Walking away,
the tattered remnants
of ribbons that bind,
fall to the ground.
A tear escapes
as I watch
the beauty we built together
crumble to dust.
Yet, beneath the sorrow,
a flame burns.
Growing brighter,
it becomes my wine
till I am drunk
with the freedom.
Looking back on the scars
I wore with pride,
a sense of contentment
swallows me whole.
No small regrets,
I will never kneel again.

MiseryTasser
November 9, 2001

In my dream the forest shrank back into its shadows, the land faded behind me like a darkening mirage and riding on the night ocean I saw a ship of glass.

With towers and curving staircases it rose shining above the waves, driven by static winds to the midnight edge of the world.

A solver unicorn stood at the helm.
His eyes glowed amber in the moonrise, his mane blew out behind him like the threads of spun crystal.

In my dream I entered the vessel and climbed to the top of the highest tower.

The vampire has held its place in superstition as long as any other creature. The vampire of today is, for the most part, quite different from the one of ancient times. In researching the vampire lore, I attempted to find out just how different they are. I wondered what people thought of them now compared to yesteryear.

A collection of poetry and prose submitted to VO in 2001.

It happened that in the midst of the dissipations attendant upon London winter, there appeared at the various parties of the leaders of the ton a nobleman more remarkable for his singularities, than his rank. He gazed upon the mirth around him, as if he could not participate therein. Apparently, the light laughter of the fair only attracted his attention, that he might by a look quell it and throw fear into those breasts where thoughtlessness reigned. Those who felt this sensation of awe, could not explain whence it arose: some attributed it to the dead grey eye, which, fixing upon the object's face, did not seem to penetrate, and at one glance to pierce through to the inward workings of the heart; but fell upon the cheek with a leaden ray that weighed upon the skin it could not pass.