afternoon walk

Charcoal
A man walks with his grandson on a summer afternoon. They talk about the baseball season. The man's older now than he was when he taught the boy's brother how to play so playing is out of the question but still they can talk and dream.

asleep

Charcoal
Dead of night
Two people sleep in a silence that's only interrupted by the passing cars and occassional train.

at the bar

Charcoal

before the bed

Charcoal
Darkness
silence
Her body silhouetted
by the moonlight

by the lake

Charcoal
They stand by the lake
discussing their lives
as the sun sets and the air around them
grows still and cold

by the window

Charcoal
She sits by the window
covered in a blanket
and feeling the warm morning sun
fall over her

corn

Charcoal

desire

Charcoal
She lies there waiting for him
demanding with her eyes
He’s reluctant to succumb but still
desires touch, warmth, love

The moment hangs in the air

gloaming

Charcoal
The day turns to a deep blue
the moon is out
and the groves turn to
dark masses of mystery

in the forest

Charcoal
A man and a woman gather close
they enter the forest together
arms around each other as night approaches
brave for each other

insomnia

Charcoal
Darkness
Staring into the mirror
am I dead?
is this hell?
Tortured by thoughts
A shadow wandering through existence

into the forest

Charcoal

journey

Charcoal

left behind

Charcoal
She met another
someone who makes her feel more alive
When I’m with you I feel dead
like the blood has run from my body
I’m leaving now
Have a good life
but they had parted long before this
in spirit
body and soul
lingering like ghosts

looking on

Charcoal
He takes his walk
in the afternoon
pausing to watch each person that appears
never talking
occasionally waving
then he goes back
home

looking out

Charcoal
He stares out the screen door
waiting for his friends
for time to play
for his family
to go somewhere
for the mail to come
for anything to change
and so he waits
hopeful always hopeful
for something to change

meeting at night

Charcoal
It was during the middle of the summer
maybe 9:30 or 10
Shot were fired and shortly after
people gather.
Neighbors
their kids
All talking about what they heard
picking up shell casings
gossipping
Waiting for the police to show
so that they can give their reports
and speculate

mourning

Charcoal

nelson lake

Charcoal
To talk about things that
have until now
been unsaid and unknown
regrets lingering
and
time passing by

night walk

Charcoal

night

Charcoal
They stand by the lake
with a palpable distance between them
do you love me?
yes
and they close the gap
becoming another dark mass
in the night

on the lake

Charcoal
They stand holding hands
looking into each other’s eyes
No words are spoken
just the sound of the waves
hitting the shore
and the breeze
blowing through her hair

on the shore

Charcoal
He sees them from the boat
standing on the shore
Longing to join them
but is kept away

reading the paper

Charcoal
There he sits
reading the sporting news
lost in memories
he gently nods off but is shocked
back awake
by the dropping of his head
he goes to put more water on
coffee should help

self portrait

Charcoal

separation

Charcoal
You’ve changed
I don’t love you anymore
Then go
Nothing’s stopping you
What went wrong?
Please
Let me look at you
for a while longer

slumber

Charcoal

springtime

Charcoal
The air is cool
leaves are beginning to grow
cool mornings and cold nights
the snow has melted away

the beach

Charcoal
Evening on the beach
a newly married couple
dip their toes into the sea
and look out at the horizon
getting lost in the waves
of each other

the suicide

Charcoal
It’ll all be over soon
The man sat on the bench
preparing himself for death
to drown his body
like his spirit had been
drowned
by emotions that were
beyond his control

the wayfarer

Charcoal
Travelling on foot
on his way back to no one knows
all of his belongings in his back
he is just another moving shadow
in the dark