Not about love or life.
Not about sun and snow.
Not about hate or politics.
What more ought we know.

Not philosophy, psychology or history.
Nor horror, adventure or mystery.
Whether on sea or land,
it will not stand
in the vast oak court of reality.

I can't see the shore
I have no idea where I am
We have one chance to get everything right
I've seen so many ships sailing
just to sink.

Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North,
The birth-place of Valour, the country of Worth;
Wherever I wander, wherever I rove,
The hills of the Highlands for ever I love.

My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here;
My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer;
A-chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.

Farewell to the mountains high covered with snow;
Farewell to the straths and green valleys below;
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods;
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.

My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here;
My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer;
A-chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.

He that loves a rosy cheek,
  Or a coral lip admires,
Or from star-like eyes doth seek
  Fuel to maintain his fires:
As old Time makes these decay,
So his flames must waste away.

But a smooth and steadfast mind,
  Gentle thoughts and calm desires,
Hearts with equal love combined,
  Kindle never-dying fires.
Where these are not, I despise
Lovely cheeks or lips or eyes.

1
just watched the news
my morning ritual

2
today’s news, as  I saw it
(today and this week)
as I heard them all interviewees
them politicians, men of God,
holy ones and pure ones
organizers and statesmen and entertainers
and various personalities,
they all used sincerity terms:
“….to be honest,” one said…”to be frank…,” said another
And yet another: “I’ll be frank with you….”
“Well, frankly speaking,” declared one eminent person…

You wish the interviewer
would interrupt and say:
“You mean you haven’t been honest till now?”

3
and yet, frankly speaking,
that’s not news;
that’s old wearied news
for I’ve heard that from 1960’s
since I started watching interviewees,
to be honest

I was asleep when the world started to end.
While the first skyscraper fell, I was under my covers dreaming of somewhere new.
I was asleep when the world started to end.
While the virus ran its course and charged like a legion of soldiers, I was pressed against my pillows watching shadows behind my eyes.
I was asleep when the world started to end.
While the fires broke out in the churches and the bombs went off in the hospitals, a puddle of drool was collecting on my blanket while I snoozed away.
I was asleep when the world started to end.
While the tidal waves hit the shoreline and washed away shopping malls and grocery stores, I was sprawled out across a bed, lightly snoring.
I was asleep when the world started to end.
While the asteroid entered the atmosphere and  the people of this world shouted in terror and confusion, I was talking in my sleep to anyone who cared to listen.
I woke up when the world was over.

If only. . .
we didn't look at our broken pasts like shattered glass
we didn't let those prior pains ******* our current course
we could forgive those that inflicted the pain whether intentional or not
we could forget the past and make the present last.

If only. . .
we could laugh at all of needless hate that comes to us
we could realize that love is eternal
we could understand that love is fighting, not a war but for every second more, every instant worth fighting for.

If only. . .
we didn't always have to pretend to be strong
we could cry if we need to and we could cry out all of our tears
we didn't have to prove all of the time that every thing is okay
we always knew what to say in those difficult times
we could be at peace with who we are not
we didn't need to build walls around our hearts to survive and to keep alive

If only. . .
we could take our grief and teach it to smile
we could overcome our fears and help others to do the same
we knew that tomorrow's hope means more to us than yesterday's mistake
we could realize that splendor is just around the corner
we knew that love will again come our way some day.

If only. . .
she knew that I was so happy that she finally found me
she knew how happy I am to have found her
she knew tha from the moment I saw her face, somehow my heart just knew what I had to do
I were a thought I would linger in her mind
she knew that she is tomorrow's hope
I could be anywhere, it would be with her

If only. . .
she knew she is beautiful and doesn't need a mirror to tell her that
she knew that her voice is the sweetest music for me
she knew that I can understand her without any words
she knew that she was made to be loved by me
she knew how much she inspired me
she knew that she saved my life.

If only, . .
we could finish every day and be done with it
we could realize that yesterday is dead and tomorrow hasn't arrived
we could begin each day well and serenely with too high a spirit to be cumbered with old nonsense
we knew we have today and can be happy in it
we knew that love cures people, both those who give it and those who receive it

If only. . .                                                                ­              
everyone knew that whether it is praise, love, criticism, money, time, power, punishment, space, sorrow, laughter, need, pain, or pleasure... the more you give the more of it, the more you will receive.

If only. . . . . . . . . .                                                                ­                                                        
                                                                ­                                                                 ­        Jon York            2012