Charlie Brown

You live in color only once a week,
Endure in black & white the other days.
The red-haired girl is ever out of reach,
And Lucy always yanks the ball away.
Abjectly airborne, pinwheeled by line drives,
You love and lose an unrequiting game.
A tree snacks on the kites you try to fly.
The dreams your beagle dreams put yours to shame.
What miracle makes your grief good, your AAARGH!
a lama sabachthani of dismay
That yet breathes fortitude to pummeled hearts?
Round-headed saint haloed with quilter's grace,
            Your life's a cockeyed victory you piece
            Together from a scrap bag of defeats.

Eros to Psyche

Your curious flame darts up beside my bed,
your hot spill startles my naked skin.
You want to know everything, I want
the whole bare
splash and blister of your gaze,
the darkness-shattering
flash of your desire.
Here, now, is our time
to know everything, time
for doing it
with the lights on
forever.

Chris O'Carroll is a writer, actor, and comedian. Frequently confused about the distinction between light verse and serious poetry, he does his best to confuse others. His work has been published here and there, and he'd be happy to try your patience with all the details at his website, at http://www.anticdisposition.com.