By my imagined state grows timeless stroll
As walkway winds and wends through floral sights,
Sun rays quenching colors bright as pure gold
And I, entranced by limitless delight.

My walk has brought ‘pon rarest sight, a rose,
New in splendor; its being, its beauty,
Gazed by mortal man this moment. Her prose
Brings wonder: a child of Aphrodite,
So pure, so perfect, bestows me honor,
Deems me worthy, first sight her blessed grace?
Do such fortunes bring mind and sight to fore,
Smitten by welcome scent and petal face?

To ponder such encounters bears this claim
Of love! Cupid’s arrow pierces heart, dulls
My senses, yet inflames me through my veins
And love (O’ Love!) becomes my passion call!
In rapture, now enchanted, I declare,
“We will never part!” She must now be mine!
I alone, recognize her truest fair,
Pluck this gift, bring to fore, forever thine!

Lo’, I find folly tangled in this thought;
She will never live or see true purpose.
My plan, a crime against the essence sought
This Rose could not sustain. By rend of thus
I lay condemnation of certain death,
Let selfish Love rule my poor emotions
That I now ache in sorrowed epithet!
O’ how blind am I in false devotion!

But I have not, yet, torn Rose asunder.
She remains still complete in sight regale.
I am not the monster here to plunder,
I am, by guidance, he that right prevails.
Heart and mind as one in conscience reasons,
My Rose, my Love, is for all living things,
A courtesan beholden short of season
But what joyful presence for her I sing!

Time moves fast, impatient with my ration
(I have much of to see ‘for this journey’s end),
So, fond farewell my foundling love and passion,
My heart so weak that hope cannot amend.
With bittersweet smile this quest before me;
To walk this path in a joyful sorrow,
My Rose, this rose in cherished memory,
I’ll be miles away from here tomorrow.

Go and strike thou penniless moral,
Stake thou claims meant not for all!
Godspeak high unto White Tower,
Let men fear thou fear and glower!
Sake! forsake thou enemies color,
Nay! can one and be another!
Shroud thou friend betroth to violence:
Thy sleep in silence.

And go and spread the hate thou pray
To ***** the nerve thou canst portray!
And say thou words in fervent rage
To slay the dreams thou locked and caged!
“Bitter be thy pill thy wealth”,
And simper back thou rotter self!
Thou can ply on truth defiance:
Thy sleep in silence.

My garden glades ‘pon simple steppe
Where grass and stone unite,
O’ersees and proctors Summer’s light
Like a promise kept.
A distant remote oasis,
Far side of grassy sea,
A secret from Humanity?
What cruel fate is this?
But Lilies of this garden grow
In pageantry of red
Where much to see is left unsaid,
For who would e’er know?
An island to themselves they stay,
Blooms reaching Heavenward;
Unrivaled brilliance flames absurd!
Yet who would e’er say?
But Lilies live for bird and bees
Not for Man’s said pleasure;
Legacy is their true measure,
Caring not who sees.
These foolish thoughts I often build
Lays better judgement bared.
Man is not, by Nature, cared-
She cannot be willed!
I struggle with these final words
Drawn from simple knowledge:
O’ modest reason, I do pledge!
Ne’er my hand disturbs!
So, grow my Lilies, mark your place
In truest mind and sake.
My heart pines for the joy you make
T’mend this wretch’s waste!

The doctors all say
Our minds can't remember pain
Why then, do I still remember you

I felt no love before last night-
My heart in doorless cloister,
Drowning in self-pity-
Reticent.
But you were here, waiting-
Waiting for that moment
I’d say “Enough!”,
Release my heart
And give it back to you.

I drank too much again last night.
Think I called you on the cell,
Said some words and caused a fight.
See, things for me ain’t  goin’ too well.
‘Nother job lost. Arrived too late
For a third day in a row.
I hit the sauce and left to fate
A future moving much too slow.
Then pawned my chains to pay the rent
Instead I bought more beer.
‘Cause sittin’ home is time well spent
To hide this lonesome fear.
I made mistakes with you, I know,
I wish that I could change ‘em,
Toss ‘em for the wind to blow
Or, at least, rearrange ‘em.
I popped another beer just now,
To quench this endless thirst.
So many emptied, still, somehow
It’s like I’m on my first.
So, I’ll drink too much again tonight,
Try to call you on the cell.
Maybe I can set things right,
See, things for me ain’t goin’ too well.

In sleep, I die a little more
Than where I’d been the night before.
My heart, tho’ pounding in my chest,
Wanes each and ev’ry passing breath
For nothing done can now restore.

By day, I live a little less.
Time marches on. I only guess
I’m closer to a bitter end
As Time has never been my friend,
Tho’ much was wasted, I confess.

I pause, contrite, in deep lament
For useful energy— never spent,
Or opportunity— never taken;
Disappeared— left forsaken,
Wond’ring where my youth was sent?

Now, I could dwell and wonder why
In pity for my clouded eyes,
Or rise, take in, as chances wait
For open heart. It’s not too late
To live before my time to die!