The Christmas holidays are over now,
and the days are getting much colder;
It seems each year the melancholy,
grips us with a hand that's even bolder.

The tree limbs are bare and broken,
the wind whistles around the fence;
Pine cones fly through the frosty air,
we cuddle close to a hearth-fire that's intense.

The warmth is subtle but somewhat soothing,
as we watch snow falling softly to the ground;
The stillness around us is like a misty dream,
that shatters our world without making a sound.

And soon the fire begins to burn away,
as sleepy-eyed we rest in comfortable silence;
It's a picture-perfect scene of winter's repose,
inside a cottage filled with a hopeful presence.

The night was reflected in yesterdays,
of perilous haunting's spheres;
Which wandered into my current days,
through ominous waves of fear.

While shaking off my deep despair,
forsaking my soul's desire;
Looking forward sent me into the clouds,
erasing the present's ire.

The future seemed an awkward spot,
that never reckoned with the past;
While intently watching worlds collide,
sending sparks from a cosmic blast.

So where should I go from here?
are the darkest days now gone?
I'll close my eyes and wander alone,
as my arms reach toward the sun.

But the captive heart freely understands,
its place within Time's plight;
In rising above the stormy clouds,
I finally escape from the bleakest night.

Often the world is turned upside down,
in a whirl of despair and desolation;
Hurt and pain seem to be the story,
of those suffering from life's conflagration.

Like the open wounds of war and conflict,
desolation prevails in a raging horror;
Heartfelt prayers reach out to our Lord,
when destructive forces move on to tomorrows.

If only we could love one another,
and see the world as it's supposed to be;
Hate never solves the problems we face,
everyone simply longs to be free.

A lingering sense of hopelessness,
carries on throughout the darkened days;
And through the night we all hold hands,
crying out in passionate longing as we pray.

While lounging on the grass under the maple tree,
my mind was wandering--ruminating about the past;
When the deepest, sweetest love I'd come to know,
swept me up into a world I wished would last.

A whirlwind of possibilities flew into my life,
the chance to sing along with the wind and sky;
His hands were strong--with eyes cool and bright,
I was no longer alone nor desolate as days rolled by.

The nights were filled with pleasure and romance,
with the passionate way we had grown as one;
I'd never experienced such an emotional ride,
my heart exploded like the rays of the sun.

But here I am as many years passed-- torn apart,
remembering all the beauty of our private moments;
I wonder, too, if he remembers them as I do,
those few months we lived in joy and contentment.

Emotions awaken to the sounds of heartache,
the windless days so still and refined;
Telling stories old and bold, but deliberately passive,
yet active within each others' minds' eyes.

Out in the atmosphere lurks a stranger,
with gossamer wings, bleak, aged and dark;
Reaching toward the heights of terror and gloom,
crushing a small voice crying out, like a meadowlark.  

Distracted are we, the many sounds of confusion,
as we kick the can down the road of solitude;
Attempting once more to depart from images,
which feature only cloudy days and weary sighs.

One day the distractions will morph into glory,
and bring profound hope along its mighty trail;
The mind's eye bulges with bright anticipation,
as shadows soon dissipate, sullen and pale.

My heart is solid, my feelings emanate from there,
I have everything I need in life, no bad luck, no despair--
Solid as a rock, the rocks that built my reputation,
I've never been so free of pain and sorrow, and desperation.

The wind will never blow my thoughts away from you,
the branches of the trees will reach out in prayer for you--
As if love is an eternal thing, like the ring that is on my finger,
Solid gold, a wish fulfilled--a dream of everlasting life together..

Lord, grant me the strength to remain solid, hopeful, and connected to the Divine...connected to everything spiritual,
for nothing is as solid as LOVE.

Blue, pink, purple, songstress of the heavens,
I hear those tantalizing notes in mystical colors;
Framing each phrase with softness and wonder,
every sound rises with an exceptional allure.

Black, gray, tumbling and grumbling tunes,
explode with awkward but powerful precision;
The wetness of the heavy rain embraces the earth,
as if the sky's mellifluous flow reaches a decision.

Yellow, amber, golden hues glancing through life,
singing their way along the channels of secrecy;
Yet burgeoning with wholesome welcoming sighs,
brightly shining for everyone to hear and see.

The sky's melody rings throughout castles of time,
built strongly with lingering hope and inspiration;
And when the breezes of changing seasons fly by,
we're protected and enchanted by their glorification.