Never be too much of a woman,
You may lose your man.
Do not be smarter,
For a starter.
Neither be too strong,
Nor too empowering.
Do not make your man
Be less of a man,
Make him feel,
You need him still.
Motivate his endeavours,
Make him feel secure being yours,
Never look at his flaws,
But inspire him so he grows.
Learn to cook well for a start,
Food is a way to a man's heart.
Shower him with spicy romantic gestures,
Be extra nice,giving him more pleasures.
Don't act over wise,
Give him his space.
Compliment him now and then,
Respect him in front of other men.
Be soft and docile,
Not uncouth and vile.
Your man will be by your side,
Forever the marriage vows he will abide.

For a moment

there is a gentle breeze

and my hair tickles my faintly freckled nose

your warm golden eyes reflect back at me

catching mine

the sun strengthens my small imperfect body

I reach to you

absorbing your skin beneath my finger tips

I notice your mole beneath your left ear

and the curve of your soft neck

I am overwhelmed by your gentle presence

for it feels like the earth is still

blowing away my gathering clouds

my noisy thoughts

you take me to a place so unknown to me

home.

I saw the sun steep
into the seascape ―
lonely as a drowning
    wave
         on still-waters

the dimming of the day
rescinding evanescent daylight                                                         ­         .
fading with the slack tide
         lost at sea ―
a gloaming moment
         let fall from
the remains of the day,
like some other passing
sea bird's molted feather
drifts away untamed

I sit silent as the driftwood
lingering at the watermark,
watching a random gust
    erase the footprints
of another recurring day, 
bearing abandoned memories
    and vacant heartbeats,
atrophied in the drifting sands

    and I see you walking
    towards the abating  
    midnight sunset ―
         but I know
    you're just a mirage;    
like the dimming afterglow
of so many waning moons
            elapsed
         
ever-changing tides grow low  
and promises made lightly  
         do ebb away
          
Scanning the distant horizon ―    
    a blindfold heart    
    mooning all at sea;
parsing a deserted shoreline,
    wondering if love
          is too late ,..
    to stem the tide ―


        harlon rivers

      30   May   2018

If choices were wishes
I would wish
For you
If you were in an ocean full of fishes
Then my hook would be baited
For you
I would kiss a thousand frogs, looking for romance
But hey, I’m not looking for prince charming
Just You
I would fight a dragon with pointed lance
Brave the fire, risk life and limb
For you
I am not a princess looking for rescue
I am not sleeping, or cleaning cinders
I’m here
Ditch the white steed, there are no villains to pursue
Give me our happy ever after, love me.
And that will do