By Linda Burnett Covert glance. Late to leave. Mustn’t flinch. Mustn’t crack. Gone at last. Something’s off. He suspects. He must know. Almost done. Suitcase packed. Uber booked. Must keep cool. Landline rings. Checking up. No-one knows. Had enough. Make a break. Don’t look back. Pray I’m safe, won’t be tracked.                                            #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Philip Youden signature carved in hesitant flesh agony & ecstasy have the same effect sharp gasp or snap of a switchblade intemperance carved in tender flesh body trembling to a lover's reflection intensive glare from a lustrous edge delirium carved in yearning flesh agony & ecstasy have the same effect   #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Julie Shackman Wizened heart, Its black ash, Bleeding contradictions, Pomposity and entitlement, While I searched for answers, To why your narcissist poison, Tried to rob me of my optimism.   Your dark deceit and river of lies, Stand testament to your foul soul, An ugly, twisted monument, Bathed in bitterness and resentment.   #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Redde Michaels Memory fades out from behind the lens where shutter sounds capture light to file away for the rainy days.   Echoes of laughter decay when not caught midair they leak through my hands sand on the wind as I try to bottle the remains.       #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Glen Wilson He is moonlit blue, contact-graph-paper wings, tapered asymmetrical weights for limbs, the foolish look burnished when aerial, what each of us worship is seldom simple. For woven in each wing, is a map of rivers the heavens wept, seams burdened, criss-crossed with beauty and risk.       #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Sumaira A Silence expands between us, A black hole's sucked me in - To its vacuum, infinitesimally small, In an utter spin.   I dust off your marble-esque curves, Recalling inner aloof, Thinking together was forever, Eyes meeting the truth.   Nothing lasts forever, This graveyard communicates, Infinite is nothing, Not even regrets of mates. #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Doug Jacquier Your healing, seemingly random, barely understood, as you intend. Finding that fluttering life muscle behind my dead eyes, you palpate gently until wisdom’s heartbeat returns These words, these iron filings of my secret armour, seek your magnetic orbit and the grace of your embrace.   #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By J. Sawyer The poet: Defined by a mockery of feelings, Pretension holds him back, From feeling - Anything at all,   Make it into verse, Create something from normalcy,   Then -   Die, Unknown, forgotten, In dusty tomes, With no folded pages.   #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Bethany Jade McDonnell It comes in waves, they say— not the kind that kiss your feet. No, these waves devour.   They wear faces: a song, a scent, memories before the storm.   They come at 3am. In silent screams, dreams turned nightmares.   A whisper of water, but it’s a tempest waiting to drown you.   #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Ella Alsop To some, love is giving someone your heart,  and trusting they won’t break it.   I am praying that you will.    That when you’ve grown weary of it.  When it loses its shine.   That it means enough to you,  to gently take it-   and shatter it.    I won’t have the strength.   #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Mike Everley I'm just a footnote in your life's story. An afterthought. A parenthesis. Written in feint, low case.   #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Maddox D. Nash I feel blood-wet burns on my wrists, thick metal shackles my neck, behind the gag, copper-vomit sick, jaws stiff, stench of death and danger, thick invade my tear- traced nostrils, and waft over my bare breasts.  Cement-heavy eyelids lift, unfocused-  Darkness,  except yellow eyes glowing, growing closer.    Does God still exist ?    #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Préachán Ice cream Soft scream Summer street Harsh brakes Van shakes Running feet Blood red Pavement Mother's cries Ice cream puddles Child dies Oil smell Hot sun Sirens scream Small soul Called home Summers day Angels gather Tinny song Fades away Heaven bound Soft cloud Like ice cream       #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Kia Maggie It’s an odd one. A fence guarding nothing yet standing proud existing.   Soaked from lashing absorbing personality - Everyone’s favourite. Everyone’s favourite.   Hands pass over to feed greedy paws makes for heavy limbs   and staying rooted in the spot that more points to pointless than   well, pointless.     #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Roseeroe A cup of coffee costs £3.65  Another heartless transaction to keep myself alive It's not love  But it's enough     #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Isabel Mya I like silence when I’m overwhelmed and feel like I can’t breathe; I like silence during migraines, or if I can’t fall asleep.   I like silence when it’s life or death and no news is good news; I like silence while I’m writing, not after I say “I love you”.     #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By H. E. Ross I lie in a gutter on a rainy night with sewage water streaming along my face in neon reflections and a bent cigarette butt jaggedly finds its course toward my face. I cannot move and the butt touches my nose, then lips and runs on by in a twirl.       #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Shawn Galvin Sink Moon, Sink beyond dark mountains, After sailing an ocean of stars. All night captaining my dreams-- Awash in silvery moonlight. Pale, twisting limbs, Excite my mind, Until awakening to dawn’s breath. Wind becomes Only thrashing branches. Leave me now! Awake and forlorn, Empty as the sun’s shadows.     #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By Danny Neff abandoned alone without friends no home   no place don’t belong a mutt just a stray   unwanted afraid scared shied away   without empty broken done   no tears not crying used up and none.     #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge

By The Bard of Grism Knocked … on a strangers’ house: offered a carpet cleaning’s FREE preening .   Invited in, with my vacuum… them  prepping fish, for steaming.   Smashed  the victims unconscious. Slammed  each into seating. Slitting  corotids and jugulars I vac’d their entire   blood supplies  out .   Took that  home, for Black Pudding making;   also, some Trout.     #darkpoetsclub #smallspacedeepimpact #50wordchallenge