My heart surrenders its shadow to you,
the guardian of all that's warm, good, and real--
Forever my soul's bountiful gift.

I walk in grace--
For you are my honor, my restful sleep of peace,
My fortune, my future.

Now is our time--there is no waiting,
the hunger fed, the thirst quenched--
Hope revived beyond solitude,
Love lingering amidst the clouds--
No longer hidden,
               behind the sun.

The sun-splashed images dance freely,
revealing a welcome sight of early June;
Outside goldfinches gather at the feeders,
and fight for every morsel until noon.

A *** of lemon tea sits on my table,
a morning invitation for my senses;
I fill a porcelain cup and sip the brew,
its tartness lively as the tongue caresses.

I stroll happily among the billowing lilacs,
embellishing the garden with their hue;
Then sit upon the wicker bench beside them,
and inhale the scented air so fresh and new.

As nature paints its radiance before me,
in a glowing scene of solace and delight;
Awakening my spirit toward the heavens,
with gratitude for such loveliness and light.

The dimming of the lights provoked my sorrow,
rearranging every path to my tomorrow--
And with the wintry frost upon my face,
I melted slowly in the margins of disgrace.

Bereft and lonely still I wandered freely,
not believing there would be a source of healing--
My yesterdays divulged their open wounds,
and left my soul tormented through the gloom.

Once I lived with joyfulness and sheer delight,
the promise of sweet sunshine filled my nights--
But soon I ran toward heartless ways of being,
as if my world had crumbled without feeling.

Yet with the dawn's renewal on my mind,
I've pondered all the troubles of human kind--
No more an empty vessel needing sustenance,
my destiny appeared in quiet countenance.

The railway car glides along the line,
bringing us to our fated destiny;
The churning of the wheels below,
screech louder still in close proximity.

With enemies waiting in a starlit station,
I gather my packages with haste;
the family curse biting away at night,
We're captives of the nomadic chase.

They sent for us during winter's storms,
to carry out the duties of a raging war;
Between enduring legends of the countryside,
and those whose thoughts burnt ancient scars.

The frenzied lot coaxed us into wagons,
with cheap wine and women of the street;
Fear engulfed my heavy heart of stone,
and my brothers shouted for a brief retreat.

Corralled into a filthy barn of horses,
and cows who moaned throughout the night;
I hugged the eldest whose eyes were empty,
and climbed onto a horse and took to flight.

Awakening now from the deepest sleep,
I saw a young man from my dreary stare;
who covered me in a blanket of straw,
Which soothed me from the cool night air.

It was then I realized my family was safe,
the fighting and bloodshed never came to pass;
As my brothers had escaped into the woods,
and my dream-like state shattered like an hourglass.

The hallway echoed sounds of lonesome tears,
while heavy rain pounded the roof;
A mysterious voice--soft and solemn--spoke,
through the wide open windows of truth.

Among the hushed sense of breathless fear,
an apparition whirled into view;
Unsettled yet somehow peaceful,.
its presence prompted a hopeful clue.

A misty haze gathered 'round the wraith,
its voice became halting and slow;
The crying then ceased as did the rain,
leaving a ghost with nowhere to go.

Its earthly mission having been resolved,
a stairway appeared straight ahead;
Floating down steps to the mirrored wall,
reflecting a vision so genuinely sad.

Suddenly those sounds of anguished tears,
could be heard again from the hall;
Our ghost was perplexed about this event,
for which it had previously answered the call.

With its supernatural power and strength,
and a wave of gossamer charm;
The tears were stilled and the house grew light,
no longer a cause for alarm.

This tale is one of quaint mystery,
of a world filled with hurt and sorrow;
But our magical friend put up a fight;
then vanished into the new fallen snow.

Possessions--mere reflections of innate wanting,
and whatever energizes our profound desires;
While creating masks of perplexing illusions,
which color our spirits in relentless ire.

In the open wilderness of thought's reactions,
we try to control the monstrous fates;
Which count on the frailties of human souls,
in cunning contentions from fierce debates.

Lost and alone--seeking holy redemption,
while making a bargain with Satan's plan;
Forgetting the chance to accept possibilities,
of love and survival from heavenly hands.

Then spurned by the Devil who sought to defeat,
through endless suffering and evil deceptions;  
We cling to warnings caressed by the wind,
as the trail ahead welcomes in peaceful reception.

Her long charcoal hair tied in threads
of silken sheen, the ribbons of innocence--
With a peach-cream complexion surrounding
her dancing smile, her luxurious eyes of onyx,
sparkling deeply with wisdom and kindness.
Tammi--a child of Israel--who won the hearts of
those near and far--my glowing friend who chased
away the blues of the day--whose voice was soft and
warm as Springtime.
  She left us long ago in a solemn May, gone off to her
sacred home, as I still ponder what could have been--
mourning for all she's missed, for all I've lost, when I first
watched the joy and peace of true grace shine before me.
                                     Shalom.