What was known yet unseen
was a king and a dying queen
holding their last kiss good bye
That day the kiss died

He then ordered all his men
to bind all lovers in his den  
Every embrace ever lied
The day the kiss died

The Judge and the Law
all came to find flaw
In any poet or guide
The day the kiss died

Finding two lovers, that spoke
of how his and her lips broke
Evidence, they could not hide
The day the kiss died

They cried,
“We hold and we touch
yet it’s not enough in as much
a kiss can’t be denied”
The day the kiss died

With a kiss hid in their heart
They tore them apart
and took them aside
The day the kiss died

Children chanted, “the kiss of death
will draw your last breath.
Don’t or dare to no longer abide”
The day the kiss died

And all the people they wept
and the sweepers that swept
the sad streets, they sighed
The day the kiss died

In lace they all dressed
in hope to lay the last kiss to rest
In a coffin to confide
The day the kiss died

That night,
Artists repainted the sky
Lanterns hung high
In the black rain they cried
The day the kiss died

While white doves bled red
It was heard and it was said
even the angels cried
The day the kiss died

The clowns in all places
Painted a frown on their faces
for all grooms and the brides
The day the kiss died

Old widows slept as it seems
waiting for their dreams
nuns by their side
The day the kiss died

The romantics broke doors
of bottle shops and liquor stores
yet the wine had all dried
The day the kiss died

Yet, still up north and down south
lovers, for love, open their mouth
welcoming death near and wide
The day the kiss died

If only you could
put the volume down
to your abrasive cutting sounds
you would hear me bleeding

If only you could
put the volume down
to your suffocating exhausting sounds
you would hear me breathing

If only you could
put the volume down
to your mourning wailing sounds
you would hear me crying

You kissed me like a promise
You kept me like a case
You held me like a picture
You passed me like a place
You left me like a thought
You hung me like a bell
You judged me like a court
You wished me like a well
You released me like a sparrow
You sealed me like a will
You waited like tomorrow
You searched me like a hill
You forgot me like an orphan  
You missed me like a kiss
You lay me like a coffin
You liked me like this

“No strings attached”
said the flute to the violin

“Nothing to pick on”
said the piano to the harp

“Nothing to fret about “
said the drum to the guitar

“Nothing to dance about”
said the minstrel to the musician

What becomes of a mind
when the thoughts that you bind
are filling up a cracked shell
and every moment of dull
poured into the skull
will only implode if you don’t tell

So if you’re falling apart
pour out your heart
or that too will fall out of place  
speak and reveal
all the hurt that you feel
let it beautifully leak from your face

I want to die before you do
I know it’s selfish, but it’s true
for all the pain I fear to know
would have me desire
to die before you go

I dread the memories we make
coming back to torment me
and for my sake
I’d rather die and know
that I’ve left you behind
than I to live and let you go

I don’t think I can bare
the weight of another breath
if you first leave,
every thought of you, I do
I’ll relive another death

Nor do I think I can carry
another hour of an empty day
where you once filled every second
and now you’ve gone away

I’d rather die than miss you
I’m sorry, but It’s true
I know I’ll leave you with pain
and you may or may not live again
but, I could never be without you
so I’d rather die before you do
in shame

while you’re away
and forever
be never further
than closer than ever
to me

may you always stay
and never
leave here
for here is nearer
than you’ll ever be

give or get

I can hold on
when you hold me right

I can hold long
when it’s all your might

I can hold strong
when I’m all you hold tight

Not everyone will listen
Not everyone will care
like those who say “I’m always here”
Like most…won’t be there
but as for you, look for the good
that is found in but a few
so no matter what you hate in others
they won’t see themselves in you

May the flames of my heart
become the fire we start
between us and the storm

May the furnace in my soul
be the heat for the coal
that keeps our children warm

May the spark of my mind
become the flint that you find
lighting the darkest dawn

May the air in my lung
breathe the breath of the sun
and birth life into a love reborn

May the jewel in my eye
Have you searching the sky
and all the riches heaven has sworn

the same knife
can ****
or feed you

The same fire
can warm
or burn you

The same smile
can hide
or heal you

like the same heart
can hurt
and hold you

I’m sorry
if I’m a little lost
when the mind is free
the body follows at a cost
till you’re broke and can’t pay
the soul is stolen away
leaving the shell of a ghost

Forgive me
if I’m a little used
when you’re careless
you casually bruise
till you’ve bled no more
have no life to pour
the spirits withered
and abused

My apology
for being a mess
when what’s of value
becomes little to confess
when what you hold
is worth all the gold
and you give it up
for lentils or less

I submitted my poem
to a teacher, Mr Rowan
and he graded it an F
Still, I’m a great poet
he just doesn’t yet know it
but some day he’ll have to confess

though he’ll give me an E
yet when it comes to poetry
I’m the greatest poet there ever was
I’ll climb my way to a D
just wait and you’ll C
I’ll prove it just because

I’ll let go and let B
he’ll wonder if it’s me?
A poet born not made
he’ll grant me an A
on a poem I’ll tear up that day
and prove I’m more than just a grade

The moon was afraid to rise
so it settled for the night
gave the day to the sun
and in doing
compromised its light
Now often every evening
as soon as the sun will set
it makes an appearance
before the sky and day reset
And like tears, the stars twinkle
while the moon mourns regret
how light once sparkled
now just sprinkle
of things you lose but can’t forget

One may have knowledge
but not everyone will have skill

One may have a skill
but not everyone will have talent

One may have a talent
but not everyone will have a voice

One may have a voice
but not everyone has something to say

One may have something to say
but not everyone will listen.

I wonder if a poem
can cause
you to pause
just at the title
and then sigh
and in wonder why
something so powerful
can be so wonderful
that you forget
to read or need
anything more
beautiful
than this
to cry

Then said Almitra, Speak to us of Love.
     And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them. And with a great voice he said:
     When love beckons to you, follow him,
     Though his ways are hard and steep.
     And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
     Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
     And when he speaks to you believe in him,
     Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

     For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
     Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
     So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
     Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself
     He threshes you to make your naked.
     He sifts you to free you from your husks.
     He grinds you to whiteness.
     He kneads you until you are pliant;
     And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God’s sacred feast.

     All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life’s heart.

     But if in your heart you would seek only love’s peace and love’s pleasure,
     Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love’s threshing-floor,
     Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
     Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
     Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
     For love is sufficient unto love.

     When you love you should not say, “God is in my heart,” but rather, “I am in the heart of God.”
     And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

     Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.
     But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
     To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
     To know the pain of too much tenderness.
     To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
     And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
     To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
     To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
     To return home at eventide with gratitude;
     And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.