She called his name out in the night, and he was there to hold her,
Drawing her near as her head found its way into his shoulder.

He kissed her hair and squeezed her tightly as if to remind her
That any time she needed him, his arms would quickly find her.

He rubbed the sleep from his tired eyes so he could see her clearly,
And whispered low, "Relax, you know I'll always love you dearly."

She whispered back to tell him of her dream where she'd been lonely.
"No need to worry," he replied, "You know I love you only."

He promised her no matter what that he'd always adore her,
She'd pushed the bedsheets to her feet -- he tucked them back in for her.

He kissed and kissed and kissed her until she burst into laughter,
Then held her close and shared her smile -- they fell asleep soon after.

When Autumn follows, quiet, grim,
With hollow gaze and rawboned limb,
He turns the warm air bittersweet,
Treading the Earth with silent feet.

The chattering of birds grows still
When gentle Autumn works his will.
He gestures once, his fingers poised:
He works best with absence of noise.

The trees stretch proudly in full height
As Autumn paints their foliage bright -
He sings out orange, yellow, gold,
Voice vibrant, rich, exhaling cold.

He visits every crevice small
And takes the time to inward crawl
To every creature huddled tight
And give to them a kiss good-night.

And as their noses sting with frost,
He quickly makes his exit, lost,
To radiant rustling leaves outside.
He walks the barren forests wide,

And scales the weathered tree-trunks broad.
He views his work and gives a nod,
For he is modest, sometimes gruff:
A job well done is thanks enough.

He sinks down with the setting sun
For Winter’s work has now begun,
And he is free to rest and sleep
As clouds of snow above him creep.

Swing me!

Grab me by the hand, pull me through the door-frame,
Out of the sleepy twilight world and into the jazz bar bursting with life,
The air humming with sound, the lights buzzing vibrant,
The rhythm of the bass and drums already ingrained in the bounce of your step like it's a language you've always known how to speak.

Ask me for a dance, smile before I can even answer,
Dive into the mass of people who move, sway, breathe with the music, adding their own melodies with every clap of their hands, Every laugh that harmonizes with the trumpets and horns, the swish of every colorful dress that spins like a top --
Spin me like a top!

Pull me back to you just as fast, let our clumsy feet untangle themselves to step in unison,
Sing out in joy as the band drives the song on and on and on,
Bass and drums a motor endlessly running,
Trumpet a daredevil leaping and diving, piano bursting underneath like sparks,
Knowing that while the sleepy twilight world closes its eyes and drifts listlessly on,
This is where we are meant to be.

And honey, I don't care if you stutter when you talk,
I don't care if you trip over your own two feet,
If your laugh is too loud, if your eyes turn downward every time you speak,
As long as you love me here, and spin me like this music will never end,
Sweetheart, that's a plenty for me.

Atlas arrived at your front door this afternoon.

He stood waiting, head bowed, arms shaking
From bearing the universe in its entirety,
All that has been and will ever be,
Dying Earth, cold Moon, blazing Sun,
Mars, Venus, Pluto, Mercury,
All dots akin to marbles, playthings,
In the vastness of his burden.
And he gazed at you with eyes that cried a silent plea,
One of a thousand fading stars, a million candles burning at the wick, a hundred trails of smoke
That wisped into the nighttime air and disappeared entirely.
All this you saw, and more,
And so you bade him to bend lower than he stood before,
And with fingers that shook
But gripped tighter than a secret kept,
You closed your arms around the heavens
And, bracing yourself
Against the doorframe,
Placed his troubles on the frosty ground,
Eased the stiffness of his shoulders wide, and
Led hm through the door inside.

Atlas lays now on your floor,
His smile thin, his whisper faint, weakened inconceivably,
But at peace. His leaden muscles are at long last free
To be human. He may err, repent, love, find joy, cry with no apology,
Rest easy in arms
That ache from the weight
Of the skybearer's task for only a moment,
Let alone all of eternity.
And while the multitudes of worldy voices call from outside, beeseeching,
Time may wait. Time is kind.
Let Atlas be the one carried, let the eyes
Imploding on themselves slip closed,
Kiss his brow, and let the bearer of the stars
At last find darkness and sleep unopposed.

Weathered mountains, silent, tall,
Watch the silver droplets fall,
Fleeting as a moment past.
Hazy shadows faintly cast.

Forest dampened in the rain,
Rivulets of water drain
Underneath the misty skies.
Breathe and clear those cloudy eyes.

Mossy cover underfoot,
Darkest green and blackest soot,
Smouldered memories settled still,
Shifting with the breeze's chill.

Faint cliffs drop into the glade,
Watch the daylight slowly fade.
Once forsaken, once unwise,
Breathe and clear those cloudy eyes.

Back again I was, it seems
Stepping through my garden of dreams
Feeling grass caress bare feet
Dancing through the blossoms sweet
Climbing tree and touching sky
Mourning wilted flow'rs to die
Hanging in the night the stars
Catching sun in sea-glass jars
Armed with free will, armed with *****
Digging weeds the fields forbade
Poisoning my garden fair
Souring the soil and air
Becoming then my flower's foe
Thought I, their place here is not so.

And, sinking knees into rich Earth,
And golden sunlight filled with mirth,
With *****, I did begin my task
And bitterness wih laughter mask
Silver metal touching fern,
My hands the soil did upturn,
And, tendrils curling, leaves apeel,
My tool the rivals dire reveal,

One leaféd foe remained entrenched
With fearful glare and rancid stench
So tall and straight with dreadful leer
His shadow clouded dark with fear
Malignant eyes with clear intent
To push my flowers broke and bent
And seemed it he could even draw
My breath from slack, loose-hanging jaw
When he then spoke, from op'ning torn
Each word a deadly sharpened thorn

Prepared was I to plead and flee
When quiet whispers spoke to me
And I looked down, when I did heed
To see, as clear as day, a ****!
Of coiling shape and lily glow
A-cheering to take on my foe
And, studying her roots spread wild,
Knew she'd grown when I was a child
And planted by unsready hands
Had grown to counter his commands
Had been fed friendship, watered trust,
Matured away from lies and lust,
Bound strong with laughter, stories, tears
A mindset wise beyond her years
And, spouting golden, crystal-bright,
Had rose to aid me on this night
And now was swaying at my side
While casting light a circle wide.
And she did gaily laugh and wink
So that my foe would backwards sink
And cry, in voice both kind and clear,
"Rot, burden, you have no place here."

And, snapping forwarrd with ghastly groans,
And rattling shrieks amongst loud moans,
At once dissolved his stature tall
As ***** pierced leaves and watched him fall
Out faded terror, fear, and war,
Until my foe became no more.

And when I chanced to scan the space,
The **** was bobbing in her place,
Sweetening spring-summer air,
Guarding flowers small with care,
Long I stood regarding there
If I would ever dream or dare
To ignore danger, do no less
Than guard my **** in peril -- yes.

Carefully, my heel did turn
Across the wheat-fields orange burn
Set fire by the sinking sun
And clouds like rabbits tinted run
The crickets in the reeds did hum
When I set down to ponder some
On values trust and friendship set
And whether one chanced to forget
That love, in its true form divine
Could only birth in comrades fine
And when I rose to onwards roam,
I knew her light would guide me home.

Here I am again, it seems,
Wand'ring through my garden of dreams,
Shaping paths of glassy streams,
Stiching Sky and Earth's frayed seams
Fast'ning buds on newborn trees
Weaving music in the breeze
Oft proclaiming, as the winds flow free
How very dear you are to me
And thankful, as the planets shine
That you have stayed in garden mine.