What fires burn in this feverish mind!
And from the ashes spring ardent words,
Like the phoenix rising up to heaven,
Leading flocks of diaphanous birds

Mimicking the tides, thoughts ebb and flow
Ceaselessly, as those of the ocean;
Like one possessed, I surrender control,
Jotting down every whim and notion

Angst and rapture mingle together
As I ponder each new assignment;
Vague concepts, dispatched from a remote source,
Invade my mind, seeking refinement

Transient verses perch upon my pen,
Now my minions, I must guide them home;
With care, I place them upon the blank page --
Trumpeting the birth of a new Poem!

Dare I hope my words be remembered
Immortally, as our God must be,
Bringing joy and comfort to burdened hearts,
Like a prayer recited faithfully

My words cannot be held prisoners
In a box meant for decaying remains;
But rather, these poems I lovingly pen
Must soar alongside heavenly strains

I care not if few sad tears are shed
For my folded hands and eyelids closed;
But when Death commands that my voice be still,
Grieve for the poems that went uncomposed!

Life chewed up my dreams, and then spit them out,
My passions quelled, overcome by doubt,
Trust and courage vanished from my world;
Now I walk with arms outstretched to the sky,
Not in prayer . . . Fate's prisoner am I,
See? my flag of surrender's unfurled!

The fight is over, it's not worth the pain,
A futile clash, and what did I gain?
A defeat greeted with taunting jeers;
And Life still goes on -- seasons come and go,
The rivers freeze, then the rivers flow,
Life's cruel pranks just aren't worth the tears

But tears are the toll that Life demands,
Tears and the labors of calloused hands;
So let me say a word to the wise:
Don't waste your time reciting fruitless prayers,
Though you may evade Life's quicksand and snares,
God has closed the gates to Paradise!

As I descend the crumbling steps of Time,
I wonder what lies beyond the twelfth chime,
Are there any prizes left to win?
With my last breath shall I beg God's pardon?
Might he then bid me enter His Garden,
Or, like a bug, spike me with a pin?

No! I won't spend remaining days in fear,
I won't beseech a God that can't hear,
No longer on Defeat will I dwell;
I'll keep building my castles in the air,
Savoring fragments of love here and there,
As for Defeat ..... it can go to hell!

Sleep, my beloved,  my arms will not tire
Of holding you . . . let your dreams take flight;
I'll keep watch until  dawn's ring of fire
Burns away the tapestry of night

Where do you go in your errant dreams --
Riding cloud-drifts through Love's pageantry
While I keep watch next to sorrow's streams
Until the dawn brings you back to me?

Then let your fantasies ride moonbeams
And wander among celestial spheres;
I'll keep watch while you pursue your dreams,
Though my weary eyes are blurred with tears

Walk the pebbled shores and valleys green
Till you find your kingdom by the sea;
And when you're ready to choose a queen,
Think of me, love, O please, think of me

For dreams are but a subtle disguise,
Masking the desires we dare not speak;
And so I'll keep watch until your eyes
Look in mine . . . and find the love they seek

God knows the ocean needs the waiting shore
To welcome the tides as they flow;
God knows the birds need their wings to soar,
Is He not aware that I need you so?

God knows warmth must follow Winter's harsh reign,
On Spring, nature's sweet song depends;
God knows sunlight must echo the strain,
So I need the warmth and light your love lends

God knows when each star tumbles from its berth,
Or when a leaf falls from a tree;
God knows our miseries suffer no dearth,
So why is it you are not here with me?

God knows laws of nature must be obeyed,
First comes the bud, then the flower;
God knows, for I've told Him as I prayed,
I need your love to guide me through each hour

God knows I'm determined to stay this course,
No one will I place above you;
God knows that my heart has pledged to yours
An eternal commitment to love you

God knows without air and water we'd die,
God knows each heart must have its due,
God knows without love life goes awry .....
But does He know I can't live without you!

Rays of a golden sun greet the day,
A warm breeze brushes my cheek in its play,
Fragrant flowers bloom in radiant hue,
Amidst this beauty, I think of you

A wandering bird in hectic flight
Searches for shelter before fall of night,
Then sanctuary comes within view,
When I've lost my way, I think of you

Amorous waves hug a lonely shore,
While avocets scavenge the sandy floor
The moon and stars keep their rendezvous;
In this peaceful realm, I think of you

A dove woos his mate high in a tree,
Together they warble love's symphony
As bees sip the rose's velvet dew;
Seeing love fulfilled, I think of you

Though life may demand its daily toll,
Your love guides me toward my journey's goal;
And when despair spreads its darkest hue,
Love's flame kindles when I think of you

Today the sun rose in a peculiar way,
As if it were afraid to announce the day;
First, with a cautious eye it scoured the land,
Coy, with a fear of unfounded reprimand;
Slowly its ribbons of light were unwinding,
But so pale, they could hardly be called blinding!
What could be the cause of the sun's hesitance?
What could possibly be prompting this reticence?
I wonder, did the sun hear my idle threats?
Last night, missing you, I was filled with regrets;
As the pain in my heart began to accrue,
I dreaded facing a new day without you,
And as the morning dawned, I said foolish things:
"How dare the sun rise, knowing the pain it brings!
Has it no compassion, just heartless cruelty?
I wish the sun would drown in a stormy sea!
Its flames be extinguished, leaving but embers,
Crying for the past glory it remembers.
What I wouldn't do to make the sun depart,
Too long it has thrown flaming knives at my heart!"
And so for my grief I cast blame on the sun
And wished for the day to be over and done;
Regretting my folly, I now realize
My words, spoken in angst, were cruel and unwise;
Fear not, Sun, nothing will harm your dazzling flame,
For my pain and loneliness, you're not to blame;
So rise, dear Sun, fill the world with your glory--
I'll reproach the Moon for my purgatory!

When the heart refuses to forget
A love that left it in disarray,
And memories come knocking at the door
But the heart cannot turn them away
For it still worships at that secret shrine,
Try not to despair, everything will be fine

When petals fall from the withered rose,
And from its face fades the morning's glow,
The grief-stricken bee fondly recalls
The sweet nectar that once used to flow;
But when a new rose invites him to dine,
What bliss! for he knows everything will be fine

When dreams grow weak and struggle for breath,
In angst we cry "Why must it be so?"
But never discard your dying dreams --
Gather them close, and don't let them go!
Though in defeat we're tempted to resign,
If we persevere, everything will be fine

The mind and heart are but mortal things,
Subject to erosion and decay;
The haughty will is conquered by Time,
Old memories die and fade away;
But once we've made it to the finish line,
Peace awaits there, and everything will be fine

And the loved ones we have missed and mourned
Will bear witness to a simple truth:
Love does not die, but is eternal,
Like the golden fantasies of youth;
We'll witness Death's role in this Grand Design,
As angels chant "You're home now ..... everything's fine!"