Two Poems by Rickey Rivers Jr.

THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE

Sun shining through the windows

Birds chirp erratic

Turn on the television

Nothing on but static

Where am I?

Where was I?

Who is this in my bed and why?

My head hurts.

Memory's foggy.

My body's sluggish.

I feel like rubbish.

This has happened before.

This has happened before.

This will happen no more.

No, I've said that before.

I need to brush my face

And wash my teeth.

I would look in the mirror

But I'm afraid of what I'd see.

I'm repeating myself.

Like the days repeat.

I'm repeating myself.

Not caring to eat.

Do I work for someone?

Do I work for myself?

Am I working at all?

Is this all that is left?

Is this feeling right?

When days end and in comes the night

I'll still be here

Or a similar place

A different person next to me

With a similar face

This has happened before

This has happened before

This will happen no more

No, I've said that before.

---

SHEEP

Did you really believe the wool pulled?

Even the sheep look unique with wolf skin.

Eyes under eyes, a once alive coat

Eight limbs approach.

Stance ready, teeth shown, claws protrude

These are not merely sheep.

These are intelligent creatures.

Wearing the skin of those

who dared to cross the shepherd.

Sheep skin coats the skin of the unaware.

A sound of chewing heard in the night air.

---

Rickey Rivers Jr. was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama. He is a writer and cancer survivor. He likes a lot of stuff. You don't care about the details. He has been previously published in Fabula Argentea, ARTPOST magazine, the anthology Chronos, Enchanted Conversations Magazine, among other publications. Check out some stuff from him here: https://storiesyoumightlike.wordpress.com/. You may or may not find something you like there and that's a promise. Twitter.com/storiesyoumight