Vamp Cat MagazineTwo 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