It's all around me
Streaming from the hills
Everyone feels it
Hearts lift, spirits rise
Souls turn toward the light
Behind the warmth and the life
Returning to the forest
As the seasons wax and wane
And ancient trails are traveled again

It's all around me
As each heart touches  and reaches out
With smiles and thoughts and acts of kindness
Everyone feels it
As spirits soar to the music
And the beat and laughter echoes
Through the room
With children dancing
As the party ebbs and flows

It's all around me
As words of love resonate again and again
Weaving in and out of my day
From a  heart so tender
Precious crystal, infinite in beauty
And tears of joy and happiness transform me
As I bathe in the warmth
Of sacred human love

It's all around me
I am surrounded
By blessings wished on me in love
And my heart is full, at peace and calm
Because I realize
This is the love of God
That envelops me

Tenderness
Is something felt
Like silk and linen
On body svelte
Love is something
In the air
That traces pain
And soothes all care
Peace is something
Deep within
A calming presence
A cooling wind
And joy is more
Than being sound
It’s when your dreams
Have touched the ground

Des fois quand
Je pense à toi
Dans le silence
Même si c’est
Du déjà vu
Il faut garder
Une distance
Car il fait froid
Encore une fois
Avec un vent
Bruyant
L’aire est glaciale
Et la vie arrête
Avec tous ces
Mensonges

Life Comes to a Halt

Sometimes in the quiet
I am haunted by you
It’s hard to keep that distance
Although it’s déjà vu
For it’s freezing cold again
And a piercing wind blows
And life comes to a halt
With each lie that is told

Il y a longtemps
Que je t’aime
Et je ne peux pas
Me reveiller
Même si
Maintenant
C’est le matin
Et je dois
Me preparer
Pour un voyage
Très, très ****
En chassant
Le soleil
Un voyage
A un montagne
Où je peux
Tout surveiller
Il y a longtemps
Que je t’aime
Et sans les dire
Les mots sont vrai
Tu es toujours
Dans mes rêves
Et mon âme
Est obsèdé

In the Shadow of My Dreams

I’ve loved you
For what seems
Like ages
Now I simply
Can’t wake up
Even though
The sun has risen
And a new day
Has begun
For I’m
On a long, long
Journey
As far
As my soul permits
But in the shadow
Of my dreams
It’s you
I can’t forget

They say that love
Is friendship warmed
But we know
It’s more than that…
It’s a presence
A power
A feeling so deep
That  keeps us coming back…
Love that grows within
Our hearts
Does not hold nor cling
It only asks what can be done
What service it can bring
It is a love that heals and restores
Brings wisdom, fresh insight
It’s wrapped in peace
And calms the soul
From worry and from fright
It is emotion focused, honed
To bless and lift you up
That flows from sources
Still unknown
All pain it interrupts
So accept this gift
It’s freely given
From someone whom you know
Who cherishes you deeply
In his heart
But always lets you go.

Ah my love
What you were seeking eluded you
It flew away and scattered
Like leaves in the wind
Like ashes from a fire
What you asked for
You did not receive
But it passed by you and went to another
All that pain turned to hatred
And anger burning so deep within
What you held became broken
What was sacred, defiled
What was precious, squandered
What you found, lost
How sad, how tragic
How could this be!
What you were looking for
Was right before your eyes
And you could not see it
Yet the one
Whom you blamed and condemned
Was blessed
He found what he didn’t seek
He was given what he did not ask for
Kindness replaced hatred
And love burning holy and pure
Covered the ugliness of that day
Goodness visited like a friend
And in the most terrible of times
Thankfulness and gratitude appeared
And faith burning like a beacon
In the darkness
Encouragement and hope
Whispered constantly in his ear
And all the curses fell harmlessly away
Soundness of mind and health
True happiness and integrity
Were discovered
And everyone around was touched
And felt the difference
Insight and wisdom
Compassion and the gift of tears for others
Treasure after treasure
Riches after riches
When brokenness and poverty of spirit
Might have seemed the natural end
How does this work?
When good news comes out of evil
And victory out of defeat
And life conquers death?

Ah little angel
I shouldn’t have wiped your tears
I shouldn’t have held you tight
And carried you through your fears

They warned me this would happen
And the wounds would open deep
And sadness would come knocking again
And fresh new tears I’d weep

I came to say good-bye to you
And say I would be gone
But you found ways to keep me there
As the day wore on

And then each memory of our life
Pierced me to the bones
We lived the lie of what once was
When we were not alone

Ah light feather of flesh and lace
I should’ve let you go
But you called to say you needed me
And I just couldn’t say “no”

Listen to understand
The person
Hear their thoughts
Their points of view
Comprehend their values
Their interests
Feel for what they’re going through

Listen to show
That you respect them
That you care
And can be true
That you can learn
From their knowledge
Where they’re more
Advanced than you

Listen, because
When you do this
Your world unfurls
The sky turns blue
You multiply your wealth and riches
By gaining the wisdom
Of something new.

The cell phone rings
The young girl answers
And winces at the pending pain
The truth lies trampled
In deception
The healing words
Held in disdain
A story, morale for all others
Spinning tales
And tangled webs
Causing wounds
Of self infliction
Kicking integrity
In the head
So we all
Can be the liar
And choose the what
And when and why
The road is paved
With good intentions
To the hell
Of living a lie

If it’s trust that you want
Close your eyes
Feel my arms
And the brush of my face
If there’s tears to be dried
And fears to be calmed
Feel my touch
And this warm embrace
If there’s shame to be faced
Here’s acceptance
If there’s hurt
Feel the love
I display
If the past
Is tugging at the corners
Look at me
Your concerns to allay

They say that love’s blind
And there’s always a rush
You forget what is obvious
It’s lost in the buzz
But deep in your conscience
An alarm softly sounds
That you quickly ignore
As your heart leaps in bounds
Your friends they all warn you
And you say What’s the fuss?
Then you look the wrong way
And get hit by a bus

It is love
That heals the human heart
Without exception
And for this reason
It is the most precious gift
That you can give
To another
Love touches our pain
And brokenness
And makes us whole
Because it is a force
An energy
More powerful
Than the forces
That have cast us down
Despair, sadness
Sorrow, grief and
Loneliness
Are all healed by love
Hope, faith
And courage
Are fed by its pure, strong
Burning fire
By it
Wisdom is taught
Truth is nuanced
Honesty purified
Whatever is noble on this earth
Has its birth in love
It is the one emotion
That makes us more like God
Than any other
So listen to these words of wisdom:
Cherish love wherever it is found
Treat it as the most precious thing
On this earth
For it is the secret you have been looking for
It is the key to all understanding
And tears shed in love
Are sweet and beautiful
And the fountain of life
Love can never be overrated

I’d rather be here
Than hiding somewhere
In memories or thoughts
Or cries of despair
I’d rather be loved
And feel you connect
Than be brought into a void
I’d rather forget
Of a past that is gone
Of a man who once was
Of a man whom you wanted
It’s important because…
If I don’t say this
I’d be terribly remiss
Love the man who I am
Not the man whom you miss

When someone loves another person
The world around them is transformed
A blast of winter becomes the setting
For a shelter from the storm
The rain becomes a softening presence
Cleansing, calming, setting right
The air is filled with expectation
Of company in darkest night

When someone loves another person
The rules are changed and lose their form
No law on earth or in heaven
Can halt the magic love performs
So why hold back what is healing?
Why stop what nurtures and defends?
If you can stop the world from spinning
Then tell love that its work must end

Disheveled, staggering
Consternation
The debate surreal
The participation
Is optional but I decide
To talk to the man
To hear inside
What do you think
of manipulation?
What causes these
machinations?
Lies to force and to control...
I must admit
He was on a roll
And then the same day
In the eve
With a woman
About to leave
She talks about
This very thing
Same behavior
With a different ring
And then I came
To realize
It can't be hid
Nor disguised
Both fools in rags
And ladies in style
Can spot a liar
From a mile

May the truth come to you gently
Not stabbing your heart
And bolting you awake at night
There is enough drama
In your life already
It’s hard enough for me
To accept what is
But I know one day
All will be revealed
I wish that day will come to you
Like a sudden panoramic view
Of rolling countryside
That opens up for miles
Before your eyes
With verdant green forests
And fields of long, waving grass
And in the distance
Galloping horses
With chestnut brown manes
The wind blowing softly in the trees
And the clouds scudding along
In silent, graceful procession
The insight granting you
Understanding and acceptance
The means of finding your way back home
The way to healing and peace

Miracle child your day
Has dawned
You’ve been knocked out
And you’ve been wronged
A violent collision
Has sent your soul
Spinning and lifeless
Out of control
You lie in death
With your eyes closed
Certainly
A fatal blow
But then you awake
And open your eyes
The confusion so strong
You can’t even cry
An angel of God
Has held your head
You've survived
When you should be dead
You were given
A second chance
You can breathe
You've rejoined the dance
Your father cries
You've come alive!
There's a purpose for you
For you've survived!
So live each day
As a gift that is given
The miracle is you
And the life you are living

It's in these silent moments
That what's pent up
Gets released
Like tears on your pillow
Words flow from
Somewhere deep
Emotions flit
Right through you
Not stopping on their way
And you're left gazing
At beauty
As you flip from page to page
Decisions and deep burdens
Lazy thoughts in their own lairs
Truth shining on the places
Where you realize
That you erred
It wasn't the intention
It wasn't what you planned
It's just you missed the signals
And you didn't understand

The wedding partyIn garden’s twilightThe gowns, the flowersThe flashbulb’s bright lightBeyond the fountainThe horizon’s edgeAnd a chain link fenceAt the cliff’s top ledgeAnd down belowShimmering in wavesA final presentOn a perfect dayDancing moonbeams Of a full orbMesmerizing, beautifulThe scene absorbsAnd all who gazePonder the sightOf the kiss of wavesBy soft moonlight

The struggle constant
To the top
When no one else
Has given thought
To rise so early
And set out
The houses silent
No one about
One step, one breath
In constant rhythm
The push, the drive
Towards the heavens
And then imagine
The surprise
The sight awaiting  
Before my eyes
The bright sun risen
And shining as such
Upon a world
In morning hush
Serene, unreal
For down below
The valleys filled
With cloud like snow
And up above
On the mountain top
In golden rays
I pause to stop
And raise my arms
In victory mode
Rejoicing in
The mother lode

Shadows of a different season
The past and present entwined
These emotional memories
Transcending space and time
In the sacredness of this second
In this truly hallowed place
I brush the tears from your eyes
Caress your lovely face
For it’s the sorrow of what has happened
The pain for what can’t be
Can’t turn back the tides of time
Rewrite our history
It catches us unawares
When we’re looking the other way
But the important things will surface
And will always have their say
So it’s in the beauty of this silence -
The healing of this pain
That comes only with divulging
And the world becoming sane
What’s repressed cannot be hidden
These soul splinters that remain
Will only be put to rest
Once they have been named

I wish the words
Of romance I'd speak
Flowed in Mediterranean Greek
Or Spanish dreams
Italian poems
The thoughts would fly
The feelings roam
I could kiss your face
With subtle French
With rhythm, flow
With sheer grace drench
Instead it's English
That is the tool
To express what's inside
To play the fool
And so I tell you
You're one in a million
In words that are so
Utilitarian

I shivered in
The freezing cold
I dialed the number
My bare hand froze
The flames burned hot
In winter’s night
And parliament
Filled my sight
Veiled in winter’s
Majesty
I described the scene
For you to see
And as I talked
My heart just glowed
Full of love
Country and snow

Opportunity knocks
And meets blank stares
It waves its arms
But no one cares
It sends goodwill
That’s knocked aside
It shows the answer
That you can’t deride
Don’t blame your lot
On luck or fate
When opportunity comes
It’s not going to wait

When sadness comes
And rolls in waves
That lift
And crash
The spirit
The tears,
The sobs,
The wrenching heart
The soul can
Scarcely bear it

At night
When sleep
Flees away
And thoughts
Sneak upon us
That stab
And wound
The inner man
And sting
When truth
Is clearest

Go through
You must
This vale of tears
And know
This will pass on
The birds
Will sing
And herald in
Another
Glorious dawn

There’s a cat sized
Indentation
In my clean laundry pile
The guilty one
Scurries out
And I just have to smile
*Ah Peppy Lemieux
You’re such a flirt!
Making a nest
From Canali shirts!

I cannot heal
This pain keeps stinging
As each line of thought
Reveals new truths
That are hard to accept
Kindness was repaid with anger
Love with rejection
Faithfulness with betrayal
Devotion with abandonment
Gentleness with rage
Dedication with neglect
Patience with intolerance
Thoughtfulness with disregard
Compassion with coldness
Mercy with judgment
Saneness with unsoundness
Truth and honesty with lies
Open arms and acceptance with bitterness
So why do I feel guilt and sadness
For crimes I did not commit?
Why am I taking the blame for a lie?
To be falsely accused is a worse sentence
Than to be justly condemned
At least the guilty can repent and start a new life
Rather than stay mired in a web of lies
One can learn to accept criticism and move on
Or to laugh at oneself
And in humility make the necessary changes
But this... this slander
Is simply poison
To the soul

I took a vacation
From myself
And saw the world
Through others’ eyes
I listened to their
Deepest fears
And memorized
Their lullabies
I took the focus
Off my needs
And placed it
On the other soul
I saw the beauty
In their eyes
I saw the pain
The deepest tolls
I sent a message
From deep within
Love and trust
That were unfurled
I watched their faces
Brightening
As rapport
Transformed my world

What is real and what is fake?
The drama is there in each out take
The spotlight shines, the crowd looks up
The change rattles in the beggar’s cup
So there you are in blood and flesh
With glistening eyes and low cut dress
And wit and charm and graceful style
Your beautiful face and dazzling smile
And you question if the date is real
As I tremble at the way I feel.

The person you left
Is not there
You’ve returned
But he isn’t home
You’re a refugee
Without a future
Always searching
Cursed to roam
You’re torn between
The past and present
What you were
And who you are
And if you could
You’d rebuild
That foundation
When the angels sang
With the morning stars

When life happens
And you are young
There is nothing
But confusion
You are helpless
Don't have a choice
And draw
The wrong conclusion
A hug, a word
A gentle touch
Can turn
That fragile emotion
For growth
Is not just physical
It's your spirit
That's in motion
You form, you grow
Within yourself
Through love
And interaction
The unseen growth
Of your soul
In thought, feeling
Reaction
So when our bodies
Are full grown
And now the issues
Surface
We look back
To our childhood
To find our inner purpose
So often
We've believed a lie
Self taught
Or others have said it
The damage done
To our surprise
It cripples
If we let it
Forget the cruelties
Of this earth
My special
Wonderful child
Be healed
Of all the wrong
That's been
And allow your life
To smile
Your spirit now
Is formed
And strong
Don't believe
Your childhood dictums
Get up in courage
And live your life
And remove
The victim

How I wish
The grip of sadness
Could be released
And I could feel
Joy and gladness
And hear laughter again
I have no peace
No healing
And even the very best
Of things
Do not take away
The pain
You talk as if
I never loved you
But my suffering
Is your answer
So I pay
For sins I did not commit
Well sadness
Mark this moment
When what is honourable
Is lost
And what is precious
Is scattered
When what is broken
Cannot be fixed
And what is torn apart
Cannot be mended
Yes sorrow
Do your work
And then let me go

These hot tears
Coursing down my cheeks
It's like I can finally breathe again
This feeling of relief
To feel the answer closer
Than any vision or any dream
To find a home and safe harbour
And to heal of what has been
A place where I can lay my head
And finally be at peace
To love and to be loved
To be accepted for being me

I stand at Santa Monica’s edge
The warm night breeze
Rustling in the palm trees
The crescent moon
Casting its magic glow
On the black, black waters
Amid the stately palms
Twisted ancient trees
Grow like abstract art
The lights of Malibu
Sparkle on the hill
On the other side of the bay
The harsh fluorescent glare
Of the pier behind me
And I pick up my cell phone
And call back home
Because it’s just too **** beautiful
Not to share with someone

Let go, give space
Allow time to heal
And find a way
With grief to deal
That does not hinder
Stop or curse
The healing of
The wounds we nurse

Give space and time
For quiet reflection
To think of life
And make connections
Sorting out
The ebb and flow
As the avalanche
Of feelings grows
And buries the soul
Beneath its weight
Of deepest hurt
And cruelest hate

Let go, give space
Allow time to be
Have faith
Plants seeds
Of destiny
That will sprout
And blossom
With patience and care
And will work things out
More than we can dare.

You know when she’s got that look
There’s nothing you can do
Your words will fall to the earth
Until she’s done with you
Your arguments will just dissolve
You know you can’t resist her
Time and space just seem to stop
And you realize that you’ve missed her

But she’s fine, oh so fine
I don’t think you should regret it
You don’t know what she’s all about it
If you knew, you would have said it

Now she’s got you where she wants you
You’ve forgotten oh so much
And the pleasure covers all the pain
And all your fears are hushed
But you remember in the silence
And in your passing thoughts
And you wonder to yourself
What’s this ticket that you’ve bought?

But she’s fine, oh so fine
I don’t think you should regret it
You don’t know what she’s all about
If you knew you would have said it

I'm in love with a girl
And she's summer
Indigo, violet and mauve
I'm in a romance
A symphony
Andante, allegro, presto
I'm spinning in passion
A mystery
One in body and soul
I'm on a journey
A destiny
And tears are
Making me whole

Every day small miracles
Grace the lives of countless
In prayers and thoughts and wishes cried
Just coincidences doubtless

Yet I’d rather have a miracle
And eyes of faith to witness
The gracious hand of a loving God
And tender acts of kindness.

Sometimes the facts
Just hit you in the face
And all is silent
Even the accusations
Of your detractors
As in horror
You realize the truth
The sobering, humbling
Honest-to-goodness truth
It kinds of stuns
And sickens you
For awhile
As you realize
The advice
Was not an attack
But an observation
Of behaviours
Of which you were not aware
You see
You chose to smash the mirror
That portrayed
Such an unflattering image
It never occurred to you
That they
Whoever they were
Were right

So close
I can almost hear your breath
Feel your pulse
And the slightest whisper
So close
I almost resonate
Synchronized
Thought upon thought
Hope upon hope
Prayer upon prayer
So close
Yet that is why I always let you go
For this orbit
Almost surely is not of man
But of God
Who else could bring you
So close?

You know it’s more than promise
With the coming of the seasons
You know that summer’s coming
And all that’s good and fair
You know that life brings forward
Growth and new tomorrows
You know that it all happens
Without effort, without care
Yet our plans and our intentions
Are fraught with peril and sorrow
And accidents and death
And things that can’t be planned
We’re not gods of our own destiny
We’re often gazing at the pieces
Sifting through the ashes
Trying to understand
But hope’s a type of promise
Based on faith and feeling
A knowing that these forces
Of nature and of woe
Are shaped beyond our knowledge
Carried forward by a purpose
And sometimes we just know that
Someone’s in control

There is peace
Where there is trust
Honesty and frankness
Of knowing what you're dealing with
And who you really are
There is comfort in relaxing
And letting down defenses
You can hear it in the laughter
As you gaze up at the stars
There is healing
With acceptance
There is freedom with forgiveness
A lightened heart of joy
And pain that fades away
There is hope
And new beginnings
Salvation in its glory
When faith gives birth to promise
And you step into that day

The feelings come
From roots so deep
The déjà vu
The slow repeat
Of thoughts so strong
They immobilize
Blur the vision
And paralyze
All actions, joy
And zest for life
Swirls of panic
Cut like a knife
Need to breathe
And think again
Calm the heart
Observe it when
The dark clouds stir
The tempests rage
As you struggle in vain
To turn the page
Observe the emotions
Do not judge
And from unconscious
Realms you’ll nudge
The thoughts that
Got you to this point -
All stressed out
And out of joint

Qui sont les noms
Sur ta liste?
As tu suivi
La meillure piste?
Oui, on est sain
Et on est sauf
Mais l’ amour n’est pas
Un sale boulot
C’est ironique
Les choix qu’on fait
Quand l’avenir
Est decidé
Donc, ouvre le livre
Et trouve un vers
Et vis ta vie
A l’envers
Mais tu connais
La verité
On peut la voir
Dans tes yeux
Tu as tes rêves
Et tes espoirs
Et l’essentiel
Est en vue
Ton coeur te mene
Et ne ment pas
Tu sens cette
Realité
Fais attention
Aux signes reçus
On ne peut pas
Les ignorer

Your List

What are the names
On your list?
What path did you follow
Or did you miss?
Yes, you are safe
And you are sound
But the search for love
Won’t wear you down
It’s funny all
The choices we make
When what’s decided
Is at stake
Right! Use the book
And find a verse
And live your life
In reverse!
But I can see
You know the truth
It is written in your eyes
Your hopes and dreams
And all that counts
Are there for you
To realize
You know it is
Your faithful heart
That will lead you
To what’s in store
Just pay attention
To all the signs
That’s one thing
That you can’t ignore

I sat by the river
And thought of you
As a summer like breeze
Kissed my face
And a family of geese
Swam by
The water was filled with scullers
Their oars plunging
In the calm surface,
The trees on the banks
Green with new leaves
In the warmth and comfort
Of the late afternoon sun
I thought of you
And how we met
How you struggled and grew
And overcame
The suffering of your past
The goodness of your soul
So often bursting through
Like the warmth of this spring day
And I realized once again
How wonderful it was
To have met you
What a privilege it was
To love you
And on this beautiful day
I could only cry out to God
In immense gratitude
And utter the words
Thank you

Shadows of a distant memory
Same reactions, point of view
Close but distant, so familiar
Yet walking from the world we knew
Did we ever know each other?
What was myth and what was real?
But I swear we loved each other
No matter how we both now feel
And the changing, rearranging
Continues through what seems the same
For I'm not that ancient person
Though I answer to my name

You asked me
What I prayed to God
On the day I did not cry
The day I arose in the morn
Before sunlight touched the sky

I ate no food
On that day
I read, and thought
And prayed
I sought God's face
And learned and grew
And accepted
What must change

I took you
To the airport
And helped you on your way
I know you didn't realize
The importance
Of that day

You asked me
What I prayed to God
But you see...
He told me not to cry
I kissed you softly on the face
And kindly said
Good-bye

There are days
That are turning points
A line crossed
No turning back
Relationships cemented
Friendships born
A choice
A decision
A commitment
Made
Looking back
It is clear
But at the time
All is uncertain
In that fragile
Fault line in time
That decides  the future

Broken pieces of a person
In shambles, scattered all about
Trying to collect and restore them
When everything has fallen out
Lend me some money,
O thank you sir!
Mumbled words and lowered thoughts
On the streets and in the alleys
Facing what their sanity brought
Shattered lives are walking past you
Not disheveled but torn inside
Two steps back and one step forward
Trying to reverse the slide
You see the bottom all around you
Sleeping on the heating grates
And you wonder if it’s luck or courage
That keeps you from that very fate

Such charm, such life
Such love, such passion
Swirling, twirling
Firing captions
Nuggets of sheer genius thought
Pulled from the ether
From the universe bought
But at what a price!
At what a cost!
The victims strewn
And all that’s lost
Thrown to the depths
From the highest heights
A life in freefall
From day to night
A shooting star
That briefly flares
Against velvet black
In brilliant glare
Its ashes fall
Upon the sea
In gloom, despair
And misery
The waves of rage
Rise up and break
And roil that monster
The ancient snake
That bites and maims
And kills at will
And robs life itself
Of all its thrills