Harlinn Draper
May the shadows of your soul be unveiled by the fire in your eyes.
The cold black night envelopes the world, a velvet blanket smothering the light. I walk alone, the rhythmic hum of the distant interstate crys from the a far. In the absence of light, it is sound t...
A boy whose heart knew only the warmth of his father's embrace. Beyond the little boys control, the world had worked a distance between them, stretching for seven hundred miles of sadness and confu...
If I could capture moments like lightning bugs, I would have a jar overflowing with the luminous memories of our time together. Each second with you a joy, where sorrow and rage dissolve in the war...
Following the Arab oil embargo of 1973, a series of investment incentives were introduced to address the rising demand for coal. These measures included exemptions for long-term coal production con...
In a storm that brought the melee within him, he moved with the caution of a man who knew the ground beneath his feet could betray him. The mine field was treacherous, each step a gamble, each deci...
The density in the air seemed to change, as if the world around him was charged with the energy of his presence. His signature look; guitar in hand and cigarette hanging effortlessly from his lips,...
Absoluteness is a state without bounds. Like believing in God without question. It is pure and simple.
In my past, a haunting absence followed me —a void etched by my father's elusive presence. From the tender years of childhood, I yearned for his time, his attention, his love—a craving unfulfilled,...
The night carried the scent of wildflowers, an aroma that mingled with the distant hum of crickets. Beyond the undulating hills, a storm brewed, its thunder rolling across the mountains like the ec...
On a November night in 1993, the Weekly World News splashed a sensational headline across its front page: "Half-human, half-alligator discovered in Florida swamp." The image on the postcard captur...
The mirror murmurs, a subtle weep in the red glow of the digital clock sitting on the bathroom counter. Claire’s reflection leering back at her, a ghostly expression in the unforgiving light. She c...
Violence is brutally beautiful. In both victory and defeat, the mind transcends its limitations, expanding in ways that only conflict can provide. Each encounter with violence becomes a lesson, res...
Breaking through the gates, built by the pain inflicted upon you, is difficult at best. The path is hard-worn, carved from the jagged stones of past anguish. Each step is the silent cries of nights...
Bruised fruit is just that—bruised. It is not rotten. The apple, once bright and firm, may bear the marks of rough handling, yet it still holds sweetness within. The foolish soul might see the scar...
Walking along the beach at night is like stepping into another world. We cross into a dark, dystopian dreamland, where the breeze hums with mystery. A crowd gathers, children running and playing, ...
Before the sun crawls over the horizon, a quiet understanding lies between us, unspoken but felt deep in the marrow of our bones. My best friend, a creature of love and loyalty in a world filled wi...
What’s wrong? Why are you so mad? I am fed up with constantly feeling like there is something inherently wrong with me, when in reality it is the lack of empathy and understanding from others that ...
How does one discern the fractures that run deep within? A facade of false reassurance worn, “I’m good”, obscuring the boiling anger beneath the surface. Love is a distant memory, often replaced by...
He perched upon the creaking porch of the weathered farmhouse, cradled by the cool caress of the night air, a familiar companion. The moon, cast a ghostly veil of sapphire over the cold Kentucky hi...
“One thing bout music, when it hits, you feel no pain.” -Dead Prez
Hold yourself to the pinnacle of your potential. In the shadowed stillness of your inner sanctum, where only you dare to tread, be both your sternest critic and your fiercest champion. If you do no...
We take for granted the ones who love us most, blind to their silent sacrifices until we stand by their graves on birthdays. It is ironic, how we expend our energy seeking the approval of those who...
The legend of Atlantis has fascinated historians, archaeologists, and mystics for centuries. Whether it remains a mere fable or holds buried truths of an ancient civilization, the story of Atlantis...
In the quiet spaces between the words, where the world narrows, that's where friendship lives. Seven years, they say, and it might just last a lifetime. But it's not the years that bind us, it's th...
Understanding oneself and unlocking one’s full potential is a multifaceted journey that requires deep introspection and determination. The premise that to become who we want to be, we must first kn...
In the intricacies of human existence, a shared resentment binds one another, often creating an emotional tether, like welded steel. Dependency is often the most efficient way to draw resentment o...
Love and hate, those feelings, often find themselves as bedfellows in the murky depths of our inner lives. These powerful emotions don't merely coexist; they intertwine, and sometimes clash in a tu...
Like a rabid animal skulking in our collective psyche, sadism creeps around, waiting for the perfect moment to bare its teeth. Ah, the sweet agony! The sadist walks on the tightrope of morality, re...
The desert blankness long and wide, an endless horizon of dust, is the canvas upon which painted my existence. The thin line between earth and sky, where faith determines where your eternal existen...
We are inevitably marching towards the scenes of "RoboCop" and "Demolition Man", where the sci-fi is becoming non-fiction. Almost everything is leaving behind its physical form for a faster, better...
The world will be yours, you will conquer your fears and overcome any challenges. In a perfect world these are the things I hope for you.
My hero wore no cape, had no fame, although he did have superhuman strength. He wore steel-toed Redwing boots, they were extra wide. He worked on trains, and cut the necks from his T-shirts to fit ...
The moment the door blew open, the force of the explosion felt like it had sucked the air out of my lungs. My life flashed before my eyes as an chemical induced ball of flames surged through the sm...
The lines I've been carving in my face with hard living and bad choices form a roadmap of wisdom. I didn’t realize that 40 can look like 60 if you don’t treat yourself right. I say I don’t feel as ...
In the heart of a small town that seemed to breathe with a life of its own, existed a place that will swallow you whole if you dare let it. It was a fate claimed by far too many, including my dear ...