Down by the lily pond
She toyed with the long grass
Sitting in her soft, white dress
Nought she knew of her task

What was her purpose?
To feel, to love, to give,
To learn, to laugh, to lead,
To care, to share, to live?

Deep beneath the water,
She summoned the life she dreamed:
A husband and a daughter,
Was this as good as it seemed?

For in the waters reflection,
She was beckoned to see her face,
Large, red and gaunty,
Ever so out of place.

And as her prince came striding forth,
With a book and poem in hand,
A dead leaf shattered the glistening reflection,
So she sat and toyed with the sand.

As I slipped inside the sliding doors,
In silence, I roamed, the reticent floors,
Searching for that impeccable book.
With open eyes, alone, I looked.

Covers as bright as lemon zest
Glittered like gold amongst the rest.
Each blurb I perused, with bated breath,
To find those that sparkled had no depth.

I replaced them gently upon the shelves,
To glimmer and glisten amongst themselves.
I knew they would discover their place,
Within the warmth of another’s embrace.

Deep beneath each cover lies
A soul to be read: to accept, to defy?
With battered heart and broken mind,
I longed for the book I could not find.

Eyes downcast, upon the floor,
I chanced upon an open door.
For there you were, on darker ground,
Waiting patiently to be found.

Your cover worn, and pages frayed;
Intrigued to see how you were made.
My mind was open, I had no doubts,
And with my card, I took you out.

Others scoffed, at my aberrant choice.
To them, my disgust, I had to voice;
They only saw your beaten cover,
But I read deep; now I’m your lover.

Mindlessly I sit and stare,
Upon the roses of despair;
Wishing for one more night to share,
Just you and I, together, a pair.

We loved with all our hearts content,
Of that I know and don’t repent.
For loving you is all I know,
And that I can’t and won’t ever let go.

But now you’re gone I cannot see,
Past the waves that crashed on thee.
You’re lost in seas of depths unknown,
No-one now can bring you home.

Soft tears trickle down my cheek,
As I lye in bed another week.
Like a fountain they continue to flow,
As a gentle reminder that lovers go.

The distant tree with colours bright,
Gives me hope that you’re in the light;
Waiting for me on the other side,
Once again above the tide.

On the table sits one plate,
But for now we both just sit and wait;
Until again we’ll be eating a dinner for two,
Together at last, just me and you.

As I slipped inside the sliding doors,
In silence, I roamed, the reticent floors,
Searching for an impeccable book.
With open eyes, alone, I looked.

Covers as bright as lemon zest
Glittered like gold amongst the rest.
Each blurb I perused, with bated breath,
To find those that sparkled, had no depth.

I placed them gently, upon the shelves,
To patiently wait amongst themselves.
I knew that they would discover their place,
Within the warmth of another’s embrace.

Deep beneath each cover lies
A soul to read: to accept, defy?
With battered heart and broken mind,
I longed for the book I couldn’t find.

Eyes downcast upon the floor,
I chanced upon an open door.
For there you were, on darker ground,
Waiting, like a dog at a pound.

Your cover worn, and pages frayed;
Intrigued to see how you were made.
Open mind, I removed my doubt,
And with my card, I took you out.

Others scoffed, at my aberrant choice
To them, my disgust, I had to voice;
They only saw your beaten cover,
But I read deep; now I’m your lover.

My love has blossomed, though sometimes we fight.
We can’t always agree on what is right.
But in the end, our lover’s quarrel,
Has taught me yet, another moral.

Although your pages are black and white,
Does not mean, that you are always right.
I feel that there are shades of grey;
That everyone should have their say.

Each night I spend with you in bed,
Helps me rest my somnolent head;
Dreaming of lands I’ve never been
And people that I’ve never seen.

You show me sunsets, on the foreshore,
Make me giggle, whilst the seagulls soar.
A range of emotions you elicit;
No path in my mind, do you prohibit.

Now I, take you, to be my guide,
As man takes woman to be his bride;
For you wrote deep on the tablet of my heart,
I shall treasure you forth, ‘til death do us part.

He was discombobulated,
She was unaware,
Of the dangers she was subject to,
Just ‘cause she was there.

Forever, she had longed for this,
Attention from a guy:
So desperate for affection,
She turned a blind eye.

Dismissed the way he stumbled, fumbled,
Mumbled and slurred his words.
Ignored the way he drunk like a crunk, till he was,
Flying high as the birds.

Shady in the corner,
He swayed the night away,
To the silence of the music,
Not yet to her dismay.

She gazed into his glassy red eyes,
Held his sticky hand.
Falling head over heels,
He dragged her to the sand.

On the beach, of drowned memories,
Flings forever forgotten;
They lay, side by side.
Where he snuck through her cotton.

His love for her was intoxicating;
She could smell it on his breath,
For liquor is his cup of comfort,
The portal to his death…

Speeding, he drives towards it,
Like a suicide mission.
First date, on the seat of lust,
She froze into submission,

As he rounded the corner,
Courageous as a lion.
Deciding upon a steering wheel,
Missing the ‘stop’ sign.

Heart, pounding, in her chest,
She was lucky to be alive;
Made it home, without a scratch,
Where many have not survived.

Upon arrival, at her palace,
He drove her porcelain bus;
Heaved, then received
An outburst of her disgust.

Feeling on the high side,
He planted a kiss goodnight,
Shared his latest discharge,
Repulsed. She slammed; goodbye.

For she realised her worth,
Her beauty, and her bliss
Without a drunk, to ruin her night,
She can live without a kiss.

Once upon a treetop tall,
I conceived that I was rather small.
Just another human being,
With open eyes, but never seeing;
The one that seeks my hand to hold,
The love that seeps into my soul,
Those queued waiting, to be my friend,
Or where I need to make amends.
I’m meandering with attentive ears,
But silencing my childish fears.
I’m alive, but I’m not living;
Caring, sharing and giving.
I crave to breathe, I need to feel,
Cherished, elated, free and real.
His love still lingers in my heart,
But nothing alike our jubilant start;
I’m stuck on the one that tore me apart.
I long to soar, above the open sea,
Venture and find the best of me.
We’ve all lost sense of how to live,
Confined by money and low confidence.
So take a leap and sense the thrill,
Forget about that thousand dollar bill.
Experience the world like there’s no tomorrow,
Because time, my friend, you cannot borrow.
So open wide and really look,
Further than the cover of the book.
Darling, wake up, this life won’t suffice,
Tonight, we enter paradise.