Oft had I thought ‘twas meant just for a male
And mindlessly I’d chosen not to read
Until one day I was summoned to heed
Melville’s epic tale of The Great White Whale

The wandering sailor - “Call me Ishmael”
Captain Ahab -  vengeance his greedy need
Reckless, careless; anything to succeed
Yet, his destiny, rightly, was to fail

Hodge-podge of cultures from all walks of life
Scruples, beliefs, tenets, lessons  and more
Adventure and religion - all were rife
Herman challenged and gave voice to it all

The world then -  the world now - deeply in strife
When will we learn and stop fighting the war?

glistening, wet jewels
well in the camber of hazel eyes
like droplets
brimming on the tip
of a dewy green-brown leaf

resting but a moment
holding tight a promise

yet threatening to tumble
as the maelstrom
erupts
in eerie quietness
mutely twisting
whirling
spiraling downwards

then
without a whisper

and in the hush of aloneness

a shining bubble
spills

and bursts

Sliding from the silky, satin sheets
Slowly she saunters to the terrace
And scans the sparkling, star-sprinkled sky
  
As slender arms loosely clasp her svelte, ******* swathed silhouette
So too her thoughts encircle her sweetheart
  
She smiles as she recalls their tryst...
  
          His strong embrace holding her safe and secure
          Lips that tease with nearness
          At last bestowing passion-soaked kisses
          Whilst hands slide up to her soft, supple breast
          And trace circles around her sensitive, cerise *******
  
She is lost now
Caught in the exquisite snare of sinfully-sweet reminiscences
Of two lovers seeking to please
And thirsting to be satisfied...
  
          Slow, tantalizing caresses gracefully ****** their souls
          Hearts, minds and bodies of two lovers now aroused
          Suspended over the precipice
          Oh, yes, such blissful anticipation
          And then … surrender
          Surrender to sweet, sweet ecstasy!
  
As she stands now on the circumference of sensual abyss
She sways slightly
A soft breeze strokes her sun-kissed skin
It whispers to her spirit and begins to sing a song
A song so enticing
So stirring
That small goosebumps rise and glisten
  
So once more she slips betwixt silky, satin sheets

Bewildered
Too little to understand
Bitter cold fear
Reflected on a tear-stained, perfect little face
In vivid blue eyes
Distress and panic
Then
From a little boy’s grief-stricken heart
A plea --
Echoing on the chilled air of Winter’s night
Desolately
Desperately
Untamed and barren
Again and again --
* “Daddy!  I’m sorry daddy!”
“Come back, daddy!”

Celestial, heavenly queen
Beauty unrivalled
Oh vanity! ‘Tis quicksand of reason
And angry Gods speak

Purity and innocence
Surrendered
Shackled to crystalline quartz
And blamelessness the sacrificial quarry

Retribution is costly --
Though beauty shines brightly
With vanity
Comes lonely truth

If I could wish a thousand wishes
I'd give them all to you
For one is all I need my love
To make my dreams come true
From now until the end of time
I'd wish to stand by you --
To sleep with you and wake with you
Would be the perfect rhyme
Of things and grandeur I’d not want
Just simple joys of life and love
Heav’nly gifts so freely given
A blessing from the Lord above
        And so one wish is all I need
        A small but magical seed

Love is kind
Love is true
Love is blind
Love is you