The day I lost my voice
I did not cry
I rejoiced.

The day I lost my voice
I gained an ear
I listened.

I listened to flowers’ whispers
To bees’ chatters
To bamboos’ laughter
To children’s banters and giggles
To moon’s  cries
To sun’s admonishments

If now, you plead me: speak
Please,
Don’t cry for me
Rejoice
Gain an ear
Listen

If now, you plead me: speak
Please,
Allow my heart to do it.

Underwater there is no sound.
No echoes of voices and hatred and loud
Screams of past loves that knock on the door.
Deep under water, that's all from before.
There, you breathe - in and out in and out. There are no consequences, no shame, no doubt.
There I am free.
Yet
It remains.
A soft, subtle beat.
No matter the pain, regardless of name, it remains.
It just
Won't
Go Away
My heart kept beating,
Though I begged it not to stay.

Love is love.
There is no definition to say you ' cannot be this way ' if you love a man or a woman or both or none at all - whoever you embed your heart within  has nothing to do with anyone but you.
Love is love.
Fall for the sunset in her eyes and the laugh she has on autumn evenings, find a world within her soft skin.
Love is love.
Choose his comfort, the way your frail frame mirrors in his body and like a portrait; you're a work of art.
Love is love.
Dance in the compassion of both genders and be a stream of a purple in a world of blue and pink  paint.

Love is love, regardless.

Grandma said,
'they dropped incendiary bombs',
as I sat on her knee,
at the beach in Whitley bay
from
South Shields
on
a fine young
yesterday.

She'd talked before about the war
which made no sense to me
I had ice cream for a nice dream
and a paddle in the sea.

Your walls heard all of the confessions I whispered to you while you were asleep. They heard me talk about how terrified I was to fall for you. They heard me say that I was scared that you were going to get to know me better and you weren't going to want me anymore the first time I stayed in your bed. They heard me tell you that you made me happier than anyone ever has and that you're the reason why I can finally wake up in the morning and actually get myself out of bed. They heard me tell you that it hurts when you drink yourself sick and I'm worried that you're going to destroy yourself. They heard me tell you that I hate how you bail on me and that it makes me feel unimportant to you even though you fell asleep with me wrapped up in your arms. They heard me tell you that I could spend my entire life with you and I would never get tired of you. They heard me whisper "I love you" for the first time and then later heard me say it over and over again until I fell asleep with my face buried in your chest. Your walls have heard everything I never had the guts to say. They heard everything. I just hope that they can keep my secrets and I wonder what secrets my walls are keeping, too.




                                   B.S.

Tall yellow and white daisy’s sway
Around my American post box

The dust moves from town to town
As the desert wind blows in

I hear the unmistakable engine sound
As he comes into view

All I crave is he carries a letter
From you