on the constant
and I think does my life then matter
is it better to be asleep
in a world I control.
Is that better than death itself
or is that worst?
That my body sleeps
as the ones I love continue
with a mom on a monitor
and I suppose it’d be best
to pull the plug
for their sake,
and again I suppose it doesn’t matter
because in a sense
I would have already passed.
Thanks for reading.
-Temperamentally Tina
Shall we come up for air?
I bought a rather large tarp
and I had set out to use it
for the intended purposes
although in my own way
as I held on to it I thought
it needs to be bigger
and I looked around
asking for help
buying several more
and with more hands
we stitched several together
and I thought
it needs to be larger
large enough to bury us all under
because as we are sperate in life
fighting to be above rather than below
we all reach death
uniting us all
because humans are never invincible
and as we gather beneath
we look in and out
and realize we fought so hard
stepping upon bodies
and still this is how we end
gathering below tarps
thinking it’s rather nice
without the rain reaching us
but for how long
shall we come up for air
and accept that all shades feel pain
and all shades feel joy
and all shades suffer to be more
and begin to connect
rather than repel each other.
Thanks for reading.
-Temperamentally Tina
Temperamentally Tina 