My mind, madness
Overpowered by rhyme,
But no reason
Just emotions embedded
Beneath my surface
Exuding words
Written, not spoken
Dreaming in syllables
Replaying rhythm
Piecing poetry together
From what most keep hidden

© JL Smith

And if your patience grows short
Remember
How winter's snow
Awaits fall's last leaf
How the blackbird's song
Serenades only after our sleep
And every flower blossoms
In its own time
Sometimes,
When you least expect it
Love arrives

© JL Smith

Your eyes exclaimed beauty
Witnessing my face
Behind its cosmetic mask
I didn't expect any attention,
But your admiration
Stopped this heart in its tracks

© JL Smith

I'm not familiar with
The meaning of pretend
For the truth is what I offer
Even if it's what you bend

© JL Smith

Tie your laces
And watch your step
Don't fall for this heart
That hasn't healed yet

© JL Smith

Maybe that's why my eyes stray to the skies
Toward the bird in flight
The rising sun's delight
The stars at night
The moon glowing bright
For my home is the Heavens
And one day I'll return
But for now, I'll relish nature's presence

© JL Smith

I've forgotten
The kiss upon my lips
The way to let go and be held
I've forgotten
To accept unconditional love,
But I'm hopeful I'll remember how

© JL Smith

Give me your eyes
For they're desperately sought by mine
My mind's diseased
Like a plague set before the Red Sea--
Distraught, a catastrophe
And a heavy heart
Anchored absently
Set ablaze for the crowds who gather
To fan the flames
Fueling in contemptuous laughter
My spirit pirouetting wildly
A cyclone spinning violently
But its eye--calm by design
Give me yours
For they're desperately sought by mine

© JL Smith

As my type whispers
Yes, as it softly speaks
Through emphasis of pressed ink
It reveals my secrets,
Desires and fears
Listen with your heart
Rather than your ears

© JL Smith

No fruits from the trees
Nor honey from bees
No meat from the livestock
Nor dairy's finest cheese
Could satisfy my appetite
For I crave a love too sweet
Fulfilling this hunger
Savoring each heartbeat

© JL Smith

Dig deeper--
For the answers you seek
Require travel farther beneath
An ambiguous surface
Along a foundation of strength
Tracing the tips of my roots
Is where you'll discover
My soul, my truth

© JL Smith

Loves casts a shadow
Through your glance
While concealing its confession
Behind lips
Fleetingly blinding my world
As the moon masks the sun
By eclipse

© JL Smith

I'm divorcing my demons
To engage in angelic flight
Your proposal of grace
Weds me to Light

© JL Smith

In the quietest moments
Yes, the deafening silence
When life becomes still
As breathing breaks
Slowing the heart rate
Time halts
While reality dreams
I hear your voice
Echoing within
The walls of my organs
Vibrating my bones
And while I'm away
Here, you'll stay
Loudly, boldly
Professing your love,
My home and safe haven
In the quietest moments
While I'm away
I hear your voice
Promise me, you'll stay

© JL Smith

Don't let me forget
My high
Flying above the earth
Peering out narrow windows
Through opaque skies
Watching familiar lands
Fade into unknown territory

Don't let me forget
The scent
Of summer's sweet drizzle
Driving through double rainbows
Crossing mountains
Concealed in lush greens
As my face beams

Don't let me forget
The spirit
Of grand cities
Bustling beings
And evolution of architecture
The accents of ancestors
Accepting my history

Don't let me forget
The power
Of voluminous river waters
Falling over a hundred feet
Crashing upon boulders below
Soaking my skin in its mist
As I approach its thunderous base

Don't let me forget
The love
Of new friends becoming family
An invitation of warmth
Delicious dining
Late-night laughs
And sincere, Until-next-times

Don't let me forget
To learn
To love
To live

© JL Smith

After traveling the winding roads
Lit by a crescent moon
Kissed by the crisp breeze
Your kindness welcomed me
Like warm rays from the sun
And sweet honey from the comb of bees

© JL Smith

No matter where I roam
Nor what I see
Whether natural wonders
Or the Atlantic Sea
The home I've searched for
The home I need
I carry along within me
Embracing love
Penning poetry

© JL Smith

It's been said,
If you love something
Let it go

So you did
And I'm free,

But I'll return
Knowing

You love me

© JL Smith

These tears, I'll remember--
Not of pain, but of bliss
To come from nothing,
To hear I'm nothing
I dreamt of bright, city lights
On the coast
A place in books and film,
A place I never visited
Yet, somehow, I dearly missed
That matched my spirit,
That matched my energy
Deep inside
That never slept
And I promised myself
One day, I'll see you,
One day, I'll walk those steps
Amid the tallest skyscrapers
Along with dreamers who never rest
Today, I did
Today, I felt at home among strangers
Some singing, some partially dressed
A melting *** of beauty,
A melting *** of truth
Everyone here has a story
And it's vibrantly confessed
An immigrant's hope
A young woman's liberation from her past
I cried tears of joy upon a park bench
Fulfilling a promise to a young girl afraid to act

© JL Smith

Crashing waves
Compose uncertainty
Within the walls of my heart
Until your Love
Walks the waters
Calming tsunamis
As doubt departs

© JL Smith

Tempted,
The sky's first droplet
Kissed the back
Of my neck
At once,
I was reminded
Of your lips
Caressing my flesh

© JL Smith

So many ask,
"How are you?"
Without intention of
Listening as a friend
But I ask,
"Will you sit beside me?"
As you share how
Your story began

© JL Smith

As the glue grasps the shards
And the splint heals the bone
Your love mends my heart's pieces
Repairing what's broken by thrown stones

© JL Smith

One of these nights
As I gaze upon the Texas sky
I'll lasso the moon
And hail a ride
Among a shooting star
A flash of light
Dark's brightest story
My meteoric flight

© JL Smith

Wasn't it you
Who taught me to believe in myself?
Now I do,
But you don't
And it hurts like hell

© JL Smith

I sense darkness
Something hiding behind those genuine eyes
You've hinted at it before--
The fear suppressed inside
I'm not one to pull, to pry
My heart is patient,
My heart is kind,
But know the whispers of your secrets
May conspire safely alongside mine

© JL Smith

For some time now
You've been watching
As I walk along the edge
Wondering if I'll fall blindly
Questioning if I'll trust again

You know well
How my heart split in two
Please don't subject its mending pieces
To experiencing déjà vu

I now sit upon the ledge
Feet dangling for your view
Will or won't you catch me
As I allow myself to be loved by you

© JL Smith

You ask me why I go
Because no one's requested that I stay
You wonder why I run
Because I've grown exhausted of this place

You think you know my heart,
But it's still searching for its home
You attempt to negotiate,
But this soul already roams

You dream I follow yours
Yet, they consist of sleep
While mine encourage growth
Your story reads as fiction
While I live mine under oath

© JL Smith

Maybe in those moments
When you're reminded of me
Your heart strongly feels mine
Longing for the love I need

© JL Smith

Calm my heart
And steady these hands
Grant peace among my distress
As the evening moon
Cools desert sands
Ease my frustration
As I rely heavily on faith
I trust in your promises
As droughts await your rain

© JL Smith

Your feet drift from foundation
Your eyes instinctively close
Your stomach somersaults
Your heart, momentarily froze

Your eyes begin to open
Engrossed by the beauty of our globe
You've overcome your fear

Spread your wings,
Enjoy the show

© JL Smith

If you tell me you fear heights,
I'll climb your highest mountains

If you tell me you fear water,
I'll sail your deepest oceans

Share with me your secrets,
I promise I won't tell them

If you admit that you feel broken,
I'll reassure you, your heart is golden

And if you fear to love again,
I'll show you that it's worth it

© JL Smith

Yesterday,
My mirror reflected fear
Today,
Tenacity appeared
Acceptance of self
Riddance of doubt
An unstoppable force
Enough to shout

I am strong
I am wise
I'm a daughter and sister
At times,
A hurricane and a twister
I'm forgiving
And a patient listener

I am comedic
I am empathetic
I'm a lover and fighter
But mostly,
A heart-on-the-sleeve writer
Sometimes complex
Not easily deciphered

But I'm human
And I'm honest
Pledging loyalty to my friends
I try my best to encourage and inspire
An adventurous spirit, old soul
Steadfast faith until the end

© JL Smith

You're holding me back,
You're holding me back!
To see the world, I desire
Yet, you control and conspire

Foreshadowing a future full of regret
If I comply with your reasoning;
Instilling doubt and anxiety
Comparing me to society

I'm breaking your grasp,
I'm breaking your grasp!
To hell with you, Fear
I'm moving forward
Abandoning you to my past

© JL Smith

Who could ever understand a heart like mine?
What a mess, what a maze, what a caged bird awaiting flight

And yet a few relate, those who take the time
Comprised of patience, generosity, compassion and sunshine

Most may call them strangers, but I know them as friends
Each expressing emotions and moving mountains through pen

Your humble hearts hurt more than most,
And your vulnerability often leaves you exposed

But promise me you'll never stray from your truth
Because I'm more confident today
Knowing pieces of my heart reside also within you

© JL Smith

Droplets
Wept
Through
Grayscale
Skies
Promise
Rainbows
Drying
Eye­s

© JL Smith

I love you in ways
You could never fathom
Beyond doubt,
Past what any creator can imagine

I love you as passionately
As the pianist plays his keys
And as devoted as the sinner
Prays upon his knees

I loved you before I knew
The depth of your heart
As the sailor sets to sea
Placing faith in his chart

I'll love you as long as the sun
Rises in the East
And remain as loyal as the moon
Commits waves along the beach

© JL Smith

Tonight, I planned to write of strength,
But as I'm honest to the core
Tonight, I'll share I'm weak
Though I try my best to encourage peace
Tonight, I'll admit there's war within me
And as I wrestle with these words
Tonight, the tears surrender easily,
But maybe there's courage after my fall
Tomorrow, a blank page awaits to inspire and enthrall

© JL Smith

It's not for all
Only a select few
Born with a gift,
But devoted daily
To refining it, too

My writers, my poets
This Ode is for you
Who pound fists upon desks,
Crumble paper into *****
When our words feel askew

Our kryptonite, Achilles' heel
Writer's block--If our readers only knew
Ravaging our brain for hours,
Studying fellow authors' work
For inspiration--a breakthrough

"Ah! Now it flows"
Placing pen upon paper
"No, that's no good"
Tear it, rip it, shred it
To pieces

But don't give up,
Don't get too down on yourself
Though a perfectionist, grammar ****
Believe in your words--
Worthy of the Best Sellers' shelf

For my dear friends and fellow poets
Unaware of your words reach
Remember where you started,
But understand your power--
Touching lives of so many you many never meet

© JL Smith

I'm not swayed by your status
Nor your wealth or crown,
While your nose is held high among the court
I've curtsied for comedy in the corner--
Your jester, my clown

© JL Smith

Your voice shakes,
But speak loudly
Your hands hesitate,
Though write proudly
Your thoughts linger,
So, ask profoundly
Your feet wander,
Seek devoutly
Your spirit differs,
Embrace oddity
Your heart aches
Yet, love constantly

© JL Smith

I see you hurting
And fear there's not much I can do
The truth sometimes shatters hope,
But I promise, a little goodness remains, too

Maybe in time you'll see
You never truly lost what you need
At times, what you want
Isn't what's best, but misleads

Though if you wish to kick and scream
Shout to the Heavens on your knees
Cry in a corner or curse freely
I'll stand by--now and always--caring deeply

© JL Smith

Pieces of the heart:
Right and left atrium
A set of ventricles
Separated by a septum
The aorta and blood vessels, too
Working together
Pumping life through this body,
But every day
I give bits of it away
As appreciation,
As an "I love you."

© JL Smith

City lights
Emulating
Moonlight
Divided highways
Lead foot
Chasing midnight
Accelerated thoughts
Crisp breeze
Rear view mirror hindsight
You deserve better
Than a runaway
Trusting only
Her headlights

© JL Smith

Some who've witnessed death
Often fear seeing ghosts,
But if you pass before me,
Courageously, I'll hope it is I
You haunt the most...

© JL Smith

At times, I long for
Drops of rain instead of sun
Gardens full of green
Rather than concrete paths to run

Sometimes summer's absence
Of winter's frosted flakes
Leaves me desiring blankets of snow
In place of sweltering rays seeking shaded breaks

After witnessing so many dusks
Of painted, sunset skies
For once, I lust after the dawn
Wondering how morning colors reflect my eyes

But mostly, I covet the luminosity of stars
Among the night throughout my day
Yet, when darkness arrives, I miss you most
Yearning for warmth while you're away

© JL Smith

What I desire
Is no more
Than you revealing
What's inside
Your head

But alas,
Pulling teeth,
Extracting nails--
Comes so much easier
Instead

© JL Smith

Today,
It's worth letting you
Borrow my heart
So, you can feel
What it's like
To love yourself
The way I do

© JL Smith

I invited you to dinner
Seated ourselves at a table for two
I glanced around the room
Summoning the courage to confront you

I've known you for too long
And I know you all too well
When times get hard and I need help
You step in, casting me under your spell

Others may ask if I'm all right
Extending a look or touch of sincerity
That's when I'm reminded of your voice
So I state, "I'm fine"--
Your infamous words of transparency

I know how you envy my vulnerability
Attempting to brainwash my nature,
But I've grown tired of your ego
And your effort to control my behavior

So, listen closely as I conclude these words
I'm accepting it's OK to admit I'm not
And I'm worthy of love
Tonight, dear Pride, I apologize,
But I'm breaking up with you on the spot

© JL Smith

I often wonder
If your thoughts wander
Along the boulevard
Of what could be
Leading out of the urban
And into the rural fields of gold
With me

© JL Smith