Staring at the contours of the hours,
I watch the minutes and seconds
drift across the dunes of time and
realize my life is blown away.
The tectonic plates of months and years
have slipped across a hot spot of
final days, left only volcanic peaks.

Sorrow picks the lock of my future;
yet, you somehow shimmer,
a mirage on the horizon, an oasis
in the desert of time's geography.
Seeking perspective, I've climbed
the eons' highest mount to view your waters.
I will not thirst, saved by your river
running silently toward the ocean's expanse.

someday when we grow taller
these mountains we climb will seem smaller
and every branch we cling to for safety won't break

how do we ever find solid ground when all of our hands and feet are so shaky

It seems in this life
There's just struggle and strife
Happiness is fleeting
And only once in a while

Hope keeps most going
But can take us so far
Truth then takes hold
And call your cards

You show your hand of Hope
But it won't beat a straight
Not even two pair
You've got aces and eights

on a good day
the ice is cutting your feet
but it looks like you're -
walking a seabed of roses
and red bells
shivering in silver molasses
and your far away eyes
seek oblivion and
mercy...
but you can't think
of anything
to dream.

on a bad day, you can't smoke scotch
so you drink it. you burn matchsticks
and croon lunacy with thick lips wishing
and rude plumes of an ash life.
you can hardly bark, but your bite's slipping
and the fruit is straw and dung
but the sugar,  black
in the white
flesh.

There are pieces of me left behind on your floor
Where my heart still has eyes like a fly on the wall (or flowers)
Mesmerize me with the hair you're always hiding
Under product, colors, straight lines. Nature beats all.
The grace of a new being to enjoy wholly is like ice water in veins
A chilling, dark realization that I can never forget your name.
You've slammed into me like you were playing with planes
And yet the distance between us never seems to change.

To float in the deep end, frozen like the taste of salt
To glide across your tongue and change the symphony of sound
And heartache within you, to be swallowed by you
To rip to pieces the travesties inside you, would have me new.
Somehow I knew when our eyes first met, there was death
Of whoever I used to emulate, so for a time I was breathless
Chest heaving in exasperation to try and find the courage
To explain to you that the world can be easy if you let it.

This beach I lay before you can be glass or coals or clouds
It only matters how you step.
Don't think of fear, let it be known that I
Will always be a part of you.
Someone once told me there are millions in the world
With whom love can be shared.

Well I found one.

I stitch together broken promises and shattered stained glass
Melting the flavors into the conflagration of your laugh
And the oceans do scream your name during ***
And the clouds do cast themselves into darkness
So you can shine at the moon.

A whole galaxy stops for you. You are
Doves with undernurtured wings, aerosol paint spraying
Blue ribbons surrounding my headstone
You are right beside me in dreams, always I am itching to be closer
Subtly marking my inches and counting backwards from a billion
Hoping I hit zero with enough time left in my life
To see you on a rocking chair on my front porch
With a ring on your finger.

Sometimes, I feel like I could smile over at you when we're seventy.
And I could say "Hey you're coffee's getting cold."
And you would say "Fine, you can drink it."
And I gladly would get you more.

While meanwhile you shimmered in sunlight like the master of all rainbows
The queen of black rock, with dragon's blood, and eagle's cries
And I would walk inside and stare back out and hand you
All the pieces left of me from your garage floor,
Along with mended promises and unstained glass.