'twas a long hot summer day
sticky air without a breeze
concrete burning my bare feet
cicadas screaming in the trees

a triggered memory
smelling honeysuckle scent,
the way he looked at me
remembering what he meant

when I was sixteen
with his mischievous grin
and a squint in his eye
he said, I hope you know how to swim

in his old pick up truck
as we rolled the windows down
he drove us to this place
in the woods outside of town

off road, through a pasture
to a watering hole, he found
guaranteed to cool me off
from spring fed water underground

sweet talking me naked
still not sure how he did it
a memory now sacred
my first time skinny dippin'

Hello everyone,

  I'm so very sorry … I feel horrible doing this, but I have no choice. You see, I have published my first book on Amazon/Kindle! This piece (and many others) had to be taken down because they do not allow published material to be available online for free. (Go figure) I wanted to leave the shell of the posts because I felt compelled to leave all your helpful and loving comments. (Silly sentimental, I know), but I also didn't want to just have the pieces disappear without an explanation. I feel bad enough as it is!

  I owe ALL of you so, SO much for all of your reads, love, and support. It was YOU that gave me the gumption to FINALLY get off my **** and publish! Thank you all for the warm comments, camaraderie, and encouragement! I will still be here, reading, uploading and just being the Rascal that I am. How could I EVER leave you guys?

  The book is called “The Way I See It – FictionPhilosophySoul Food” and it will be FREE for the first few days on Kindle Select, so watch for it, if you are interested. I hope that you go and grab it. If you do, I would also hope that you find it worthy, you would leave me a good review. That will help me get in the public eye! Soon afterward (2-3 days or so), it will be available in paperback.

Find the book(s) here: www.amazon.com/author/jeff.gaines

Or find the book(s), and all about me, here: www.JeffGaines.world

  Soon after, I also hope to have my first novel (a supernatural thriller), called “Wanderer” available as well!

  Wish me luck!
Big, Biggest Love,
        Jeff Gaines

Oh my pretty one you sit so still
Not a wiggle or a shuffle
Even in the chill
Your coat is red
Hat white fur
My baby bunnykins
The miles we saw.

Love Mary x

From leafy lane emerging into stroll
Along dusty track to terminate
In plastic buckets and spades
Colourful beach sandels displayed
And the smell of cheap meals and coffee.
In front the glistening sea resting far out
On golden plains of sand as it
Waits for its turning to bring in
Those lost shoes and silver foil ships.

Midday rays melt the rubber rings
And lilos tossed against catamarans
Beach hut families steam percolators
Stretching green striped towels in rows
Along the recast promenade.
Curved into a cove of quietness
The beach hides
Under a shelf of chalk stacked grass
The distinguished headland point.

Love Mary x

There's a heart inside my chest,
nestled snugly between my ribs
As you might've guessed

It's a warm, warm heart
Those hands of yours
will tear it apart


Each thump will make it ooze a little more
That rotting thing from which endless blood pours
Jagged bits of glass buried deep, so deep
and over broken edges the sticky bits of muscle seep


The ever-so-helpful-you digs your fingers straight in
to claw out the offending shards that pierce my skin
Now removed my open wounds have time to heal
And my less-damaged heart begins to kind of feel


They sew with shimmery thread
Gently stitching my wounds together
instead of leaving me for dead