I Think I got It Right This Time

At times, like these, I imagine an escape.
Escape, grab your hand, and fly.
Fly, not fall, soft into the present.

For at present moment I am in bliss.
Bliss as a well-kept house cat.
'Tis true, I await your return.
To purr and nestle against your side--
Patiently, 'tis true, I await your return.
To undulate under your firm pet.

Perhaps I am your canary?
Happily I'll wait in my cage
Till you lift my cover sheet and I can sing in praise
Of thee--

Let's fly to the present.
Yes, be here in the present.
Presently for me, ne'er would I believe, at present, I could wax whimsical words about you--
All the while, all the better.

I know why the caged bird sings.
I know why some burn effigies.
Because all this Damn distance is oh-so real.

Untitled

A long time ago I though you loved me.
A long time ago I though I loved you.
Maybe we forgot?
Maybe we never stopped?
I really need to know--Is it time that I let go?
Or give it one more shot?--"Funny," said the pan to the pot.
This is neither fun nor game--Truly, it's my life.
My mountains call my name--Her gentle whisper tames
The fire sign within me--the incessant wild flames
Tames me to a tea-light flicker at the end of a sweet wick,
This is neither fun nor game--Truly, it's my life.

Effortless

She's so effortless, she doesn't even know—
Keeps me coming back for more,
Keeps me knocking at her door.
She's so effortless, she doesn't even know—
Her gaze is where it's at,
She sways like a tabby cat.
She's so effortless, she doesn't even know—
I don't know what to do,
But I know I'm into you.

Isle of Sappho

How do I tell you I want to see you naked?

How do I let you know I want to take off your clothes?

I’m curious of your femininity—

The shape of your breasts,

The scent of your hair,

The taste of your lips—

So sweet to kiss.

How do I tell you I want you?

This feeling’s so new—

I’ve never liked a woman the way I like you.

In typical fashion, I bare myself to paper.

Pen as my witness, I desire your flesh.

End Notes

And now we resort to name-calling.
And how I've turned from brat to bitch—
And how you've turned from daddy to ditched—
I suppose I've finally grown up.

Confessions

Wow, so amazing
So amazing you are
You are with your pretty red hair
Your pretty red hair and your rosy red cheeks
Your rosy red cheeks are lovely enough to eat 
— 
I love to eat.

Private Message

Tell me all in a single kiss.
Do you love me?
Do you need me?
Do you lust me?
Do you see me?
Tell me all in a single kiss, or forever hold your peace.

Viscera

What do you look like inside yourself?
Where are the scars you bare?
What are the things you try to hide?
When you look inside, do you cry?
What do you look like inside yourself?
What is it that you fear?
What do you look like inside yourself?
I think you know your fears.
--
Bare yourself, bare your soul--
Naked, exposed to the unknown.
Look at yourself from the inside, baby--
Look to see who cares.
--
I want to see inside of you,
Feel inside of me.
I want to feel inside of you,
Learn what makes you real.
--
The sight of you, inside of me
What makes you real?
What makes me feel?

These Days

These days I have only 10 minutes to write.
These days I cannot put up a fight.
These days I am not willing to lose.
These days I cannot pick or choose.
These days I barely recognize my life.
These days I remember I was almost a wife.
These days I feel rather confused.
These days I think I acted too soon.
These days I know I did the right thing.
These days I know I am ready to win.
I love you.

Wonderful Someone, You

I know this someone wonderful—

Really, it’s a shame.

This someone is too wonderful—

You all probably know someone quite the same.

The sort that is so wonderful—so beautiful and deep—

Who dips down far into your soul—

Who grabs it and runs for miles and miles—miles and miles—

Miles until it’s hard to stop—

You’ve chased so far and you want your reward.

But, your reward was already there to start.

Your reward is the years you’ll be parts of a whole.

At least I hope.

You’re the best in so many ways.

And you’re right, it’s what’s in between the fucks and sucks, sweet friend.

Between is where your Wonderful does play.

Knowing

To know what it means to desire—to yearn.

To know what it means to hate—to loath.

To know what it means to use—to exploit.

To know what it means to lust—to crave.

To know what it means to fail—to lose.

To know what it means to try—to endeavor.

To know what it means—so fuck me, please.

I know what it means—or part of it, at least.

I know what you need—you need to feel me.

I know what it means—we’re weak and carnal.

I know what you need—I want it, too.

I know what it means—I’ll fuck you, too.

I know what you need—at least I think.

I know what it means—we’re using each other.

I know what you need—use me, please.

I know what you need—use me, please.

I know what you need—use me, please.

To know what it means to be pathetic.

To know what it means to be hurt.

To know what it means to be desperate.

To know what it means to be destitute.

To know what it means to be nothing.

To know what it means—I know what it means.

To know what it means—you know what it means?

To know what it means—I know what it means.

I know what you want—you want to forget.

I know what you want—you want to cum.

I know what you want—you want to feel.

I know what you want—you want to leave.

You know what it means—it means I’m your slut.

You know what it means—it means you’ll get what you want.

You know what it means—it means the feeling is mutual.

You know what it means—it means you’re my slut.

You know what it means—it means you’re my toy.

You know what it means—it means we’re made for each other. For now.

Blue Skies Burlesque Dreams Up Desire

The "strange beauties" of Blue Skies Burlesque

            What is it about a woman’s bare back that intrigues imagination and rouses desire? How about glances of a woman’s upper thigh peeking through black gauze or jewel-studded breasts delicately draped with red tulle? Audience members saw all this and more at Blue Skies Burlesque’s opening night performance of “The Dreaming” at the Magnetic Field on August 17.

            Cherry-Oh, a former Bootstrap Burlesque member, masterminded the troupe, including Odessa Dawn, Lacey Lyons, Shotgun Kelly, Ahnyae, Tony Bravo, Ginger L’May and stagehand Insomnia Djangle. The performance opened with a short introduction from a craggy yet loveable Jim Henson-esque puppet host named “the Sandman” and quickly began with a tantalizing strip tease from Oh, Dawn and Lyons as the Memory Trio.

Cherry Oh

            The show started at 10:30 p.m. and boasted a full house of onlookers eager to behold the “strange beauties” of Blue Skies Burlesque. The show’s title, “The Dreaming” comprised eight decadently devious dances, each inspired by a dream. The second dance was “The Erotic Dream,” a solo performance by Shotgun Kelly. The stage was prepared with thick bushes of crimson tulle, with Kelly encapsulated in the center of the fleshy material.

            Kelly, adorned with jewels and curled ram horns jutting from her head, delicately pushed against the tulle with her arms and legs as if an unborn deity tucked inside a celestial womb and preparing for her birth. Kelly’s lean, ivory body and long limbs glowed in contrasted to the ruby hue of the lacy tulle.

            When she finally found her way out of the gentle netting, the entrails of tulle transformed into an impressive boa that Kelly wrapped around her mostly nude body and sensually danced about the stage.

Shotgun Kelly

            The third routine, titled “A Possession Dream,” equally captivated the imagination with Ahnyae’s darkly seductive belly dance performance to Marylin Manson’s Goth-metal cover of “Sweet Dreams.”

            The serpentine dancer shifted and shimmied across the stage, demanding the audience’s attention with her exotic face and movements. A scimitar balanced on the crown of Ahnyae’s head further complimented the precise undulations, pops and glides of her body.

            Next up was a bewitching dance by Cherry Oh.

            Titled” A Flying dream,” Oh’s routine incorporated sensual belly dancing and graceful pole dancing that enchanted the audience with demonstrations of strength and feminine beauty. Oh, dressed in a layered point skirt of gauzy noir and aubergine panels, hoisted herself to the top of the slender metal pole a number of times in feats of aerial wonderment as she skillfully balanced her body and twirled around on the phallic post. The combination of fluid belly dancing and bursts of pole climbing guided the audience through a twilight flight across a dark and erotic dreamscape.

Odessa Dawn sporting a red head

            After a brief intermission, Odessa Dawn resumed the stage with her performance, “A Nightmare.” The blue-haired vixen donned a silver sparkled skull mask and performed a delightfully macabre dance, eviscerating delicate lace guts from inside of her before removing her mask and clothing to reveal her supple body but for skin-tone pasties and a thong.

            Before Dawn’s act, the stagehand prepared a black tarp-lined corner with a very large goblet filled with red substance placed on top of it. Dawn’s final deed consisted of her pouring the goblet red goo upon her illusionary nude body and rolling around in it like a sultry slip-and-slide of blood.

            Lacey Lyons graced the stage next. Wrapped in an emerald tulle skirt, Lyons strutted to a swaggering rockabilly nugget. Her voluptuous form bounced rhythmically to the primitive rock rhythm until the music stopped—literally—and replacing the rock ‘n’ roll jangle was Flight of the Bumblebee. Lyon turned to a rushed madwoman trying to twirl out of her skirt until—back to the swagger.

Lacey Lyons

            Lyons resumed her cool and her strut and looked damn good until the music stopped, again, and a frenzied can-can melody took over. Lyons took pair after pair if panties off in an equally frenzied hurry until the sexy swagger resumed. The playful tease offered a lighter tone to the previous dark and sultry performances.

            The seventh act was a duet performance by Tony Bravo and Ginger L’May titled “The Fever Dream.” Bravo, dressed like a 1950’s traveling sales man, falls into a sexy slumber where L’May seduces him into a hot fever of desire. Quite fitting, the duo danced to the song “Fever.”

            While the duet was a sexual and playful bit, Bravo’s mannerisms fell a bit too heavy on the “hey guy’s I’m getting laid tonight” attitude and casted a campy and typical feeling to the routine. And, when Bravo’s pants final came off, I think it would have been in better taste to see him in something other than a jock strap. Just sayin’.

            The final act was “The Future Dream,” with Oh, Dawn and Kelly disguised in white boar, elephant and lion masks, respectively, and clad in white pearlesque g-strings and pasties. In their anthropomorphic forms, the women danced like primal beasts, with their hands contorted like claws and their spines rolling and undulating like wild women casting a spell around a cauldron.

Tony Bravo gets pampered with a shave and a hair cut

            Soon the lights went dark, and a black light illuminated the trio’s white masks and clothing, and brought to vision smeared streaks of ultraviolet striating the women’s bodies. As the women left the stage, they removed their animal masks and the other performers came out to take a bow and accept their ovations.

            Overall, Blue Skies Burlesque nurtured some seriously positive vibrations with their maiden performance of “The Dreaming.” The troupe performed again on August 18, and they’re putting on a second weekend performance Aug 24 and 25 at the Magnetic Field; tickets are $15. Oh has plans on touring her troupe in the future, so you can keep up with Blue Skies Burlesque on Facebook or on their website at www.BlueSkiesBurlesque.com.

            People love seeing a woman —or a man—take off almost all of her clothes. Burlesque’s relentless beauty is the art of the tease and of the fantasy, and its powerful intrigue steams from what still remains unseen. The strange beauties of Blue Skies Burlesque will, hopefully, continue to captivate curious crowds in their future dreams.