TWO POEMS
BY SANDY SUE BENITEZ


THE NIGHT

He never sleeps.
A chronic case of insomnia
heralds hours of people watching.

Behind closet doors and open blinds,
he watches mommies and daddies,
children and pets

sleeping comfortably in their beds,
oblivious to the presence
of a guest who stayed too long.

Breathing in their dreams,
he absorbs the drama of emotions
that feed his futile existence.

Then, regurgitates the bones
into half-opened mouths
slowly choking on nightmares

they expel when daylight arrives.

+ + + + +

TECHNO SAFARI

Walking with hesitation
into another day
the dark hallway
just around the bend
calling my name
to partake
in another techno safari
where workers are the game
and the hunt never ends

Word repetition
in horizontal and vertical lines
resignation
behind the dour grey door
where paperwork
paper cuts
run rampant
spilling ink and blood
onto the concrete floor

Kona coffee pervades the space
concealing the odor
of monotony and lost time
where life drifts
into ventilation shafts
consumed into the bowels
of the beast

She never sleeps
but continually eats
thriving on the silent sighs
and languid daydreams
of her prey
where invisible tears
cling to taut cheeks
that haven’t smiled
since yesterday’s sunrise

And still they return
carrying hope in a satchel
alongside peanut butter and jelly
theirs is a blue-collar story
a contract written on bone
in black ink and misery
above the dotted line
a life signed away


Author bio:

Sandy Sue Benitez's poetry has appeared in numerous online journals such as Scorched Earth, Ken*Again, Thick With Conviction, Defenestration, Zygote in my Coffee, Words-Myth, Falling Star Magazine, Chantarelle's Notebook, Tipton Poetry Journal, The Orange Room Review, Killpoet, La Fenetre, Mastodon Dentist, Unfettered Verse, and Lily. Sandy resides in Wyoming with her two hyper children and darling husband. Her first book of poetry, Ever Violet, by DN Publishing, is out and available for purchase by contacting the author at SandyB1070@aol.com.