She's ever there, giving me pills
Counteracting the harm I inflict
Left to my sickness, inviting vices
Contentedly providing to my ills.

I am conflicted, addicted to the ledge
She draws me back in, back from my sin
Back to center, well away from the edge
Her love taking me, silencing life's din.

Saving me from myself to be part of us
When all she needs is there,  in herself
Life's invite in her name, I'm just a plus
Living or dying contentedly on a shelf.

She wants me around, my lady she does
Her clown, her friend, her lover, her man
Wanting me in the to be, the is, and the was
Wanting me, and why, I'll never understand.

History teaches, preaches pain
Brilliant hesitant beginnings
'Pon familiar field, hand-in-willing hand
Unclasped, re-found ghosting refrain.

Rebound, and try again.

Old school thoughts, like a turned off phone
Time shared, time spared, an understanding,
New and well worn words, natural flow,
Memories of a growing mutual Spring.

Recount and return to Sanctuary.

Five short years till officially 'senior',
Not meaner, but contemplative...,
With far more behind than ahead,
Showing age with a slower way to live.

America voted itself into a future cinder,
Politics into fists, the new Left and Right,
The lonely mingle desperately on Tinder,
From a hammock's view (comfortably askew),
The coming days look contented and bright.

Neither ready to die nor fearful of leaving,
Recounted days, and all the winding roads,
All that led, all that is, all that still could be,
Worry cannot goad, with wonders yet to see.

It isn't you who left, but the one you were
It isn't I left behind, but the I that was
Forced or chosen, divergent paths appear
From ones that were, to those who will be
Who could fail to understand or forgive?

We were then, what we are not now
Their joy and pain, not our own
Their story over, our own just begun
Lessons learnt, tears and old skin shed
On divergent paths, made anew.

Each of us now what we were not
Tomorrow what we are not today
Who you know, whom you care for
Say Good-bye before Hello
Understand, and love them for the day.

We are but chapters in the Book of Others
Others but chapters in our own
Each our own journey from was, to am, to will be
Another’s presence a great and temporary loan
Each gifting a new perspective, a new way to see.  

Allow the You That Was to give thanks
And let the You That Is move on
Heartache is not the result of an ending
But the by-product of expectation.

Songs, tunes of love found
Poetry, dirges of love lost
Song sung voicing the joy of life
Verse voiced decrying the cost.

Mind and heart in need of release
So much to say, already said
Light a smoke, mull intention
Write the words already read.

Love of peace in a place alone
Only the self to comfort or abuse
The price of sanctuary it seems
No one but the self as a muse.

Still, the personal's out for all to see
The hope, to strike a chord
An original way of an old thing to say
Salve to the broken, spark to the bored.

Light up another, a sip of a drink
Letting the feeling's feel
The difficulty, putting emotion to word
When feelings have lost their appeal.

A simple conversation, a simpler request
Be there, doesn't have to be every day
Just enough to know that we might care.

Expectation free, or as close as we can come
Free to be ourselves, together or apart
No set time or date, simple math to an easy sum
Just know you're not alone, no cost to your heart
All without a subscription fee.

You set the pace, we'll set the level
Let the detailing devil sort the rest
You be you, I'll be me, all for the best,
As fate and time shows if there's a we.

A simple conversation, an even simpler request
Take me at my word, or see a web spun instead
Trust in the simple, or assume Future's cruel jest
The latter her choice, my social life once again...
Dead.