-
No one knows what goes
on behind the kitchen door
You can guess and assume,
ask questions, seek answers
or sling accusations
hoping the batter will stick
But there are reasons
some choose to slip
behind a disguise
of safe netting

Perhaps scars
of the past are not
that appealing when the
mirror is faced
reflecting bad memories
or maybe threats falling
like the sky on that
little chicken’s head
are taken seriously

It could be shadows
lingering behind foggy curtains
cryptic fingers reaching,
manhandling innocence
or something as simple
as shyness fluttering
like a soft breeze
sending chills on a
warm summer day

Maybe artistic endeavors,
creative images circled
on a recipe card to bring a smile
or those who were
falsely accused hiding from
a jury of peering eyes
that leaned towards
the popular side
of the truth

Or sadly to throw stones,
spit venom
from a forked tongue,
troll from beneath
a fairytale bridge
(Three Billy Goat’s Gruff)
built on jealousy
and rickety thoughts

Anyway…
people are people,
reasons are reasons
It takes all kinds
to make a stew
that has all of the flavors
to create a poetic feast
even if we don’t know each
ingredient by its correct name

~

If I could I would hold you
If I could, I would
If I could I would show you
If I could, I would

If I could I would touch you
If I could, I would
If I could I would kiss you
If I could, I would

If I could I would please you
If I could, I would
If I could I would free you
If I could, I would

But all I can do is love you
In every way that I can
Oh how I wish you knew
If I could…I would

~
I am left with nothing
but a tiny heart
to hold in my mind
Taking small bites
to sustain life
But it won’t last forever
and neither will I

Collections amounted to
merely words
lost in the ether,
shrouded by shadows
What was once full
is now empty,
meanings forgotten

Yes it was difficult,
your feelings surged
peaked, erupted
and then fizzled
in an exhausted flame
And no matter how hard I blew,
the embers still faded

My expectations were too much,
happiness ran elusive
Now memories weep
as tomorrows become
an unwelcome date
and yesterdays
a hollow rain  

It’s funny when you find it,
it touches you, it feels so good,
like nothing you have
ever felt before
And then you lose it, it hurts so bad,
like nothing you have
ever felt before

When all you end up with  
is a tiny heart, one last smile,
one final moment of joy
Till it stops beating
and the nothing you are left with
becomes the nothing that you are,
the nothing you always will be

~
It is pouring here, very hard,
the clouds are unloading
and the streets are flooding,

and I can tell,
by the constant rumble of thunder
that the rain is ******
because it knows it is no match
for these teardrops
falling from my eyes

What a strange feeling
to win and lose…
at the same time

-

War paint
in small grey circles
corrects faults
in the image
our brains find
when we look
for something else
still only
finding ourselves
staring back
asking the
same question…

who am I

~

Where is that forest
where we chased fireflies,
breaking branches
so we could find our way out,
dipping our feet in the stream
as tadpoles ran for cover
neath lily pads
blooming in yellow…

we held hands
and it brought tingling
shivers to my skin
as sunlight shining
through the thick
green canopy
glistened on your
white sundress
and your smile…

laughter and
shadows on
fallen pine needles
followed us as we ran,
looking for fairies
ducking for cover
behind that old oak tree
where you kissed me
for the very first time…

the sun set
and you were scared
of the dark and
I put my arm around you
keeping you warm,
promising every thing
would be okay,
telling you I would
never let anything
happen to you,
and it didn’t

Where is that forest,
hopefully forever
in your heart,
*as it is mine

.

Dark clouds gather
above empty fields
where barren landscapes
feel the coming chill
of lonely times
lurking just over the ridge

Shadows of future dreams
crawl slowly in another direction
Desolate figures
on hands and knees
hide from wanting eyes
and grasping fingers

Sunny afternoons are shoved
into back pockets
with the love poems
written for her
that will never see
the light of day

And as they shovel the dirt
upon this weathered face
teardrops create mud
as the realization comes,
that the darkness
is what was meant to be

~

*Even the
   tiniest show
  of affection
    from her
   is always
      the biggest
     part of
        my day

~

Walking into the unknown,
wavering trees hide new growth
as leaves collect in grayscale
piles of worried thoughts swirling

They float on gusty breezes
of the past, cold and chilling,
bringing shivers to lost smiles
that long for sunny days

Fears spill in shaded offerings,
as nervous uncertainty
waits in the brush for it’s chance,
lurking in darkened shadows

The path is long and winding,
like a serpent slithering between
wishful dreams and the frigid
nightmares gathered nearby

When another joins you,
bearing warm clothing of flannel
and fleece held in caring arms
wrapping around you tightly

It is then that you see something
in his eyes, a glint of those feelings
that so long ago disappeared
in the forgotten fog of sadness

And once more the world seems
safe as thick clouds retreat,
revealing blue sky promises
on forever horizons

Then as he takes your hand
you feel it, the truth you have
waited for, as love fills your heart
and you walk unafraid…once again

~

The days pass by
as I sit and watch
No longer counting them
for it matters not,
they are going to wave goodbye
regardless of what I do

I think back on all
I have seen
Moments of joy and sadness,
people I have met,
some I have lost
and those I will miss

Hard times, rough times,
good times
Things I wish I could take back,
do over again
and others I wish I would
have had the courage to try

I wonder why about many things,
it seems I often wonder why
and even though
the answers don’t always come,
(I never expect them to,)
I still keep asking

But one thing I know for sure
is that my past
is merely that, my past
and my future, no matter
how short it might be,
is bright

Because at this late stage
of my life I have found you,
and I no longer care
about what happened before,
I can only see what
is happening now

So as these days
dwindle before me,
and the end creeps nearer
I know it was worth the wait,
worth the struggles and
the obstacles I faced

For in none of my dreams,
even the wildest I could imagine,
did I ever dream
I would be loved
by a woman like you

~

The princess sat along a stream,
crying in the sun
Closed her eyes and dreamt a dream,
about the perfect one

For love had never come her way,
she longed for it so much
The tender words that he might say,
a gentle caring touch

When then a frog hopped into view,
a slimy little guy
He smiled and said, “How do you do?”
A twinkle in his eye

She frowned for she was feeling bad,
not real sure what to say
Then whispered, “I am kind of sad,
but how are you today?”

He croaked an answer quietly
“I’m sad like you, as well
A handsome prince I used to be
before that witch’s spell”

“But fear not, for it could be worse
It’s not so bad like this
The only way to break the curse
is with a princess’ kiss”

She rolled her eyes at what he said
“You must think I am daft”
Then saw the crown upon his head
and stopped before she laughed

Perhaps what he had said was true
and this could be her chance
To end this feeling, oh so blue
with a new found romance

He looked at her, tears in his eyes
Then said in sorrowed voice
“Don’t worry, I’ll just eat some flies,
it’s totally your choice”

Oh what the hell, she thought a while
this chance I shall not miss
And then he saw her gorgeous smile
as she gave him a kiss

A puff of smoke, the brightest glare,
then something did explode
And though she once was seated there,
now sat a princess toad

He never could imagine this,
his wish had just come true
When she gave him another kiss,
she felt the same way too

They fell in love, a perfect dream,
as joy now filled their eyes
And spent their days along that stream,
together catching flies

And they lived hoppily ever…

Oh wait, is that a tadpole I see?  
I guess they lived VERY hoppily ever after   :)

The two of us walk
this beautiful day,

sharing life and smiling,
down winding paths
of woven stems
Following footprints to
chilled winter landings
Counting leaves as they fall
in flickering fashions of
assorted shades and pastels
Painting blue skies
with heartbeat brushstrokes,
creating a masterpiece
Pointing to whipped cream clouds,
seeing a castle in the sunset
glowing for only us,
and even though we are apart,
we are still together...

walking, falling in love
all over again

~

There she was chasing a rabbit
with 1 am coffeecakes and weak tea
She didn’t notice I was watching
from the branches of an olive tree
A lone smile hidden amongst
swirling smoke rings in a foreign accent

To the gazebo she ran
with its straw grass tables
and pleated cushions in hibiscus
print fabric no one would sit on

My eyes followed her as she
darted around manicured boxwoods
and cherub statues spitting water
onto sleeping lily pads

She came upon a dandelion
and asked politely, “Pardon me,
but have you seen a…”
The **** interrupted,
“Didn’t, don’t do drama dreams
dancing deliriously down
donut distracted ditches”
“That’s dumb” she replied
with a giggle and a snort  

This must be her fun, I think,
trying to catch a white ball of fur,
big, then small,
then smaller still like a
thimble seeking a thread,
when now she is stopped
in her ziggy zagging tracks
by a June bug singing,

“I see, I see, in front of me
Dessert, dessert, set out for free
A chocolate pie, a chocolate pie
in menus written on the sky”

Perplexed she climbed upon its back,
red leather shoulder pads
with black dots changing shapes,
ducking winged arches that
covered the vestibule they
soared through when a sharp turn
pitched her to the opposite side…

Landing with a thud,
her new dress now soiled
between the wrinkles in time
that had ticked away
on a clock faced sun named Ray

She cried carrot tears,
orange sherbet streams
on peach tone cheeks,
marmalade miseries
and mango miscues
piddling on her patent leather shoes,
ready to give up

When it appeared hopping happily,
jumping into her lap
and licking her face
She caressed its fur, removing
sticker burs and scratching
just the right spot, as its right rear leg
thumped with joy

Then lifting the bundled bunny
to her face, she kissed it tenderly
with wild cherry gloss lips,
or should I say…kissed me
for you see, all along, it was me

*And you thought I was nothing more than a pretty smile…..

~

Vibrations loosen
 the dust on my piano,
  releasing tiny particles
   into a rectangle sunbeam
    dancing about the glass,
     as I play compositions
      upon freeform keys,
       fingered imagination
        frantically moving
         levers in never before
          heard melodies
           with a locked
            sustain pedal
             holding each note
              to gradually
               evanesce
                into silence
                 as the dust
                  once
                        again
                                se­ttles

-
I came across to grown men who were fighting in the street
I asked them tell me why this fact is so
What has caused this incident of words and fists to meet
They both looked up and said, “I don’t quite know”

“Then why on earth would two men fight like children in the yard,
out here in the road for all to see
Finding a solution to this problem can’t be hard,
maybe you should both try poetry”

“He said he didn’t like me and I thought he was my friend”
The other said, “He did the same to me”
“That proves he is a liar for those words I did not send”
“The liars' standing right there don’t you see?”

Maybe I was wrong, this might be harder than it seems,
this bickering just makes me want to cry
But hopefully my plan will put an end to all these screams,
you never know, I’ll just give it a try

“Can’t you see our neighborhood is losing people fast,
everyone is running out the door
Never looking back in hopes to put this in the past,
feeling like they can not take much more”

I handed them a pencil and a pad on which to write,
they both looked at me as if I were strange
“Come on, write some verses on this sheet of paper white,
let’s see if this problem we can change”

They thought for a few moments, on their face the blankest stare,
nothing seemed to come across their mind
Then some pencil movement and some words one longed to share,
the other wrote some lines that he did find

They handed me the notepads and I read them both in time,
savoring this moment for a while
One had written free verse and the other metered rhyme,
when then upon my face there came a smile

I handed each the notepad that the other one did pen,
then watched as their emotions did unfold
They both shook hands and said, ‘Let’s try to never fight again”
and there you have my story as it’s told

Yes this write is fiction though you never know what’s true,
maybe in this poem you will see
It truly is amazing all the things that you can do,
when you write, not fight in poetry

_

Where was the sun when I went chasing shadows
Hiding behind something else I did see
Lost in illusions of minds carved so narrow
Painting a darkness now following me

Whispering sorrow in words they did splatter
Saying “I’m sorry” again and again
Still standing back between walls made of plaster
Crumbling quick, hoping patches will mend

Always the same even while pleading difference
Dressed in a cloak of a smoke screen display
Smiles abound with a sneer freshly hidden
Pulled from the shelf of this worded display

Fooling the masses in moments retreading
Pieces of promises glued into place
Pointing a finger at mirrors now broken
Fragments ignored as it shows their own face

Why can’t we lead with the best of examples
Hold out our hand when we find one who cries
Where was the sun when I went chasing shadows
Shining its light on a new set of skies

-

When caught of wretched moaning shrill
and rusted fence in spite
Where creatures stalk and blood shall spill
this wicked August night

Does call the wind in grand charade
of noises gripping sound
Beyond the weeds of sharpened blade
now crushed upon the ground

For as your eyes do cast your fear
with ridicule the seed
And cry your shining empty tear
for clemency you plead

Feel these fingers swiping firm,
flesh in tattered strands
Matters not how much you squirm
or pray with folded hands

When terror forms your face to bear
this crooked smile sneers
Clenching tight your matted hair
as breath soon disappears

Drenched of sweat and splashing mud
from footprints as you flee
Listen close the echoed thud
of nothing you can see

Languish deep with sorrowed call
these thoughts a’ roam your head
This night shall cackle at your fall
and drink when you are dead