I am the sunny green basil
You grew in the terra cotta tureen by the north-facing window.

I started off light, sweet, tangy, refreshing.

You left me alone for too long.

And now I am bitter,
Biting,
Useless.

If you had tended me with care,
I would be always at your service,
Adding flavor to your sauces and meats.


But you neglected me,
And you've put me in your compost bin
With potato skins and banana peels
And I am good for nothing, no one.

This place
Is where I keep all of my worldly possessions
But it cannot be my home-

My heart is not here.

Where there is joy,
There resides my spirit.

Where there is harmony,
There is my joy.

Where there is love,
There you are.

Wrap me in your arms,
Caress my lips with yours,
Make me yours,
To have and to hold.

Take Me Home.

You and I knew it wasn't right.

But once the idea had been discussed,
It would not leave our minds.

We opened the door
And it wouldn't close again.

Afterwards, you pushed it shut with all your weight,
Sweating and out of breath.

We'd won,
But barely.

And the dust from that room
Hung in our air
And the light filtered through it,
Making it painfully visible,
Interminably present.

Can we open the window and let it out into the air,
Never to re-enter our sight?

I hope so.

Standing there
In that light,
You looked so good

Stirring the meats and sauces
In the pans on my stove
That I called your name,

And when you turned around,
And you wrapped your arms around my waist
And slid your hands down to my hips
And pulled me in tight

And our lips met,
Softly at first,
Then again:
Passionately,

I knew we were entering uncharted territory,
And it was beautiful.

Line the edge of the shelf
And fill a bowl at one end of its dusty surface,
Worn old hickory supporting
Ashen grey pottery

The way my love for you
Fills my heart and overflows,
Pouring into my worn old mind and body.

Is the world through your clouded eyes.
there's no way to grow that don't hurt,

So let the light shine through,
Cleanly,
As it did in the beginning,

And love me.

The oil on your neck
Has a smell so earthy, heavy, dark.

Its small white flowers
Are like the quiet words
That you pour out

From your sugar-sweet mouth,
Your lips warm, moist,
Like a velvet rose,

And your lily-of-the-valley hands
Reach out like stems, calling to the sun.