~

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 day ends
and with it my smile,
where unanswered thoughts
cling to heavy eyelids,
becoming drowsy,
falling closed,
still not knowing,
what waits for me
tomorrow
and I will not ask......

.

I want to write
    beautiful poetry
upon your blushing skin
       using my finger,
  gently tracing
    each verse

Allowing
     the unspoken love
I have in my heart
   to surrender you  
with each word
   *written

~

For what is offered,
what is sold
I hold you still this painful night

Of shuttered blinds
and canceled glare
safe harbor from the screaming light

I shall not move
a muscle lone
for fear that I might wake your sleep

Your breath is warm
in tethered sense
these shadows that we linger deep

In silent thought
to stay the plan
no whispers form upon the wind

Until the time
your smile brings
an answer to my heart again

So in my arms
this evening lie
till agony does take its leave

For I shall never
leave your side
in this my promise, do believe

Now rest my love
in slumbered fill
beneath these covers, warming blend

To find that I am
holding you
*until the sunrise comes again

I've counted the minutes
and walked through the day
Awaiting tomorrow
when I'm on my way

Sat on a park bench
alone with the wind
Thinking that soon
my whole life will begin

Searching for reasons
the past has been lost
Paying the price now
regardless the cost

Emptied my pockets
of trinkets and trash
Spilled out the quarters,
the last of my cash

Lingered for hours
balloons in my hand
A bouquet of daisies
all part of the plan

And when the last thought
of the day it was gone
Made my way home
and I wished for the dawn

All of these questions
that my heart does ask
Trying my best
at the brink of the task

Still I am waiting
for merely a word
So that I know my
I love you was heard

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

.

Wandering among the lonely
Searching for the smile I lost
Rain still follows my endeavor
Spending clouds to heed my cost

Flowers bloom though fragile petals
Hide behind the thorned abyss
Reaching in my skin is tattered
Of this one my heart does miss

Tired muscles burn of Mondays
Breathing hard against the wind
Falling stone an endless detour
Still I make my way again

When a light of soft temptations
Glows of warmer summer days
Sending forth a sense of meaning
In the beams it now displays

What is this now towards me runs
Blurry eyes on silhouette
As a voice of angel’s singing
One I shall not soon forget

It is her my one desire
Reaching out to take my hand
Tears recede, my smile returning
Neath the fruits of love I stand

On my knees I fall of weakness
Can this be my dream come true
As she whisper, soft endearing
“Hear these words I say to you”

“Have no fear, I shall not leave”
“Come with me my soul is yours”
“Never more shall love evade us”
“Every step this heart endures”

When on wings of silver satin
I am lifted from the ground
Wrapped within her arms forever
I was lost but now am found

-

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

How am I supposed to write
when poetry becomes
nothing more than
wasted words,
Merely phrases on a page,
staring back at me asking why,
why do you bother,
when she won’t see it anyway

~

The rains falls
not hard, more of a drizzle
this late Sunday night
leaning on the light post
across the street,
watching the light in your window,
glowing slats through mini blinds,
outlines of your silhouette,
damp steel seeping my jacket,
cars pass, wipers waving,
splashing in circular patterns,
glistening tire tracks,
straight lines on the damp asphalt

I stare up dreaming,
wondering if you know,
I am nothing without you,
my life is because of you,
so many years floating,
blurs in lingering dark shadows
curbs to sleep in, yesterday's news,
broken bleachers where others met,
and I watched, fearing never me,
darkness would be my hand to hold,
lunchtime falterings on tuna salad wishes,
a clean plate in line for desert,
they just ran out,
vanilla pudding disappointment,
and it was...

I flick the ashes from my Marlboro light,
as I notice the lamp in your room is out,
when did that happen, where was I,
and the drizzle coats my glasses,
a chill claims me as the street light flickers
and I suppose it's time to go
in these saturated high tops
squishing as I pace this sidewalk
of smeared chalk masterpieces

My heart breaks again, my life, this night,
every night on an avenue to the border,
is truly nothing without you,
an empty hull hauling cargo of the past,
an existence worth the lint in my pocket,
a poem folded and kept,
written for you in dreams pasted
on walls of white,
in a hallway of desire with your name
layered in patterns that mirror my heartbeat
and I wonder if you know...there is no other,
none that can compare,
none that could ever be,
no one will ever touch me, thrill me or
love me like you do and I will not be...
I will not be, I can not be without you

Turning to leave these shadows clinging,
sighing as I want you but the hour is late,
the rains fall harder, a liquid curtain
all but blocking my view, blinding me
when a hand on my arm spins me,  
it is you, drenched, smiling, eyes bright
on this dreary night as you tell me
you know,  you know and it is me
and you mean it, I can tell

We dance in the downpour, who cares,
it is us and we are in love, our song,
they are all our songs, you and me,
kicking puddles and laughing
with wet eye lashes, kissing,
soaked with love,
with devotion and sunny days,
moonlit nights and a lifetime with each other
on a sidwalk, a rainy night, a street light
and forever...you and me

~

What can you do with a romantic poet
Flowery words he does drape
Lost in a garden of endless love poems
Seems that there is no escape

Luring you in with his lines of affection
Painting the sky tangerine
Strolling along down a path of desires
Aglow in the softest moonbeam

Writing a sunset of pure inspiration
Sharing his heart in a phrase
Singing a song with a butterfly dancing
Amidst the warmest of days

Yes, what can you do with a romantic poet
I guess you could just look inside
Open your heart for you know that you want to
No matter how much you hide

Or you could scroll down past every poem
That flows from his amorous pen
And look for another that’s more to your liking
*But beware…he is writing again

What is love,
it is everything...

The good and the bad,
sharing, learning, comforting,
no sides, no boundaries,
understanding,
even if you don't,
arms open...wide,
mind open...wider,
heart always accepting that
not everything is easy,
the bed of roses comes with thorns,
but you endure,
scars will show,
yet are considered beautiful,
skinned knees, bike rides,
mis-spoken words, well meaning
badly timed, hurt feelings,
chocolate covered sundaes,
picnics in the park, yardwork,
lost keys, little lies, surprise parties,
(when you specifically said no,)
breakfast in bed, arguments,
making love, making the bed afterward,
bad movies, dead cell phone batteries,
***** dishes, headaches,
eye rolls, laughter, hugs,
poetry,
being far, being close,
sweet kisses, feeling wanted,
nothing is ever too much,
tough decisions, agreed upon outcomes,
looked forward to moments,
tears, smiles, big smiles, bigger smiles,
holding hands, support,
truth, long days,
passionate nights,
taking chances,
dreaming,
rainy mornings,
bad moods, good moods,
really good moods,
candlelit dinners,
promised forevers,
(meant)
hot coffee, chilled wine,
warm affection and
brain freezes...

What is love...it is everything,
if it is you and me

What is pathetic?

You know, it’s like when the
forecast calls for rain
and puddles form in your eyes
because rivers flowing
against the current
cause your heart to break
like that thin layer of ice
that seems so sturdy
but is only as weak
as that first step you take
backwards away from the opening
revealing a frigid stare
you’ve seen before,
the last time you saw yourself
as she does now…

Yeah, it’s just like that

I thought I found love
It seemed like the kind
Seen while you’re dreaming
Hoping to find

My heart skipped a beat
A smile appeared
I danced like an idiot
I hope that’s not weird

Almost a year
I cherished each day
She came to my life
And took me away

She gave me her heart
Her love was divine
I couldn’t believe
This woman was mine

When along came another
To good to be true
Handsome and strong
She said we were through

He showed her attention
Much better than me
She’d fallen in love
So happy they’d be

She said that they met
At a sidewalk café
He wrote her a poem
What more could she say

She hated to hurt me
She liked me a lot
But we were just friends
In case I forgot

I started to cry
Not much like a man
I just couldn’t help it
So please understand

She said that she loved me
And she always would
Along with the bad
And everything good

She mentioned forever
But now I can see
I should have been writing
Some love poetry

So now here I sit
Alone in my chair
Writing a poem
With you I can share

I hope that you like it
And maybe she reads
Knowing my heart
For her it still pleads

I guess if she doesn’t
Then that’s okay too
At least I have tried
What more can I do

When is it ever fair to point a finger at a man with no hands?
Claiming to be an interested party but only shaking what needs to be shaken, proud as a peacock in one of those pieces about sand dunes and afterlife
And you clap, loud applause trying to prove a point…that you can, sneering at those who can’t
But what if they try, is that enough for you, making an attempt to be like you?
Or should they just close that door and draw the blinds
spending their days watching reruns of Ironside, wondering why it is okay for him to wheel around like nothing is wrong while they have to hide as you wave and snicker?

People are people, for the most part. Maybe different, but who isn’t?
Are you like the next guy or gal, the neighbor kid up the street
or the deli owner with the ketchup stained apron? Or are you different? I would hope you are you, with your own plethora of bumps and bruises, shattered egos and happy moments which you too want to share
We are all here, every one of us, if you weren’t you wouldn’t see this
and have the ability to act like you don’t

When is it fair to point a finger at a man with no hands?
I’ll leave that up to you, but don’t expect me to buy your shoes
when you have no feet.

~

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

Springing forth
in the upheaval of truth
Leaving the lies
where they began
when you said
"I love you"
and I
believed you

.

As we sit looking out over
strawberry sherbet skies,
breathing in the solitude
of twilight’s scented breeze,
remembering the passing day
and laughing at firefly sparkles
glistening in our eyes

I see evening’s first star
appear beyond pine tree shadows,
above a drowsy horizon
An opal on a deep violet canvas
illuminating the desires
forever glowing in my heart,
and I make a wish

Enchanting cricket song
wafts through the fields
in harmony with our heartbeats,
when you take my face in your
primrose petal hands and kiss me,
sweeter than jasmine pudding,
taking my breath away

Then resting your head
on my shoulder you sigh,
telling me I am everything
you have ever wished for
and you will love me forever…
as I look back up at the star
*and whisper, “thank you”

I walk in angry winds on a shadow bled morning
as my heart falls in pieces, scattering atop
fractured dreams of yesterday’s questions
waiting in the dark corners of doubt

Storms release their fervid torrents
dousing the flames of affection
and broken matchstick desires
in between ash stained rock and earth

Gathering twisted twigs that spell out
only what my breath reveals,
sitting in a pile alone at the edge,
curved lines of missing you
  
Staring up at the charcoal heavens,
memories I count abort the night sky,
falling in tears of words ending
in whispers you’ll never hear

The door was locked
So I  knocked

You opened it up
Then you could see
You thought it was him
But saw it was me

You were shocked
The door was locked

Why?

Why do you deny yourself
something you’ve wanted
for so long?

Why do you run from dreams
even when you see
they can come true?

Why do you ignore the words
coming from your heart
when it is pleading with you?

Why do you hide from happiness
knowing it is waiting
to bring a smile to your face?

Why do you abandon love
that touches every part of you
in its truest form?

Why don’t you do something
for you?

Why do I keep asking myself these questions?

Why am I asking you?

-

What kind of world will we leave for our children,
one that is shackled in hate?
Tying their hands in the wake of the future,
sealing the edge of their fate.

Killing of innocents minding their business,
filling the shadows with fear.
What is the plan to relieve all this worry,
now that it’s already here?

Why is it right that we turn against neighbors
just for the clothing they wear?
The color of skin and the faith they believe in,
did we forget how to care?

Racism churned from the bellies of monsters,
pointing their fingers in blame
When will they learn that we’re in this together,
regardless of language or name?

Why do we hide always ducking for cover,
waiting this terror to cease?
When we can stand up like sister and brother
walking together in peace.

We are all people who live on this planet,
being the best we can be.
It’s up to us what we leave for our children,
why not a world that is free?

I looked up at the moon this morning
The sky was hazy, I could just barely see
its very faint glow through the clouds
It appeared sad to me
So I asked, “Why so sad Mr. Moon?”
It replied, “Because I am up here all alone
I have no life, no happiness and no one to love me”
Then it asked, “Why are you so sad Mr. Chris?”
I looked around my hazy world, my heart was
clouded with barely a glow,
then answered, “Because I am you Mr. Moon”