For thirty years now
We've penned this book
A mystery the direction
Each chapter took

With our share of laughter
In its comedy
Mixed with a few tears
But not in tragedy

Chapter one started
On the day that we met
Destiny?
After thirty years, I'm still thinking yes

We fit each other
Like a well worn glove
Bound together to each other
With the tight thread of love

In both chapters two and three
We got to know each other well
Before we decided we no longer needed
To be by ourselves

So we bought extra paper
Along with more pens
In hopes that we could
Write a family in

So in chapter four
We wrote in our first child
Stock of blonde hair
With a touch of heavens smile

Two chapters later
We added number two
With the cry of perfection
If I may tell the truth

All of the chapters following
Have been quite the read
A national best seller
To say the least

And it could not have been done
If it weren't you and me
Taking the time to write this book
Of our destiny

To this day my co-author
I'm still standing with
That beautiful girl I still love
That thirty years ago I first kissed

And whatever writings lay ahead
I'm sure those final chapters will be
The very best that we've written
My co-author and me

I built it
Brick by brick
Slathering mortar
Rebar pierced
Lines off center
Foundation firm
Concrete faults
Cemented sadness
Tall as it is wide

I built it
Contracted of stupidity
Designed in self-absorption
Blue prints of folded sorrow
Erected by a fool
No cranes needed
Drawn in teardrops
Fallen from your eyes
Collected puddles of my deceit

I built it…this wall
That keeps you from me

~

“And when your fears subside and shadows still remain”


Dark places floating in rear view mirror journeys
on empty highways, slick and cold but in the past
Within my hand I hold you, warmth finds the place,
leaving behind the sorrow on leaf covered shoulders

“I know that you can love me when there's no one left to blame”

Taken upon my soul, those incisions of pain, deep
Draped on heavy sighs and forward motions
Cast aside, tossed for loss, rendered useless
and my heart sings for you, come to me for I shall love you

“So never mind the darkness we still can find a way”


Shrouded in worry, clouded escapes stood firmly
Together we can draw back these curtains, embroidered blankets,
revealing the next hillside spilling a sunrise
in bright smiles and good memories rejoicing

*“'Cause nothin' lasts forever, even cold November rain”

~

A poem of ***
But not in this text
I just used this title to see
           ~
If you would come
Looking for fun
Pull up this poem and read
           ~
You will not find
Words of that kind
No moaning passionate steam
          ~
Two of the night
Not in this write
All of these verses are clean
          ~
Lips locking soft
Hearts now aloft
Maybe what you did expect
         ~
Candlelight flame
Screaming a name
Glistening skin, beads of sweat
          ~
None of that here
Let’s make it clear
Nothing of that sort reflects
          ~
Words that you see
Written by me
*Titled, “A Poem of ***”

If I closed my eyes,
drifted into a soft sleep,
would you protect me?

If I faded away into nothingness,
or foolishly left you behind
would you rapidly follow?

If it was just you and me,
just the two of us
would you be lonely?

If I carefully caressed you,
desperately needed you,
would you just take me?

If you had to leave,
disappear and never return
I beg of you to visit my dreams.

I am not ready to allow my broken body to yield to you
The centuries have weathered and ruined me
My mind stays, it insinuates movement, restless and hopeful
I am a vessel that bleeds out dreams and simplicity
I long for escape, I long to free myself from insignificance
My muscles ache under my skin from being mangled
All of my bones lie broken
So I am left here, to reflect on how nonessential I am
And I can only gaze at the same sight I've seen
I have been coerced to watch the earth, who does not appreciate me
For I am nothing but the moon.

Those who lash out when the heart speaks
avoid the many mirrors reflecting themselves
For in this rippled dream,
where perfect does exist
and mistakes are long gone like a Milli Vanilli song,
they fail to see that we are all human…
errors come with the package (batteries not included)

Sidewalk footprints, back and forth
pacing past the entrance to that world
where words have no meaning,
regardless of how they are spoken (or written)
Self-absorbed deeply in the waves
of that ocean tide of fantasy
crashing in white foam feelings, disappearing by sunset

What is it that makes us who we are…
our smile, our fingers, our brand of cigarettes
shipped in plain brown envelopes,
our thoughts, our dreams, the poetry we write
when we need to get it out…good or bad
When lack of judgment drips from the skylight
illuminating courage to do what we shouldn’t (even in darkness)

Wrong, I was wrong…regret, more than I could have known
I have looked in this mirror, then I looked away quickly,
Ashamed of that face, fell three stories below my heart  
slipped on the disgust splattered at my feet (by me)
sunk up to my knees…bent, folding, scraped and bruised
but I require no sympathy, for I am not that devil Jagger sings of…
at least I hope not…please allow me to introduce myself…I am sorry