Love me like you’re young again
Kiss me in the rain
Let your heart beat out a rhythm like it never suffered pain
Lead me to your secrets
I can hold them dear
When your fear tells you to run
Draw yourself more near
What does your heart tell you?
Does it call my name?
Whisper words I long to hear-
That you feel the same.
Give me all your passion,
take away all doubt
Love is not a whisper it’s a most resounding shout!
If the fire mellows stoke it reverently, give me everything you’ve got or honey set me free.

Were you brave?
Were you quaking?
Were you tough or were you faking?
Did you cry for your Mum’s embrace?
Or bite your cheek just to save face?
Did your letters euphemise?
Were they scribed with tear filled eyes?
Did you pray for silent nights?
Try to unsee grisly sights?
Did you think how life would be if you made it back across the sea?
Did you deliver a mate’s last note and hug his Mum with a lump in your throat?
Did you come home claiming glory or never voice your untold story?
Your sacrifice I can’t repay,
and so I honour on this day
a face that is unknown to me
who paid the price for my liberty.

This gift called life sometimes seems like the unwanted kind
and you find yourself trying to be clever, tape it back together.
You don’t know whether to complain
so you refrain from saying  “Hey, this is not what I put on my list”
and so you miss your opportunity to speak your truth, to speak your pain.
But see, it’s never too late to call it out!
Your story is about your chronology, there is no expiry for being real about how you feel- your authenticity.
So take the gift again and know that it doesn’t always have to be about endless happiness and joie de vie.
The gift is the journey, not all paths are paved. Not all angels triumph nor all sinners saved.
Hold fast to hope, knowing that it has no end and your true gift just might be revealed around the bend.

Some love is rhinestones.
Some love, veneer.
Some love is false, simply words that you hear.
But love beyond life is surely the kind,
that hopeful hearts search for and souls want to find.

Lovely thoughts pervade my head
Lovely kisses in your bed.
Me and you with arms entwined
Lovely thoughts surround my mind
Warmest wishes for the day
Hope you’re smiling
Come what may
Loving thoughts the whole day through
Lovely thoughts of you.

Life has been a rollercoaster
since the winter solstice passed.

Venturing through tribulations hoping fledgling love would last.

Seeking out each others’ dreams and stumbling forth at times
(but then)

Reaching for the outstretched hand that puts all faith in love again.

Learning about one another, lips oft locked and pulses swift.

Anchoring steadfast emotions once thought hopelessly adrift.

Quiet moments give contentment,  hands entwined, so warm and true.

Visions of the future me loving the future you.

Have I messed things up
by talking about feeling?
Should I comment on weather or stare at the ceiling?
Should I only talk cars or financial aspirations?
Avoiding those corny heartfelt declarations?
Does it make you feel awkward to discuss future plans?
If this is the case, I must sadly embrace that the truth of the matter is, you’re not my man.

Everything dies I heard her say
As she was finding her way after
Losing the one who made her want to stay
But wait! Hold onto life, there will come a day when the journey leads you to a new path.
Everything is dark, I heard her say
As she was grappling with the pain, straining against the breath in her chest, restlessly searching for an end to this mess.
Hold on. Wasn’t there darkness when he came along? There was a time when ending it all seemed to be the answer and the question, why even exist?
Look at what you would have missed.

To the one I adore,
I say
More, more, more!

The lighthouse stands firm
Guiding me to safe waters
Anchoring my heart.

Sitting by his bedside
Consulting with the Fates
Will this be his time to go?
To rattle Pearly Gates?

He seems to be so fragile
And yet the spirit’s there!
Disguised by sagging jowls
And age spots,  hiding in grey hair.

The afterlife has been discussed
He’s scoffed at it and said
What do I care? Burned or buried?
I’ll be dead!

I watch him in his frailty
Yet strong-willed as can be
He clings to life with stubbornness,  
Blessed mortality!

Neither of us ready
To speak of things to come
We focus on the monitors,
The air vents’ harmless hum.

The ordering of breakfast
And peeing in a cup,
The trolley and it’s offerings
Upon which we both sup.

The future is unknown now
So we resign to be
Contented in the moment and
Embrace the mystery.

The choice is not for us to make
whatever we believe
So quiet words of love are whispered
With our hearts on sleeve.

Waiting now is our new game,
Though we, the pawns and Kings
Pronounce that it ain’t over
‘Til that fat lady sings!

Standing on the fringe of a feeling
Reeling from the heady sense of vertigo
Only one place to go
And I’m falling fast.

Autumnal leaves fall
dilatory surrender
forming amber mounds

Sweat beads upon brow
Restless nights tangled by sheets
Relief elusive

The cool of Winter
Lays her shroud-like soothing balm
Upon heated souls.

The last blossom fell
With it’s dignified descent
And so Spring was gone.

Is it too soon
to miss your embrace?
To face the idea that having
You near is a place I’m mapping as a destination?
Is it too soon
To miss the sensation
Of your lips on my skin
Stirring within a feeling of hunger, elation?
Yet, whether too soon, comes the revelation that you are here and the fear is-
it doesn’t feel too soon.

Good morning
Sounds so trite
And yet the night
Laid me to rest and yours was the memory of the day I loved best
Guiding me through a peaceful night
And in mornings’ light
I felt  oh, so good
So good morning.

As the new day dawns
A feather floats slowly on
Cloud reflected seas.

We once were walking hand in hand when you said quietly:
“Here I am accepted, I am loved for me”.
I’ll never lose that moment,  for always it rings true;
you are cherished, you are loved for simply being you.
You sure do make it easy, for every day you show your love; support and loyalty through happy times and woe!
Your calm yet strong willed presence helps us keep our grounding and in return we hope you feel our endless love abounding!
So let me take you by the hand and say it evermore,
Mum you are so special, precious and adored!

I’ll often hear a song that makes me think of times before.
There’s always faces burned into the memories recalled.
A head thrown back in laughter as we bounced so high; we flew!
That was the boy that I first kissed on the cheek
( he kissed my shoe)
We were on the trampoline and high was never high enough!
We screamed “I want my MTV”, it was truly epic stuff!
Later on when I partnered with a lycra’d dancing queen, we tore it up to Mel’n Kim, we were quite a solid team!
Our tay-tay-tay’s were second-to-none, Respectable the jam.
We were synchronised and synthesised, we were     fluoro, we were glam!
Later the next decade, the clubs were more the scene,but there always was a DJ, a request to be redeemed.
One young man with a strange nickname, no bigger Pearl Jam fan, could be found on a seat, tapping his feet and hollering “ Better man!”
Ofcourse the girls were always there, making the dance floor hot; and you sang the words to “You’re the One that I Want”, whether you knew them or not!
And no-one likes a mega-mix but play the one from Grease? You’ll even see a few Danny’s get up and join the beat.
These days the tunes are “retro”, but I sometimes play them still and the details might be fading but the feelings never will.

Standing on my driveway
Gazing left and right
Thinking of the diggers
Who left their homes to fight

Thankful I can stand here
Proud as I can be
Of men and women’s sacrifice
Made for you and me
To be free
To stand on our driveway.

It’s okay to be afraid
To grieve the plans that you had made.
It’s just fine to get frustrated, cooped up, fed-up, irritated.
It’s quite valid to feel sad
When all around you seems so mad.
It’s alright to share your fears, your doubts, your disappointments, tears.
I know a virtual hug does nought
To comfort you when overwrought.
The platitudes seem never-ending;
Don’t begin to start the mending.
Only time will see us heal
And our futures will reveal
How we began to value life; when this pandemic brought us strife.

What happens to identity
When surrender is called?
The wrong side of history
The tiger that’s been mauled.

How do you bear the moniker
Defeated? Enemy?
Now living under their regime
Your choice is? “Happily”.

Wary of the kindnesses
That you rarely receive.
Your hand extends in friendship
but your heart says, “disbelieve”.

Someone else decided for you,
who your foes should be.
The axis tilted in the night
now you’re the “enemy”.

You gaze at your hated visage
and you scowl at the brazen one
who was simply caught living life,
you were no smoking gun!

You wish that you may find some hope
To tether you to life
To bring you back from bigotry, suffering and strife.

Your muted voice is quiet now
But one day you may try
To make sense of the whole **** mess
Or always wonder why.

Hey!
Can we love like we’ve never been hurt?
Can we eat dessert before the main and stay sane?
Can we frolick in the rain and blurt out passions like we’re setting them free and yet they still remain?
Can we dance like Dervishes on hot tar? We run to the car with our sodden apparel and turn to each other with a look, wild and feral.
Wet lips collide and slip to the side as we laugh with our heads thrown back, our jaws slack from smiling so hard! Can we go that far?
Can we breathlessly cling, one to the other, hearts beating like drums in our chests?
Can a memory not yet made be the one I love best?

What a waste
Making a safe space.
You were never going to be
a man of vulnerability.
No haven on this sphere
could guard you from the
whispers that you hear.
Your inner voice, the one you should ignore? You gave the floor.
What a waste.

Give me a sign
So you can be mine
And then we can see
What it’s like to be “we”.

Man, be YOU.
That’s enough.
All the ******* about being tough
Manning up
It’s a bluff because the myth of the “real man”
Doesn’t measure up.
He’s a puppet.
Poison in his veins. He’s a slave to his role in the game.

Let’s face the truth.
The dross that’s aimed at youth, toughen up! The boy needs a hand that’s rough. That’s. girl.  stuff.
What do we get if we can’t let him BE?
Toxic Masculinity.
That’s enough!
Man, be YOU.

When I die,
I leave a legacy
For the earth
For kin
For my progeny.
A stone which has skimmed this infinite pond.
The ripples continue through life and beyond.

Still alive in memories
Thought of fondly, though years pass
Part of your family’s history
Loving hearts still hold you fast.

The brave ones wield their mettle,
yet again not settling for defeat.
Retreat is not a choice!
Though their voices shake; they speak their truth.
Strong and weak.
Age and Youth.

You’ve traded insults with him from the time he could return them.
If he offered you which hairy arm to pick, you’d Chinese burn them.
His annoying level neediness would see you waste YOUR time
Just to see him stand, silver in hand,  on the Space Invaders line.
But HE was always there to help you put the chain back on
When the rest of the BMX Bandits had thrown up dust and gone!
And he was there to corroborate when your day in court arrived.
You were braver because you had him there and TOGETHER you’d survived.
Then the day when words escaped your lips and you just needed someone to save you?
No questions asked; jumped on a train; no hesitation gave you.
Coz pesky brothers grow into men,  somewhere along the way.
Rough them up but love them well for you’ll need them there some day.

The loving acts of daily grace
That no other could replace
The quiet way you show you’re strong
Forgiveness when you’re wronged

A silly moment, smiles abound
laughter and group hugs all ‘round
You belong here like no other
Special, priceless, strong, funny, warm and giving MOTHER.

I heard some sad news
About a young teen
His Mum turned off his life support machine.
When I gave my condolences and she poured out her grief
You would think that this woman would feel some relief
But she turned to me bleakly and said
“ All my days, I will never forgive myself, lost to disgrace”.
I asked her why she felt compelled to such blame? Self recrimination, regret and shame?
She stated in earnest and her tone echoes still
“ The one machine I didn’t turn off has killed.”
I pledged from that day if I saw any signs
that my loved ones were victims of hurt by design
I’d tell them to switch off
Pull out the plug
Switch off the bully
Cut off the ****.
Your life is precious
don’t let haters thrive
Switch off for now and stay alive.

A grand place to be
Come stand beside me
I’m smack in the middle
of something,  you see.
Join me ami
You’ll love it, you’ll see!
I’m right between temperance and debauchery.

Why must we unpack MYSTERY?
Wrap it in Theology?
Box it up with piety and on our knees call “Deity!”
Can AWE be trademarked, WONDER sold?
Does the unknown have to fit a mold?
Embrace the pure uncertainty and cherish possibility.

Happy New Year?
Well for now, I can’t say.
I have my own hopes
but there could be delay.
I’ve ordered World Peace
there could be a speed bump.
I’ve also requested the demise of Trump.
And the continued success of all bee colonies
and protection from racists and their bigotries.
And more empathy amongst all of mankind
And for those who are seeking? I hope they shall find!
At the end of the year I shall rinse and repeat and hope to find some on my wishlist complete.

There once was a Mum on a train
her teen was becoming a pain
She patted her hair
and said “ Oh there, there”
and smiled though her patience did wane.

There once was a boring train ride
my teen simply couldn’t abide
she had a wee tanty
and twisted her *******
in a minute I might tan her hide

There once was a bone weary teen
whose muscles were starting to scream
she was having a sook
‘bout the miles undertook
but grinned with memories of icecream.

There was a young girl from Peru
Who wanted to write a haiku
She wrote a limerick that sounded quite slick
her failure became quite the coup!

Memories hold dear,
which were born of deep devotion.
The notion of time fading the ache?
A feint, a fake played by fools who dodge emotion.
Hold steadfast to the joyous spark, igniting recollection.
A rush of joy to fill the void, you’re buoyed from ever knowing this man’s faithful, true affection.