Possession by Valerie Parente

My dear possessions
have a way of possessing me
inanimate objects
that feel crucial to my vitality
dolls with glass eyes
but no bloodstream
yet I feel them in my veins
charging my heart beat.

I am possessed
by what I see
surrounding myself
with where I find beauty.
It’s not the devil’s magic
it’s creation, it’s Godly,
merging the material world
with my favorite imagery.

Symbols and signs
hieroglyphics from dreams
attaching to the ego
little trinkets, concrete
but someday I’ll go
and I can’t take them with me
the only everlasting possession
will be the love that I keep.

– Valerie Parente (10-18-2025)

Glass Sword by Valerie Parente

Glass sword
fragile
but deadly.

Your words
compiled
like a medley.

Their worth
a battle
of the memory.

When you weaponize
the very things that nearly killed you
you only justify
the suffering you’ve been through.

So lay down your glass sword
you are more than your pain
they say hurt people hurt people
but you are here to break the chain.

– Valerie Parente (4-19-2025)

Godly by Valerie Parente

You
are no more or less real
than any God
that could have created You.

Proof
is that You know You’re real
and nothing
can make that untrue.

– Valerie Parente (2-16-2024)

Afraid To Fly by Valerie Parente

I have these wings
but I’m too scared to fly
so I pluck out each feather
off my arched spine.
I whisper to them,
“You can never be mine,”
as I rip each feather out
then cross my heart and hope to hide.
I’ve always been cautious
too conscientious to try,
I don’t throw caution to the wind
I throw potential aside.
But these wings always grew back
and I started to realize
every time I crossed my heart
you began to cross my mind.
I was scared to death
when I let the wings reside
but I’ll tell you this
I no longer fear the sky.
They say wings belong to angels
but maybe it’s time
to accept I am the savior
who will answer my own cries.

– Valerie Parente (7-14-2023)