Two lovers canoodling in the woods along the path whilst I run past,

They, embarrassed, disentangle

Having canoodled my way into conundrum so many times, and wishing that I'd known that which I now do,

I would love to tell them to not
let
    go,

instead, (hold tighter still)

For I am but a stranger, anonymous, fleeting, passer by

And there are far too few moments of (embrace)
in dappled morning sunlight  breath
                                       Beside tall oak trees,
to let a few
            foot
                 steps create, so much alarm so as to
lose each
other

I would tell them

when beauty's found, no matter where,
hold on, gaze fixed-and-deep
into its eyes, and declare
that this life time, there will be no interruptions;
steadfastly defend the moment;
ignore all else that beckons,
as so much will
phantoms all
and take arms against that which would otherwise intrude

No passerby, or gilded path should draw you from this place,
this
depth

you must not allow that to come to pass

For, in the final accounting, years from now perhaps, the two lovers will lament having disregarded a moment enraptured, for but a passerby -

I would love to tell them all of this,

but I’ve long since run passed them,

just a passerby

Such exquisite irony

that a will so free,

makes choices

that cost so much

And yet,

all the beauty lies

in the will to try yet again,

to do better

Because I know

There is nothing that you would not give

many sunrises have past and finally
the demons have found their rest such that
I can once again appreciate-

the shattered glass, blood red wine
MDMA on the patio
You, before you broke into a thousand pieces
Brilliant sunrises
forgotten revelry
All those naked people we never really knew
Tearing at ourselves
Beauty, purple like bruises  
Black out curtains
gnashing teeth
nail torn skin
Losing you, finding myself
All before the appetizers arrived


At 99, my grandmother told me the only regrets she had
were the things she never did

she would have loved all the tourniquets and lace

This was your plan; never mine
to leave me here in my divine so
sure that I would find my own way out

You waited though, at your own peril,
till I proved to be sure footed and fastly stead

Though I missed more than I could bear
I find you still now everywhere

This, once again, is that moment
Whence so many times before
my shadowed self, so cleverly disguised
sets fire to progress
Preferring to feed at the trough of repression
Than to unwind the painful nature of the past

Afraid to see myself,

unfiltered

In the unyielding light of the day

and instead, choosing to destroy lest I take honest inventory


Yet, this IS that moment, delightfully so
For somehow, by mere recognition
it is my shadow that is no longer disguised,

but instead,

laid bare

By the light of the day,

and I, struck by the contrast,
put down the match
and stand comfortably beside myself
ready to build a bridge, rather than
burn one down

Act Accordingly

Forget that which was said

and that which was done

by whom for what and why

and perhaps embrace

even  within yourself

that which you have not loved


squeeze,

      from every last second

a joy that drips

                 down your hands

as it over flows  

                     your cup

because with so little time

left

there is no concern of tomorrow

or yesterday


what freedom you now have



Today is your last

act accordingly

(even if it isn't)