The End Of The Line

 This train runs every year

I've boarded at the beginning

jumped on and off from anywhere on the tracks

and caught the caboose

just as the engine came into the station

And some years

I have missed the ride completely

No matter what the speed it takes to arrive on time

there is nothing

like the sound of the horn blown

to announce the end of the line

Period.

Full Stop.

30-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 73 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 30 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 30 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Cookbook

 I am sick to my stomach

how can I be both

bloated and undernourished

like half a notebook

deliciously satisfied

and desperate to devour

I need ink to drink

and words for meat

but my ingredients are limited

and I've never been much of a cook

But that won't stop me

from holding a notebook

over an open flame

and stirring with my pen

in the hope that something edible

will end up on the page

calming my stomach

and healing my hunger

29-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 72 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 29 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 29 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Close The Book

 My head pounds with words

bashing against the inside of my skull

trying to find their way out

to meaning

to eternal life

and eternal rest

on the page

28-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 71 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 28 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 28 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Followed Through Life By Death

 Death is behind us

from the moment we are born

an unwanted friend

a feared companion

an inspiration

or a stagnation

We all look over our shoulders

hoping we see nothing

or at the very least

see nothing close

Never falters

never changes speed

always steady

So why is it

with my family

every April

Death learns to run

27-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 70 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 27 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 27 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Father died 13-April-1995

Grandfather died 28-April-2000

Grandmother died 13-April-2014

Mother died 9-April-2015

Set Aflame

 A candle burning

from every end

from no end

within

and

without

wax runs

wax congeals

wicks lit

wicks out

scent is strong

scent is black

scent is back again

Where there is burning

there is fire

set me aflame

and burn me down

so long as the smoke

is beautiful

26-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 69 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 26 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 26 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

407 Stolen

 My reason may sometimes be lacking

my logic is occasionally faulty

my meaning once in a while is vague

my creativity

such as it is

empty as the moon is of atmosphere

my truth

is often ugly

and I may borrow inspiration

but what none of those things have ever been

is stolen

Good

Bad

Indifferent

but always

always

mine

25-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 68 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 25 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 25 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Forever Back To The Beginning

 A note

A word

A sheet

A page

A melody

A draft

A poem

A song

A show

A book

A pain

An ass

Attention

from the top

please

24-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 67 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 24 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 24 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Eternity In A Word

 My brain burns and braces

between caffeine and the clock

My eyes are dry from blank paper

desperate for the hydration

only water and ink can provide

and time ticks on

one letter at a time

23-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 66 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 23 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 23 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

A Stitch In Ink

 I try to make a run for it

the finish line in sight

the last one

at the bottom of the page

And that's when I feel it

the cramp in my finger

the pain in my page

and my ink begins to slow

coagulating along the lines

until the words die out

with the echo of my last heartbeat

22-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 65 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 22 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 22 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

A Jumble Of Words Without Definition

 The words for a hundred books

in a pile on the floor

out of order

I line them up

try to make a meaning

out of a mess

when I can't even make poetry

from a pull

21-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 64 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 21 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 21 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Magnetic Poetry

A Distraction Without A Difference

 What are you

but another fantasy

for frantic fingers to use

in an attempt to set fire to flesh

with nerves long burned away

by the wrong kind of heat

20-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 63 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 20 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 20 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Crushed

 Of books and broken dreams

dvds and lost decades

What to do

when both your mind

and your knees

buckle under the weight of time

19-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 62 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 19 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 19 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

One Last Time (After 16)

 

I now live in a dark mirror of us

You are the voice in shadows

the song in head

the music trapped in my soul

How do I pull the pearl that is you from my heart

so I can finally bleed out on to the page

one last time

for us

18-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 61 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 18 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 18 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "Love Never Dies" (2011)

Ben Lewis as the Phantom

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended

Priceless Black Pearl (16 of 16)

 

Her first kiss

made this broken child a man

Her second kiss

broke the man's heart

I couldn't threaten

I couldn't even adore

I could only love her

for all that she is

all that she isn't

with all that I am

And I knew the price

I let her go

but kept her kiss

a pearl tucked away in my black heart

hidden as I must now hide

so the world will never find me

Alone with only the memory

of a moment

in her love

16-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 60 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 16 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 16 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera At The Royal Albert Hall" (2011)

Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom, Sierra Bogess as Christine

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, with no profit made, and no offense intended

Saved Damnation (15 of 16)

 

I had never thought of him

anywhere else

than in my shadow

in my voice

and in the darkness down below

Who broke this child in a grown body

How can I show him

a lifetime of care

in a moment

For the first time

I see him

not a spirit

not a monster

but truly as he is

a lost boy

desperate for what he barely understands

and what he doesn't know how to give

My first kiss was full of fear and sympathy

The second was simply because I wanted to

I finally saw love in his eyes

and my soul cracked

16-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 59 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 16 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 16 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera At The Royal Albert Hall" (2011)

Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended

To Catch The Conscience (14 of 16)

 

I'm trapped in his play

performing for an unaware audience

I struggle as I hear his words

so filled with desire

even as they come out of another's mouth

I feel his hands on me

and

heaven help me

when I sing

I sing for him

I sing to him

From a dark depth inside me

I reach for him

and discover

I have him in my arms

I lift his safe cloak of darkness

bringing him into the cruel light

There is no forgiveness

for the hell

I am about to send him to

15-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 58 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 15 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 15 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera At The Royal Albert Hall" (2011)

Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended

The Play's The Thing (13 of 16)

 

Before an unknowing audience

while I am hidden in a cloak of darkness

I will profess my desire for her

in the dark ways I am terrified

and desperate 

to speak as myself

I will touch her

feel her body beneath my hands

her breath quicken

as she leans into me

She will not recoil in revulsion

she will respond in the same carnality

seducing as she is seduced

With my words in her voice

and her hands on me

the acted lie will merge with reality

creating a truth between our flesh

and on that

we can build a lifetime

14-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 57 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 14 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 14 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera At The Royal Albert Hall" (2011)

Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended

Death And Desire (12 of 16)

 

Surrounded by death

as close as I can be to what's left of him

I pray and plead to a memory

a name carved in stone

He promised

he promised heaven sent

yet only

a beautiful Hades arrived

After emptying my fears upon the cold rock

I hear a warm voice

quiet

distant

until it is all around

Has the promise finally been kept

Am I safe

held in white wings of song

or are those black feathers I see

embracing me

And why don't I want to run

13-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 56 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 13 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 13 of 30 CampNaNoWriMo2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera At The Royal Albert Hall" (2011)

Sierra Boggess as Christine

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended

A Debt In Death (11 of 16)

 

Forever trapped in mourning

she goes to ask questions

of one who can never answer

In an attempt to comfort as he left

he opened a door in his child's mind

that I as able to walk through

In debt to a man I can never repay

I will give her the music death didn't leave him enough time to give

I will giver her more song than she can stand

and I will protect his child

I will care for the girl she became

I will have the woman she is

And she will want for nothing

but me

12-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 55 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 12 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 12 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera At The Royal Albert Hall" (2011)

Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended

Fighting The Fall (10 of 16)

 

I created a voice in her

that inspired adoration

My soul

in her song

Now I hang from heaven

about to fall

as I hear her ask for

all I have been waiting to give

from another

She is my passion

I deserve hers

She will see only me

She will hear only my music

She will accept only my hand

around her heart

11-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 54 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 11 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 11 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera" (1923), Lon Chaney as the Phantom

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended

Triumphant Locks (9 of 16)

 

The shadows have been silent

The mirror holds only one image now

The only dangerous desire

is in my fading dreams

A celebration

operatic in its excess

and I see him

hiding everywhere

behind everyone

Until he is

flesh and bone and blood red

with more than a song

to ensnare us all

He pulls me

and I answer

for in all the silence

I never unlocked the chains

between us

10-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 53 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 10 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 10 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera" (1982 musical)

Michael Crawford as the Phantom

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended

Face To Face Nowhere Near (8 of 16)

 

I have wanted to see him

I have wanted to know him

for so long

His face was a Pandora's box

I should've left buried in his eyes

His song

once seducing

now slashed my skin

and my heart

as the vision of him

thankfully blurred

behind tears

Until he moved from

dangerous

to desperate

pleading 

for purchase

begging

not to be lost

9-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 53 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 9 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 9 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera At The Royal Albert Hall" (2011)

Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended

So Far No Matter How Close (7 of 16)

 

She gave me her trust

then uncovered the deception

All the beauty I wanted to show

sullied by cruel nature

and childish curiousity

My voice

no longer heaven sent

but hell spawned

lashed out all the torments of my life

onto her

Until brutal

became begging

became silence

She handed me pity

I hid behind it

She spoke not a word

8-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 51 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 8 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 8 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera At The Royal Albert Hall" (2011)

Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended

Hidden In Song And Trust (6 of 16)

 

He takes my hand

touching at last

Face to face

yet he still hides

What could he fear from me

His eyes speak of

menace

madness

and more

I desire

more

His voice

a dark embrace

I return

with my trust

For what could I have to fear

from one with such a heavenly song

7-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 50 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 7 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 7 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera" (1990)

Charles Dance as The Phantom, Teri Polo as Christine

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended

The Whole Of The Sound (5 of 16)

She trembles as she takes my hand

Connection at last

She first drew me to her 

with her voice

It is now my turn

to sing for her

To seduce her into the world we will share

She leans into me

and touches that which must remain hidden

I will take that trust

and bind her to me with it

I will take all that she has to give

and be all that she could ever want

She is the sound of my soul

I must be the whole of her heart

6-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 49 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 6 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 6 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera At The Royal Albert Hall" (2011) 

Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended

Mirror Images (4 of 16)

 

I sang only for him

until tonight

My voice

for the first time

was for others

They heard me

they heard him

they felt us

Hands of thunder filled the air

but could not drown out the whisper

of the one I wanted to make proud

Until attentions unwanted angered him

Not tonight

no anger tonight

Revelation of our voice

 must be followed by revelation of our souls

heaven sent

and earth bound

Finally

we are

5-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 48 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 5 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 5 of 50 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera" (2004)

Gerard Butler as the Phantom, Emmy Rossum as Christine

Image used without consent, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended.

Risk Choice (3 of 16)

 

I've gone as far as I can

alone in the shadows

For her hand

I must risk the cruel light

For love

she must follow me into the velvet darkness

A dream

desired and dreaded

is awakening

Will the music

fill the black holes

of this man

and be enough for her

to care not as a child 

but as a woman

She has given me her voice

The rest I will take

one soft

unrelenting

note at a time

4-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 47 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 4 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 4 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera" (1925)

Lon Chaney as the Phantom, Mary Philbin as Christine

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended.

The Promise (2 of 16)

 

The cruelty of death took my last childhood love

and left me alone in a world with only the echo

of his music as comfort

Until he kept his word

and his promise became manifest

A voice in the dark

filled with warmth, protection, and instruction

touched me and held me

lifted me to the edge of heaven

with song

Sent with love

yet always in shadow

heart open

all else hidden

when I hear him

I shiver with something earthly

and cannot deny him

all that I am

3-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 46 of 100 #The100DayProject2024

Day 3 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 3 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera" (2004) Emmy Rossum as Christine

Image used without permission, with no credit taken, no profit made, and no offense intended

Become Mine (1 of 16)

 

I could hear you

caught between girl and woman

heart untrained

mind opened by grief to darkness

I saw you

skin as shimmering as the sound of your voice

face as flawless as any fantasy

I listened to your prayers

and out of the night I whispered

a little lie

heaven sent

(not fallen)

You embraced my shadow

until my song became yours

became ours

Now it is time

now is the hour

ours is the magic

mine is the power

2-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 45 of 100 #The100DayProject

Day 2 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 2 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024

Image from "The Phantom Of The Opera" (1925), Lon Chaney as the Phantom

Image used without consent, with no profit made, no credit taken, and no offense intended.

Two Sided Desire One End

 A harlequin of two-faced desire

one burns white

one burns black

A two headed coin

dowsed in fire

Each turns time to ash

The allure of difficulty

the allure of ease

When the flames of forever

have turned all choices to smoke

what will it matter

and who will it matter to

1-April-2024

Tressa Lee Breen

Day 44 of 100 #The100DayProject

Day 1 of 30 NaGloPoWriMo2024

Day 1 of 30 CampNaNoWriMoApril2024