And so they came to grow and grow, some flourished wild - under days of golden suns,
some never planted, only blew lonely across the fields of splitting winds
til a drifting life can no longer hold the certain breath of death
swallowed once again by the welcoming earth
a wildfire ignites, burning only for rebirth
life springs anew born of ash and fire.

It came softly warm, mist of fragrant showers
garden flowers of parchment petals
drank of sun, of moon, of rain
silent the Perseid showers
a falling sea of rain
sparkling in the night sky.

I always take you in
the way you lie
on your back, exposing underbelly
Twitchy, tricky tale of you
scratching up my legs
you quickly turn
next moment fully purred
You haunt me in the night
hungry on the prowl
whiskers brushing skin
fierce in your growl
You never had to try
so hard, every trick in the book
your forlorn eyes
clawing caught me hooked

As oceans swell in ceaseless waves
love will empty and spill
into a fleeting place
we are ever
longing  
to fill

Walk close the seasons, near the heart
summer fields, grasses green - tall to hide behind, the coming winter
only laugh as dancing maples change, piled high - leaves on fire
Winds of gray waves fill the air
children skate
frozen ponds give way
to spring - the ice
to trickle

Moon winds pretend to know me
clouds steal the sky away
never knowing my name
Remove the veil
what game            
night stars
play

Music came singing to the sky
It seemed none could sing or fly so high
maybe some birds
like children's laughter
a forgotten eternal spring,
a happiness
that comes and goes 
forever calling
one home

As if out from a tunnel
the first light deafens silence
wings unfold the soul - whispering
Plain truth in words unspoken
so precious the moments
of being unbroken

So soon the rains come
wet, washing
another path  
home

Running
do you
feel
the race?
Or meet with
it's bitter taste?
The
Gold

Black, hollow world of sky - starless
alone in this darkened room
dreaming of the star showers that fell
last night from your lips
quivering.

How many times at this cliff, wild with winds
waiting for direction, even though storm clouds come
I look beyond, remembering the halcyon days
but today - rain, rain, rain

He is from fields, endless prairies
runs with buffalo on the Oklahoma plains
all of nature runs through him
restless as a river, he is winding
weaving, fording the depths of soul
masterful, he spends days exploring the outer lands
his hands must be winter leather worn, and warm
in Spring he gathers flowers for his lady's home
sees her essence in sky blue clouds
wanders the salt creek way back home
or sometimes lost in the wild hills
he may lay all the day, watching shadows fall
the wane of sun that melts into moon
or watching storms in gradient greys
windy skies sway with darkest rain
he is soaking in all that he can hold
all of nature transforms his soul
his words are woven - spun gold
sublime, are his poems
to behold.

I went home, it was a long dry stretch of road
walking backwards toward the sun
the red heat dripped and pooled
rested in spaces of backbone
a white hot desert, sand blown
I went searching
beyond denial - to feel
I found lost parts of me
beyond the parch
and peel.

Where sleeps the crescent moon
and drifts bright stars away
to bring a song of light
glowing from a thicket there
where tawny birds take flight
or dappled in the wooded trees
foggy breathed the morning light
with rousing sounds of faeries there
drowsy in their dreaming cares
they bid farewell unto the night,
to stars that sail swift into the evanescent light.

Now springs another day from this woodland place
soft with mossy grays or starry lichen lace
green the leafy ferns will wake
with scented rains, wet upon the bark
incense cedars drift and swirl
sweet, the air of smoke
until alas the sun, so brilliant comes
from behind a clouded cloak
and disappears once more
the dawn that softly spoke.

When I can no longer dredge, move water
dragging silt through sand, disappearing
my hands tied by seaweed, clawed and crabbed
strange ocean of paraphernalia, I trudge the land
my lips, red crusts and salty bled
fingers stiff, rusty locks, rubber gloved
swallowed up, fastening round a net, a trap
to pull the ocean in

Blue
it is an ocean
a siren crying
a haunting rainstorm
which floods
the soul
with tears
you
dare
to
feel

Blue
it is the sky
expansive
cloudless
surreal
dream
you
love
to
feel

A stand of oaks, ringing round in summer leaves of grassy greens
twisty branches quivering light in wind's of dusky breeze
Beyond this sky of crimson day, far awaits a starry field to bloom
and melts the sun into black
swift before the moon

involuntary
necessary signals sent
heartbeats and breathing

I have lost all sense of time, hours linger
days fade, I look at photographs
those of you and I, unframed
in gardens, or mountains
or pictures from the hotel
the warmth of you, my chilly toes
lonely - I remember your smile
the window, the trickle
of autumn rain.

This desert
with blinding beauty burns
always a season of birds  
before the sun, the grey raining clouds
we traveled miles over hills leading up and outward
with all its budding ways the glowing days of May
fragrant petals faded into summer
scorched our lips, how we slipped
into the ways of fire
our love, only a smouldering pyre.

I could only see with dreaming eyes a place so vast within
impossible waters to cross, if only to fly to other side
blue water to turn to ice, and full of joy
I could go skating by, twirling to the sky
when all the meadow flowers would fully bloom
and turn to starry showers
of petals raining
in my room

This morning, upon my wall
with lilies, lilies tall
sun shadows
the beauty
of it
all

Colors
and flowers
birds of dawn
in the singing trees
has only ever been a dream

Wind and dark the night I pine
stark the grasp of longing
branched and vined
blue mourning
deep in soul
an echo
calling

When through my fingers
your hand slips
taste of your
fleeting kiss
lingers
drifts

Paper winged
when torn, I stutter, stammer
spiraling and falling
only in dreams softly sweet
once more a butterfly
brilliantly winging

Far away
it must have been another world or looked a different planet,
the earth red as fire all the mountains wide, dawn of painted skies
banyan trees caressed the landscape, we rested under, dreaming
words echoed through vast rock walls
that seemingly had no end
drifting up and out the canyon, mingling with clouds
to fly away with birds, the words are floating in the air
connecting all the world
in the birdsong
that we hear

When I dream this desert turns green, blooms
clouds race where mountain lions loom
ash gray, the cool of blue rain comes
a redolent wind of desert sea
rushing waves, sand blown
sculpted saguaro forests
pale flowered yellow
drinking every drop
now this eve we drink
now before another dawn
of the mad thirsty sun

My lips are cracked leather
lizard dry, my breath melts into mirage
beetles emerge from dark caves
in flashes of iridescence, crawling
their tiny tracks, surreal sand paintings
art for cactus wren, hunting

Here, beyond yet another
sparkling diamond mound
lies a wild sea of the sailing ships, I've found

I am surrounded by night, windless
hot as fever, even more troubled
the places I've called home, abandoned
along with everyone, days in a desert alone
I speak to no one, only the sky
the night moon, my mother
whispers in metaphor
something brilliant
I tremble, quiver
in time with
the stars.

How you flew, newly feathered
a fledgling falling from the sky
but upwinds sailed you far and high
carried you, strong through clouds
winged and wild your arms
fingers running through
the updrafts of cold,
cooling, then
warm.

I think you are of clay
of red earth and water
smooth formed and forged
a vessel for holding fire
a warm copper bronze
sculpted, divinely poured
of ancient Roman origin
descended from Apollo
born of pure poetry and music
you walk the earth, a skilled hunter
with bow and arrow

Salt rim and cake
we ate and drank
drowned and sank
our souls and bodies
wet washed in this lake
too late to wonder
we wandered
another day
away.

I traveled through lush greens
mountains of moss, sinking soft
wild in the woods you went
swooped and flew
singing songs
of blue water
of morning colors
in the light of sun
with dreams of moon
my bird.

In Ireland, sea swept and green
against the wind, this mast, salt lipped and bent
by the mad skipping white caps
farther out - the gray fading ships
closer in, the tiny bobbing boats
amid misty fog they float
nets and fish, heavy they list
the watery wilds
toward home.

Eyes, crystalline, shine awake
newborn suns stream, blue light
mists of fog breaking through
cool breath, of forest's wet
steaming bark, clouds of water smoke
trees breathe deep, drinking dawn
mosses warm in wooded sun
raven call penetrates the soul, an ageless echo
pulse of forest drums, awake my heart
in birded rhythmic song, connection, meditation
I am home, I am home

I am green in these hills
I wait all spring long
wait through grey rains
too early for summer flowers
I dream of sun fields brightest yellow
my heart a wild field that burns
my lips are paper seeking water
desolate in this desert
your lips now merely
a mirage.

In the rain forest we heard the first birds
stood amid the cooling spectral fog
walked upon the spongy ground
the layered earth of moss and mud
along the path and further on
came streaming rays of sun
that silver lit the wild paphiopedilums
smiling toward the sky
a shine of silken stars.

Only a desert of blowing dust
a junk yard of weathered metal rust
the brutal blare of scorching sun
the cold of winter's raining snow
an ever changing, tricky season
a killing storm without reason
only a metaphor to explore
the hot and cold - of you
that I deplore.

Swift, the rain in colors grey
black the daylight whisked away
by steely skies, charcoal smudged
the ashen clouds amid blowing winds
surreal this field, this pelted land
the scream of hurried birds, that scatter

The taste of your mouth
it exploded, salt bright
upon my lips and I fell
reckless, haphazard
as the night was - of shooting stars
blushed, bright flashed, gleaming.
I fell, the thump and tumbling
of hearts, by the moon, love spun.
Your arms, bands of gold, bronze
gathered me - each part
like stars, one by one.

Ilion Gray, such a cool name
I love the name Ilion - Ilion Gray
I wonder is it his real name
it looks like it could be, his name
though I've never known an Ilion
never read poems by any other Ilion's
his name fits perfect, his poems, exquisite
and today I see him posted on the front page
a prince of words, a master, a sage
I think he lives in NY, probably downtown
I bet it's loud, I love the way he writes like that
I wonder what kinds of things he does, in summer
or winter, I know he has a cap, but does he have coat and gloves
I wonder how many times, he fell drunk in love
he probably reads poetry on a stage, a pastiche word parade
a lyrical brigade, loaded and fired, finishing with a bow
yeah, I bet Ilion is writing a killer poem right now

Strange path, with green overgrown
a place unknown, a wild bird haunting calls
as if to wake, coax the light of dawn
wet my steps, break with day
I wait the sun, to come
lighting slow, a lonesome home
or far off hills of grassy yellow
I hear the smaller birds too
beyond these trees, among the reeds
sing glorious amid morning's meadow
and I, entranced deep in nature's glow
can only hope to follow.

To get lost
when all the earth goes black, sinking into silence
stars tumble into darkest seas, hidden from love's moon
that cannot shine alone

many the deserts of dust covered roads
with wind to blow a path
toward home

rains will come in washing waves
gathering lonely lovers
dreams of love, pouring down
in heavenly
waters

The mad allure
the bite, the cure
haste and taste of you
splendorous kiss
sudden slip, we drip
wet in rivulets
of sweat

Our flaming fire
swallowed by desire
a gathering storm
so calmly warm, just before
the fall, the come hither call
that pours and pours
drops of diaphanous rain

Stone cold, the blackening sky, stole our field of flowers,
soon seeds of dandelions washed away
in watercolor charcoal skies
gone grey.

Tomorrow
all the brightest colors
a mourning
away.

Orange, pink sunrise came over dawn's moss green hill
soon a thousand birds all singing to the sun
orchid flower, soft butterfly touching down
paper petals white, float emerald lily pond
Quan Yin, in her stillness
looking on

To the earth and sky
we all belong
to water and fire
moon, stars, sun
with all elements
we are one

When we feel our
true connection to all
then we are finally home

Driving east, I leave the sun,
still behind mountains, to burn
east, vastly deep, cold cool desert
early before mirages sweep in waves
oceans of stones, smoothed round
flooding, tumbling cactus down
early, under dawn's flowing gown
billowing, red sky of fire
on back roads, Apache trails
seeking souls, lost within the Dragoons
rest, I sleep amid ancient bones
celebrate, dance with ancestral ghosts 
free, our spirits roam
the Cochise stronghold

Stars at night, long the hours
watching animal spirits deep in the wooded wilds
tracing circles round the moon, glowing
translucent spiders weaving webs
floating at the edge, before diving in
oceans of sailing green seas
waves newly born, bright as sparks
lightning in the dark, igniting hearts
fiery blue, water too, the earth and air runs through
basking in other worldly realms of moon
with hearts, pure white where lilies bloom
home, where the soul of the sea is borne
drenched in storms of falling star seas
yours is a place wilder, than these.

Words by Emily
an everlasting novel
penned amidst the moors

Kaleidoscope eyes
spirals amber brown
meld and move, turn and groove
exquisite mandala art, they impart
colored rings, how they bring
your soul to me
so close