What does it take,
To grow back
Your soul?

To feel a sound
Deep within
Your bones,
To hum a tune,
Arisen from
A place laid
To rest,
A place left
Forgotten,
Only to remember
What it’s like
To be
You completely,
To feel what
It’s like to
Be closer,
To whole.

Life.
Hot applesauce.
Cold sausages,
Linked to hostages,
Another, then another.
Apostles cowering
As the ground beneath,
Collapses,
The maharajah's jeweled face,
Buried;
Switching between channels:
All blind, all empty.
Cold applesauce.
Rotten sausages,
20,000 Leagues
And no more
Hostages.

One day in 2299,
They will tell
This story,
The one of
Dying books on
Dusty shelves,
In a time when
There was
Still room
To dig graves
In the ground.

To live here,
Immersed
In the mind;
If it helps to
Ease your situation;
By all means,
Venture to
The place
Of unabated
Destinations.
Just know that
I won’t be there;
Waiting, for you.
Sealed the box,
Shut it tight;
Just know,
I’ll be out of sight.
Have no fears,
Dear.
Have no cares,
Never cried a tear,
Merely moved
To the next
Falsity,
Creating
A world of
Of endless curiosity.

How does it feel,
Now?

Snow laces
Blossoms so bright,
Coldest of winter mornings
I can see your morning
Light shines its light,
Hold its petal
And believe that
Love is real,
Love hurts
Love is kind
Love is never
Impossible
Love is light
Love is life
Love is always
Right

Tonight
The airwaves signal your voice across the skyline,
Transport your words by paper planes with origami wings;
Up High;
And, it’s like you’re still alive, it’s like you haven’t left…
At peace is the frequency that radiates throughout
Your soul now at ease, feel the breeze so real
It Seems;
Tonight, it’s like you’re still alive...

It's something
We are trained
To ignore,
What can be
Felt,
Emotions,
Conform to
Social Norms

Maybe some of us
Are just a little
Too deep
For someone
To want to
Keep...

Always taking
The blame
Constant
Broken flame

Boat so little,
The waves keep rolling
To oblivion
Remember...
We had our gear,
Storms couldn’t interfere,
What would it take to
Break the surface
Of the storm
And welcome
Sunlight, someday

Empty love
Was all she got
So much
Empty love

Sometimes,
When I write poetry,
I forget to breathe and eat as it consumes me.
Sometimes,
When I forget to breathe,
My head hurts
From lack of oxygen, possibly.
Then, my stomach screams,
"Feed me, please!"
So, this is my cue
To shutdown PC,
Leave HP,
Go eat, brush teeth, breathe in, and dream.

If I wanted to call you
You’re no longer there
If I wanted to see you
You’ve disappeared
Up to where
The angels exist
On high
You’ve disappeared
Up to where
The sky meets
Paradise

Splintered Beams,
Allow
Forgotten Faces
To seep into
Restless Dreams;
Wistful waking,
As
Sunlight traces
Truth;
The past
Speaks
Quietly
Back,
Through Introspect,
To the inside;
The
Last
Place
You'd
Think
To
Seek
Tranquility-
Enclosed
Within
Tattered Seams
Of Restless Dreams;
To find it there,
Within.

Stones,
Upon
The shore.

Shimmering,
So pure.

They pick
You up
All day,
Then toss
You
Out into
The
Ocean's Floor,
With
A single
Motion.

Ocean.

Listening
To
Waves,
Forever
An orchestra
Of their own.

Dip your
Toes,
In the ocean.

Stones
Are
Made
Of
Hard
Matter.

They
Don't
Shatter
Like
The
Flawed
Imperfection
Of
The
Human Condition.

Let
Them
Fall
Into
The Ocean.

Raindrops
Sing as they
Patter beneath.

A choir
In
Song,
Ground
Catches them,
Listen.

No need to be down,
No need, no need.

Look up as these
Elements fall.

Raindrops,
Make her want to dance,
Swim
In Anchor Fog.

Breathe, as you know
You are free as
The tempest.

What is this
A thin line
I can’t see
Playing tracks
Records are now
Becoming obsolete

A thick line
I can’t be
Easily inspired
A runaway train
Off tracks
Made of iron rails
Replaced by steel
In this modern
World

The only truth
That remains
Is taken in our youth

Beneath
Sea,
Fluid is
Conduit.
Stare up,
Oxygen finds
Unbroken
Pipelines
Underneath
Atmospheric
Resistance,
Transformed
Under
Aqua Presence,
Flows
&
Gives Life
To All.
Hair moves
Like Silk
Strands,
Freely.
Open
Your eyes,
It’s another
World
When
You’re
Beneath
Sea.

So,
I tried this
Dating site
And what
Did I discover
That love
Is now
Many times
A cover
People aren't
Human
Much anymore
Maybe I'm
Made for
A deeper love
For sure
Experience #1
Met a younger
Man calls me
**** and says
He likes his
Women older
Talks in full
Detail about
How it will be
Then vanishes
Into thin air
Before we
Ever meet
Experience #2
Yes this one
Has a great
Sense of humor
Holds his own
Profile says
"Single" but
When we meet
For coffee for
The first time
He'll need to
Tell me his story
We sit there
In Starbucks
Music blaring
He tells me, his voice low
The truth
He is married
Has a daughter
In another country
And the baggage
Spilled into air
I looked at him
And said now
That's a burden
I can't bare
That fast
Disappeared
Experience #3
Another twenty seven
Year old man
Approaches
We chat about
Philosophy
For half an hour
He has a warm
Smile and is
Standing in a
Field of flowers
(In his pic)
He asks seemingly
Innocently
If I'd like to text
We exchange digits
Start to flirt
Before I know it
He says he finished
Before it started
He departed
Never met him
In real life
Never heard
From him again

He saw the glow of soft promise on his horizon
And road maps were only an excuse for getting lost
Her heart yet beats within his like a full blood moon
The memory of her whispers softly present in his ear

She mailed him a letter, scented with a clue,
A set of coordinates scribbled hastily
Upon a half torn page,
A compass, a key, and an address

Sweet forgiveness in her musky scent upon that sacred note.
The coordinates marked where they had fallen in love
The compass, a golden needle pointing always to her soul
A bejeweled silver key, the only one to her heart and dreams
And an address that pounded in his brain like a hammer!
With eyes seeing only her face, casting his doubts to the curb,
He rode the highways to the place they both called "Home"
As his heart made love with the ghost that haunted his soul

He arrived in the night to see no lights welcome him home
After many miles and thoughts, he knew it was her voice
That called him home to the place that holds their lost love
Her message was crystal clear, yet dead silence filled the air

Sitting on the front step where it was they first kissed
The cold winds of yesterdays swirled his memories
Howling thru his mind and echoing thru his heart
Turning the silver key in his trembling fingers
That hung now from a chain around his neck
Whispering, as a prayer, her name over and over again
They fall into questions that may never be answered

All this time he'd been speaking to a wraith unrequited
Words she sent him somehow from the other side
How could this be? That she could still be here
To send him her wish delivered as a silver key, compass
And the softly sung verses of her letter?

She kissed him one last time, as a lover brought back to life
Something he could relive as if it were only yesterday
The next morning he awoke on the porch they used to share
Reached for her note and it was no longer there
No compass nor key, only an empty chain around his neck
Everlasting memories
Bound by an undying love sent from above

A cake has many layers,
Of Joy.

Overhanging
Above sheets
Upon levels of
Sweetness,
Texture contrast
And Soft
Lightness
Which serve
As an escape
From the harshness
Of Life.

Take a bite-
And smile.

Set your words free.
It’s just “Poet Speak.”
Let them fly,
Let them fly.
Spill your mind,
Cross the thin line,
Between your
Heart and mind;
Combine, refine, undefine, revise
Just don’t let them be;
Let them fly,
Set them free.

Optimistic,
The answer to
Every First World woe
That plagues the soul.
Optimistically,
I must wake each day,
As it's hard to tell
What lies ahead, anyway.  
Optimism prevails, always.
If only it was
That simple.
The only answer
Is to see the world
Optimistically.
Easier said than done,
Sometimes,
It flies too high
Like a caught Dragonfly,
Leading to dread and disappointment
When captured in the mouth
Of a ravenous bluish bird, big appetite.
Against all odds,
Remain
Optimistic.

Rays
Embellish
Ancient
Statues
That lay
To rest,
Upon
These
Legs—
Strong;
Secure;
A Fortress,
Standing
Stable.

Dust
Off
The Wooden
Table,
Soon.

To see with clear vision.

Tear away
The surface
Dragons
By your side,
They breathe
Fire into
Your mind,
Remember
When you
Once felt
Alive...?
They mask
The truth
Lying there
Beneath
Fiery
Propaganda
Hidden in
False warmth,
Cold heat,
Breathe deep.

We hide behind
These facades
That conceal
Our faces,
True faces,
From the world.

Puzzle of 12 different doors,
All put together
Minus one missing piece,
Yours.

The shame
Lies in more
Than the eyes
Where does
The truth hide
When everything
Was a lie...
Say, we're human
Make mistakes
We all do
So many miles,
So many trials,
No one the same
We're all part
Of a different
Game

Horizontal lapses happenstance in the open.
A reflection present when motionless- inviting, welcoming.
Stopping, for seconds passing, to be stoic, calm breathing.
Haunting in the most pleasant ways, senses reckoning.
Daylight Beckoning.
Visiting, clear picture, subconscious revisiting, silence, closing in.
There’s an opening; rectangular door; wooden; lit with a warm glow.
Closed with a Smile. The rest not confiding.
No longer hiding.
This is a place like no other.
This is a safe corridor (We created it).
Closing one door,
To lead to another.
Closing one door,
To lead to another.
Ending here to begin,
As if there never was
"Before."

See, it’s just me and you
Here in this reality

I am her
And you are you

No one else intrudes
In this space

You said she’s fissile
What does that mean?
Like energy,
Exploding dynamically
Or slate or crystals,
Not letting you through.

You wanted to know
Where my mind would
Go,
Offered advice
Pretended you wanted
Mine too,
Only to find
That I’m her,
Fissile,
Split in two
But so are you,
I am her
And you are
You,
I don’t see anyone
Else,
Just you,
Is that what you
Were aiming for?

Sometimes,
I look up
To distant stars,
Letting myself
Wander off
But, not too far…
So now,
I begin again,
Creating
The best version
I can be.
It feels great.
Not living for them,
No longer a slave
To their words,
Constantly
Beating down
Like stones upon
Ice water.

So I, so I,
So I…
Begin again.

Pitch blackness
Touched sunlight

Tangled in
A cloudless sky, stretched
Far and wide

It was night
All was light

Outside
Children played
Jump ropes
& water hoses
Exploded high

Eerie scene
Supernatural sight

Yawning fissure
Opened its
Hungry mouth

Drenched in
Surreal surroundings

It was night
All was light

I can’t quite put my finger on this—
The world continues to spin
On its axis, and thoughts dance
On imagination’s stage like toy soldiers,
Ballerinas, and stacked wooden dolls
Come to life in this far, far away vision.
Eyes open in a dream within a dream,
Where you think you have awoken,
But you are still deep in Dreamland.

Heaven's eyes
Shine tonight
Passing through
On their way
Through clouds
And rain & tears
Remember
You are loved
Just want to
Let you know
You're always
Looked over
Angels are real
Protecting us
From near & far
Even when we
Can't see them
They are...

There is something
Hiding beneath this skin;
Oh, under it, so far below’
To atoms and molecules,
Flying around inside us.

I guess we’re the deep thinkers,
Senseless dreamers in love with ideals?

We are ideas ourselves,
Just try to catch us; don’t put us in jars; please.
No one has ever
Fully grasped us.

The thing is,
All I ever wanted to be was the one;
But, all I’ve ever found is,
They wanted others.

An idea.

This life,
You want
To live it
Find your
Inner phoenix
Keep reaching,
Don’t stop
Wings spread wide
There’s no stopping you.

Love.

Rise, from the ground up
Ashes scattered all around
Hold on tight
Because you’re gonna rise
Oh yeah, you are
High up, and once you're
There,
There ain’t no going back
No stopping you
Nothing holding you
Down, no there ain’t no
Going back
The only way to fly
Is to soar up
Off the ground
Spread those wings
You're a phoenix
Rise up

Rise up...

Your shadow
Holds me
Come forth
Out of the bleakness
Out of the gray
You see them
Living there
In the corners
You see them
And you are sad
You see them
And it makes me
Feel it too
See that you are
So much more
Not quite though
An elusive mystery
You see them
You see me
Or do you not
See anything?

Never has the wind been
Softer,
Never was a day like this
More stirring,
Cherry blossoms
Unfold,
Old life becomes new,
Unseen movement
Brings about
Tranquil forces,
Leaves are sailboats  
Crossing,
Reflections in a pool
Cattails watch in silence
Standing outside outlines,
All around its border,
This feeling inside
Speaks of
Solace and smells
Of springtime.

It beats
Constantly
Keeps life
Alive inside,
This heart,
I'm just trying
To get
Back to
You,
It beats
Alive inside,
I'm just trying
To get back to
You
It beats
Constantly
Alive inside,
I'm just trying,
It beats

I want
A love that feels
Of your touch,
No explanation needed
No words suffice
Because your heart
Folds within mine,
And flames
Embrace
And warmth
Is felt
Deep down,
Its beat
Draws
You near
To a space
Without fear

So, clear to see
Who you want to be,
It can all be seen
Channeling.

Take a breath
In-and-out,
Don't forget
Not to swallow
Salt water,
When you're
On the surface
Shallow.

Everything is washed over,
Bones are hollow,
Made of starfish
Also known as
Asteroids,
Their radiating arms
Fill colorless depths with
Magnificent sights.

Everything eventually fades,
To grow anew
In an endless cycle,
Seaweed holds fast
To rusty anchors
Buried and sunken
Down
In desolate places.

A final resting place for saints,
And sinners...
They once sat on a ship and
Ate mackerel for dinner.

Fish now rise up to
The surface of a vessel
Alive on tranquil seas,
And life continues
On as it does naturally,
With starfish wonders
And miracles,
Ships sail and sink
Just as we do.

You never
Read it,
Couldn't believe
It,
Said you'd never
Even read it.
Another said
He didn't know
How to react
To another
Artist type,
I'd get quiet,
Walking
Sun shining,
Lost in my
Head,
Couldn't get it,
Didn't understand
It,
Does anyone
Ever
Get it.

When did the movie end?
     Curtains faded to credits
      Should have known better
               Than to watch movies
                                     In the dark.                

 Two souls anticipated,
       We kissed in between
              The lines and scenes
                 Your hands touched silk
                                           In my dream.

I’ve always wanted this,
           Climbed to the top
                            I gently bit
                             Your bottom lip
                                    Inhaled your kiss.


What happened here?  
The movie was missed.
What are you talking about?
You said come in close,
Let’s speak without words.
The rest is just
A movie scene,
Not rated G,
So
Turn out the light
And bring your I.D.

Impending darkness
Cuts into this hollow
Cave, need the one to
Come in and
Let in the sun
This hollow cave
Is covered in floods
Flowing in and out
Night after night
Need the one to
Let in the light

Traveled through the channels, as we all do.
All best wishes & raincoats, turned around before
The tunnel started, just made it on the metro line
Before the doors shut tight, right as I was inside,
Held the railing and stared out to what fell behind—
Empty lifeless passage where none are meant
To remain, among the chill and lack of heat & laughter.
Darkened skids and tracks left & said goodbye.

I said I’ll leave this in your hands,
(God’s hands).
You said I don’t want to pull
You into this darkness
I’m struggling with,
And misery
Loves company.

Dropped these words on the ground, to discover that sometimes
Words don’t make a Sound. Left them there in the soil on a Rainy
Day and returned in the morning to find that they sprouted Wings
And Flew Away, maybe they’ll come back one day or maybe they
Left forever on the back of a Scarlet Letter, to something better or
Maybe they are being sung by a choir lifted high up to Skylight

“Desire was her name,
And she was the dirt
Road that everyone
Wanted to claim."

When I was just a little child
No one really wanted her you see
Me and the other kids would run
Down to where she led us to follow
Went on adventures with no cares
No traffic or horns, a jungle of trees
And living things, bridges, cows, and
Blackberries, bullfrogs, and a few
Beer bottles, the nearest house was
Not so near, and you would never hear
Neighbors hoot-and-holler out yonder
All was at peace, and we all desired
To follow her wherever she would lead
Until one day we weren’t the only ones
That desired her path, all has changed
Over time, and I no longer recognize
Her anymore, as the cars trample up
and down to create dust tornadoes
Speeding fast, more houses built up
Ancient trees by her side went away
Chopped down, now vacation homes
For the rich, but it’s not hard to see
Why she was desired so, who wouldn’t
Want her, so many go after what they
Desire.

Surface fades
To empty space
Day breaks
Slices of moonbeams--  in half
To Dissipate
Like unreal magic
Frost effaces
What is left
Without a trace
Night drifts away
Without saying
Farewell
Left to dust
Sleeping, dreaming, discovering
Subconscious awakenings
They revisit whenever they want
You're never alone

Sometimes we aren’t meant
To be more than what we see
Make believe past reality
Not meant to be more than
What we are meant to be
What we are
Is intrinsic to us
What we sometimes
See and think we will be
We already are

Forest stream,
Peaceful, serene
Trickling beautifully
A song,
In nature's arms
They warm the callus
Wearing on the soul,
Calm the constant
Inner struggle,
This human pain,
Cleansing everything
In summer rain,
Soaked,
Lost in it for just a little while,
Forgetting yesterday,
The present day erases
It all away

Rhetoric streams from a soul
Burdened on the sidewalk,
Words bounce through the sky,
We pass him by,
Just stare,
Words fly up in the air,
But where do they go?
Just passing through,
To him they mean something,
To those of us that pass,
It’s all rhetorical phrases,
Puzzle pieces of a life
Not known by many...
By himself, does he know
What he is trying to say?
Passing him on the streets,
We stare blankly,
As this man stumbles,
Clothes ***** and voice
Broken and burdened,
A lone dialectical dance
In the heat of a summer day,
Releasing his verbs,
“What is he trying to say?”
We pass him by.
We live our lives.
We all have our stories.

If the past fills
Your thoughts
Like a thief-in-the-night;
Stealing your words
All the time;
Maybe, it’s time
To leave it All
Behind.

Hang on
To the Good,
Though.

There’s no use in dwelling.
There are voices inside
Yelling;
"Stop them,
Now."

"Now."

No more, no more.
Send them away,
To a place
Where they
Are free to
Rest,
Forevermore.

They’re dark waves,
Crashing ashore.

Do not hate them,
Do not shame them.

Just maybe,
They will
No longer
Intrude,
As you
Attempt,
To sleep.

Sleep soundly
Tonight.

Evermore.

Slowly over time
We created
This land
Created this
Other world
Brought to
Light & Life
So bright
Brought so
Close to
Another space
& time...
Created this
Other world
Somewhere
Between
Yours
& Mine
In its
Own time
All with
Words
&
Rhyme
You brought
Me closer to
the
Other world