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author’s note:
We seem to be metaphor-making machines.
METAPHOR IN THE GRAY SEASON OF RAIN
Yes, I’m caught in the flood
of a cold gray season of rain.
But please, don’t worry about me:
Though sad, I’m not drowning—
I now know how to swim in these waters.
I know I can reach the distant shore.
Yes, I sometimes become tired
in the effort
and feel I might sink.
But then I lie all the way back
and spread my arms out wide
and give myself up
to the hard wash of rain.
Painful to open so boldly
but this way, I’m able to stay afloat.
As you can see
I’ve learned from metaphor
how to survive times such as these.
So please
don’t grieve my grieving.
But if you feel you must
say something
I’ll give you this hint:
I become even more buoyant
when somebody praises my buoyancy.
Butterfly Soul: poems of death & grief & joy
dream steps blog
myth steps blog
you tube channel
© 2026, Michael R. Patton
author’s note:
Did this event actually happen?
Yes. Maybe times. In different ways.
SIGNS OF HIGHER LIFE
As I wait to cross the blaring street
in the glare of a summer’s day
I feel the urge to elevate above
the dull feeling of the mundane.
So I search for signs of higher life—
maybe someone
in this swarming sweating crowd
shines with the beatific beauty
that comes from within.
But in so many faces I find walls.
The same wall I see in my own face
when I spot my image
on the lens of someone’s sunglasses.
Maybe I built that wall to hide
how I struggle to deal
with all the stuff
this life stuffs into our lives.
Suddenly I feel compassion
for all those people
who like me, struggle behind walls.
Overwhelmed
by that wave of emotion
I lower my head
and prop myself against a lamp post.
In the next moment
someone asks me:
Are you alright?
A show of empathy.
A wall has fallen.
For a moment, at least.
Thanks. Don’t worry—I’m quite alright.
I answer.
Encouraged
by the concern of a stranger
then I walk on.
Though my wall only fell
for a moment
in that moment
I found the beauty
of two human spirits
and got the lift I needed
on a glaring summer’s day.
Survival: poetry book
dream steps blog
myth steps blog
you tube channel
© 2025, Michael R. Patton
author’s note:
If laughter is the best medicine, maybe it’s good for me to joke about my pain.
OUCH!
When slogging through
a dark morass of agony
some of us will only say
“ouch”.
By that I mean:
we’ll answer your sincere concern
with a little joke—
understating our pain
in the manner of a cartoon character
toasted to a crisp by a bomb.
Maybe I’m not being honest about
the state of my heart
but to share my burden
would only burden me more
because then I’d worry
you’d worry
much too much
about the state of my soul.
Please, believe me:
I can endure what I must—
if I couldn’t I wouldn’t
be able to limit my cry
to this silly-sad
mouse-like
“ouch”.
What I Learned While Alone: poetry book
dream steps blog
myth steps blog
you tube channel
© 2024, Michael R. Patton
author’s note:
Dedicated to you.
IMPROVING MY VISION
For my own protection
I worked to comprehend
the mad behavior
of the human being
and saw so much
in the course of my investigation—
naturally, I became confused.
So for clarity
I looked to the only person
that could grant me full access
to the heart and head of a human—
I sat down in the shadows
and turned my eyes within.
And felt both amazed and blessed
by the motley bounty I found inside.
But as I understood more
I also understood less:
whatever illumination I gained
was overshadowed
by the expanding mountain of information
I gathered in my inquiries.
I tried hard to sort it all out
but in time, I needed a rest.
So I turned my eyes back out.
I then discovered
my vision had improved
during the turn:
now
when I looked at someone
I often noticed something
I had already seen in myself.
And so it was with you:
As soon as I saw you, I saw
you held quite a lively mix inside
and so I wanted to look deeper.
And so I saw your pain
and so I felt compassion for you
then also felt compassion for myself—
or at least, the part of me
you reflected.
You say you now want to turn away
and look within yourself.
Well, I’ll miss you, but please do—
yes, explore the wonders
of that Universe—
take in until your head spins.
You may become even more confused
but at least you’ll feel empathy for
all those overwhelmed by the mix
who react in spasms of bad behavior.
My War for Peace: poetry book
dream steps blog
myth steps blog
you tube channel
© 2024, Michael R. Patton
Michael Patton
sky rope (subterranean rappel) 