"I would like a kiss please" proposed he.  "The first of fifty thousand."
"Fifty thousand?" challenged she.  "Isn't that a trifle small for a lifetime?"
"Point taken" admitted he.  He thought briefly.  

"I would like a kiss then, please, the first of one million."
"That's more like it" acknowledged she.
"But in fairness," observed he, "I've always preferred quality over quantity."

    What followed next
           took her breath away,
                made her shoulders limp,
                      buckled her knees,
                            and finally
                                  settled as heat in her pelvis

"Mmmm... point taken" conceded she.  "Point... taken."
"Nine hundred ninety-nine thousand,
     nine hundred and ninety-nine kisses to go" he proclaimed with a wink and a grin.

Early July
and Judith sat
on the wooden fence
beside you

over looking the pond
which she called the lake
dressed in a plain grey skirt
and green blouse

her brown hair
brushed untidily
as was per norm
her hands beside her

balancing her
on the top beam
mum said men
are not to be trusted

Judith said
me included?
you asked
you especially

she said smiling
she didn’t mention you by name
just said men in general
and my dad looked at her

sideways on
pulled a face
then carried on
with his breakfast

a jackdaw flew across
the pond noisily
making Judith jump
****** bird

nigh on made me
wet myself
she said
following the bird’s flight

what made your mother
go on an anti men campaign?
you asked
watching two ducks

move across
the water’s skin
I think she saw us
coming through the woods

behind your house
yesterday after school
Judith said
we were too close together

mum said
but where she was
to see us I have no idea
hanging from a tree maybe

you said
don’t think so
Judith said smiling
maybe she’s spying on us now?

you suggested
Judith looked around her
then back at you
don’t say that

I almost had kittens
it’s not kittens
you have to worry about
you said

sunlight flickered
through high branches
birds sang
white clouds

moved slowly overhead
you touched her hand
with yours
felt her warm skin

her fingers
her short fingernails
she looked at the flickering sunlight
I know

she said softly
come on
let’s go near the lake
she said

and jumped off the fence
and so did you
and walked over
the grass

to the pond’s side
under a vast sky of blue.

People will disappoint you
Find your hero within
Confidants are few

Worshiping athletes is through
Trash jerseys in the bin
People will disappoint you

Hero worship is taboo
Celebrities and spin
Confidants are few

Others will lead you askew
Fidelity is thin
People will disappoint you

Parents can lose luster too
Once hero, now has been
Confidants are few

Bid pseudo heroes a dew
Your hero dawns your skin
People will disappoint you
Confidants are few

I won't sing you a love song
nor I'll ever dance along
but I will tell you this,
you are the light that shines
through my darkest moments
that fights my deepest fears
that lights my whole life
you are the one who
makes my whole life
with your simple words
of care and sweet love
my one and only
I wish you nothing
but the happiest of days
on this special day!

Happy birthday SULTANI!

Funny how we woke up in the morning
and pretended that tomorrow never happened—
strutted naked in mirrors celebrating our youth,
laughing, knowing suns and moons couldn’t do the same.

We borrowed our arms from the fridge
and peddled bicycles with bad breath—
trading war stories ‘cause we knew
if we came back alive
life would still be the death of us.

What do you have for me today, O Maker?
What do you want to show me?

I open my Eyes,
     Let me see what I need to see.
I open my Mind,
     Let me understand what I need to understand.
I open my Heart,
     Let me feel what I need to feel.
I open my Hands,
     Fill them with what you have for me today.

Thank you.

I remember when everything was black and white
And I had to know that I was always right
It was so easy then, and yet so hard
Being God's saint in man's backyard

There was no room for error in my little self-made pen
I covered all the windows to keep me free from sin
And there I studied scripture and there I often prayed
There was talking on the outside, I could not hear what was said

Why must we have all the answers?
We're human and we make mistakes
When will we learn to be ourselves?
God accepts us as we are

It's a lonely kind of life when you're the only one who's right
Others just don't understand
I try to lead the band
But no one follows

Well, I was driving my new automobile
Just trying to get a feel for things
I was cuttin' figure-eights
And trying to stop on a dime
When I looked down the road and
Saw your face
For the very first time...

And... then... I...

Floored it, I floored it,
I put the pedal to the metal and floored it
I drove right up to you,
I said "Miss, how do you do?"
But I couldn't quite stop in time
And though some day you'll be fine
That's why you're in a body cast and I'm bringing
Flowers.

Well, your daddy doesn't care too much for me
But he lets me visit, grudgingly
Of course, he doesn't know that we will marry
I'll sneak you out of this hospital bed,
Put a *** of flowers on your head
And wheel you out with all the towels that we can
Carry.

And... then... we'll...

Floor it, we'll floor it!
We'll put the pedal to the metal and floor it
We'll cross that ol' state line
Making you legal just in time
To marry a guy like me
And we'll live happily
And one day you will learn
When your memory has returned
That you made a wonderful
Made a wonderful
Made a wonderful
Made a wonderful
Made a wonderful choice
In ME!