Weaker Sex

So, so, yeah he looks 
me up and down 
stop and pause 
while all along 
attempting to prove a point 
A point he doesn't need 
to prove 
Unspoken basic law,
basic rule 
survival of the fittest 
- in his mind 
His gaze stops mid way 
and it tells me; 
- the power of unspoken words
to shut the fuck up 
and sit the fuck down 
in my assigned seat 
My assigned place 
My assigned station 
in this life…
"Female" "woman" 
"weaker sex" "inferior species" 
...the lowest taxonomic rank, 
and the most basic unit 
or category of biological classification 
He doesn't bat an eye 
or shift his weight 
from side to side; 
he has the world as he knows it, 
- by the balls 
With his finger he pokes me 
in the chest as if he has 
some kind of universal right;
he has an innate level of "know" 
Testosterone rises and as his ego soars 
I am convinced I'm looking 
squarely at a little boy 
A moment of pathetic 
maternal awe dances up my spine, 
but only to be lost in a moment 
of complete defiance 
A moment of screw you asshole 
The muscles in my chest begin to tighten 
and I can feel the blood pumping 
from my heart, racing up my neck 
My head pounding, face flushed, teeth clenched... 
- with one symbolic step
I take a stand 
I own my space 
There is a flash of empowerment 
I am in an innate level of "know"
I am a feisty heroine who is
more than a pretty face…

© 2015 TrilbyYates

Beyond The Fog

Early morning light peers through tiny cracks like a private eye - subtle surveillance
Between nightmares and day-dreams there is a harsh sense that shoots across the sky
As reality focuses on the blurred vision of weary eyes and the only time line has spanned the universe
A love that lives in another sphere…what is there after you?
The question lay still and the answers are silent…

For certain, one day follows the next,
      the sun will rise and the sun will set…
      the tide is high and the tide is low…
      the night comes  and the morning goes…

I wake up knowing that there is something more and yet there is no clarity beyond the fog of my own imagination… 

© 2015 TrilbyYates

Aura Of Decadence

There is no time like the present
Keep one foot in the here and now
While the other dangles freely – wind beneath
One hand waves farewell to new comers
The other tips the head waiter with a smirk
Wooden nickels hold a value in this Land of Oz
Like souvenirs at a carnival - children smile
And even though this ghost ship is half empty
Like the champagne glass resting peacefully - aura of decadence
The heart cannot let go of dreams and visions
Plans left incomplete, anniversaries come and go

I will follow…
                  In time,
                              in bitter sweet time ~ 


© 2015 TrilbyYates

Light and Dark

Light and Dark 

(from Windows Of The World 2001, by T. Yates) Complete Piece

Heart aches uncontrollably
I feel very lost
So much of what we knew is in rubble
People pass by with hollow eyes –
They shudder too often without warning
I flinch and hold my breath when an airplane fly’s overhead
Sirens scream and recreate that ghastly moment –
Flashbacks and denial walk hand in hand as if familiar lovers
How does one get beyond such a monumental tear? 
The sound of an intentional ripping is heard in every corner of this city
Where is the dark and light, the tall and short of it all? 
We always played in the shadows – light and dark, our comrades
Now we have nothing to depend on, except uncertainty

To my left is a firehouse
My eyes overflow
I don’t hide my sadness
The candles flicker in the dark
Illuminating the stars and stripes
Our brothers, our sisters, their pictures – 
Images of life gone by, while others remain
Leaving powerful love notes taped to the windows
Begging their God to be kinder next time around

A priest passed by me 
With the arms of the firefighters 
Carrying his presence to the alter
His head fell in an amazingly peaceful pose
His face gentle and calm
A hallow of dust floated around his head like a sorrowful crown
His Rosary still in hand
Angel’s wings in full flutter guiding the soldier
Taking him home

A few months later...

Some of the babies have been born
Bitter sweet rejoices are heard around the world
As cries of innocence take their first hard gasp of breath
The child cries in all of us as it did when the band stopped 
Playing our favorite songs in 1993
The songs repeat and fade in our minds - twirl and dance
In our desperation, we instinctively and frantically 
Reach out to hold the tune close 
As it slips away again in 2001
Our hands linger in mid air for endless moments
Questioning continually questioning...

It’s our dance
Our two-step
The footings never change –
The dark and light of it will lead the way
We will faithfully follow
The blind leading the blind
We will listen as the mute speak for the deaf
The lame take their first steps

Our eyes could have been eternally shut
Voices never spoken
Our cries never heard 
We could have crawled on our bellies 
Out from under the rubble…
We were carried, we walked
We helped one another
We stood in the choking cloud of destruction 
And came to meet the dark
Face to unknown face
Walking in the direction of the beaming light

A beacon in the mist 
Of our own clouded memories
Instantly became clear
As if a God had reached out 
And sent all of us the same map –
Directions to a brighter future
All accepting unconditionally without question
The sheep being led to greener pastures
We walk with our hearts pinned to our sleeve
And share a battered sense of unity...

Trilby Yates, September 2001



© 2014 TrilbyYates 

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