we cannot be rid of our Shadows,
our Shadows will always lie behind us,
our pasts are Shadows we can't escape

even though the Shadows are not always in sight,
they never leave us

our Shadows, our pasts, are always a part of us,
like in this,
the Shadow of the bird's beak seems to be the beak itself

the outline around this bird resembles a pedestal, raising this dead dove above the ground

the darkness of the bird itself makes you see the Shadows as a part of it

I can hear the waves just beyond

the bird was so beautiful, and now it's dead

I wonder what it looked like flying. . .

Night’s raven black
Perched surreptitiously
Soaking in the stillness
Waiting for the first gleam
Of dawn to sneak in
So it can fly away for now
Nestled between time
Of juxtaposition  
Night’s been a wait
Before the day’s out again

Can we as men comprehend
The value of time
Or is time a commodity much to rare
To be assessed by our feeble mind

Can time be bought for gain
Or for wealth be bought or sold
Does time posses a value
Such as diamonds or as gold

Is time it's self a currency
To be saved as an investment
Should a return be expected
As we prepare for retirement

Could time be a hidden treasure
An object we seek to posses
To add to what time we think we have
Do we over this thought obsess

We as men want so much
Of what we cannot see
For we men know not how much time
Is alloted to you and me

While we are breathing life
Unseen time is always appearing
And at the very same moment
Unseen time is disappearing

So,what is the value of time?
Will the answer by man be ever revealed
Or will this mystery that plaques mans mind
From his knowledge forever be sealed.

RLB

do you remember what you said to me
before things became complicated
and before I realized
that I loved you.

do you remember our last conversation
that we had by ourselves
without our friends
and
without the tension of having to hide our feelings

do you remember our last hug
no one was watching
and we had both stayed that way
because we were both afraid to let go

do you remember that day
the first time
that you said I was beautiful
and that I should never think badly of myself

do you remember
the first poem that I sent to you
and
the first poem you had sent to me

do you remember
finding out that we loved
the same song
and
what you said to me when you saw me playing it

do you remember
telling me about your first love
and saying
that she could never compare to me

do you remember
when we were playing Truth or Dare
and you asked me
who was my first love


do you remember what you said to me
today
when we were leaving
and you gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek
and told me to love someone else

I still remember what you said to me before things got complicated,
I’ll never fall in love
I still remember our last conversation
You guys look so cute together
I still remember our last hug, it lasted forever and even though it’s gone
I swear I can still feel your arms around me
I remember when you told me I was beautiful
I said that was a lie, because I thought it was
I remember the first poem I sent you,
it was terrible but you said that you loved it
and
when I was playing your favorite song
you seemed to be in a daze and said
that it was a good song
Remember?
Remember telling me it was stupid; your first love
and that I was a thousand times more important to you
You told me you would hunt down and ****
my first love for giving up something so precious
I remember how I felt when you told me
to date someone else
It was as if somebody had blew out the faint candle inside my heart

do you remember
how it felt to be in love?

(h.l.)