Sitting at the Bar

Watching as he pressed and squeezed liquid from the bag.

It's amazing how you can tell someone's

experience in life just from the look of their skin.

How much age, how much sun has kissed it,

the literal scars the world has physically declared on.

Veins are nothing like laugh lines.

They map out the body with life.

Skin becomes more fragile,

as if we aren't fragile as it is.

His lackadaisical eyes and firm gaze 

compliment his sharp shaped facial hair

with whatever "look" he seems to be going for

~Tina Meeks

Melting Ice

Yesterday was the first time

you said you've loved

Grim face and emotionless tone

as if you've said it a million times to exhaustion

but owning it

Just before tilting a glass to your lips

and letting the ice cubes fall

with just enough time to allow

the ice to melt and leave a wet kiss

It looked like a resurfacing battle wound

~Tina Meeks 

Embodying Color

I am burnt orange

I am the forgotten rage with glowing beauty

The sultan of caress

Power of space

I am warm radiance creeping

through the cracks of doors

that dare not let me in

~Tina Meeks

Small Town Kid

Holding still with knees tucked in

Sleepy, stoned eyes

On the verge of dreams

The road to nightmares

The midst of reverie

How ever it may seem

This kid has compartmentalized all of it

to fit in such a small space,

as if life before now is easy to erase

He's gone now,

and he took that white hoodie with him

to wander into warmth

~Tina Meeks

Another Adventure

Glancing, then double-taking

at the dirt on my hands

After climbing the ladder to the roof,

realizing there was a fire here

but seeing the top was worth the risk

One time with a cushioned fall,

 I lost my spirit in a foam pit

with a mild scent of age and time

But the adventure is always worth it

~Tina Meeks

A New Friend

Embers crackle in her eyes

Passionately killing with kindness

Body building and already at the top

She's at her prime and smiles easily

and understands conversation well

~Tina Meeks

Spittin'

I'm tired of bogus poets

claiming potency

I'm more tired of haters hatin'

stories of "whoa is me"

Sometimes, that's just poetry

The rawest thing

Opposite of flawlessly

~Tina Meeks