As I wandered the Trail of Solitude
Down that footpath so well-known to me,
A tender "I love you" dared to intrude
Upon my intense melancholy

I reeled upon hearing Love's treasured words,
Thinking they were intended for me;
Desire bolted like a flock of wild birds
Obeying the call of destiny

Seeds of love lying dormant in my heart
Suddenly burst forth into full bloom;
From the lonely caste I'd been set apart,
Filling the air was Love's sweet perfume

But haste is the enemy of a heart
Wandering in the Garden of Despair,
Toward that tree laden with fruits it will dart,
Ignoring the signs that warn "Beware"

A starving heart will perceive a grand feast
Where only a few crumbs have been tossed;
By the time the pangs of hunger have ceased
Common sense and caution are long lost

What joy to think Love had found me at last
And despair had taken its last toll!
But long ago the fateful die was cast
And my name erased from Heaven's scroll

Now hope and dreams have long since turned to dust,
Yet, this moment haunts my memory;
Love had come so close ...... Alas! it was just
A case of mistaken identity

When I seek asylum from distress
And Love gently takes me 'neath its wing,
I'm numb to the pain of loneliness,
My heart becomes immune to its sting,

Fleeting are the memories of sad tears
Cried in moonlit hours of solitude
While a host of feathered balladeers
Offer their orchestral interlude

I vaguely recall the sleepless nights
That were spent soothing my anguished heart,
Forcing my spirit to soar to heights
Where angels their mercy might impart

No longer is my fate predicted
In the sad song of the mourning dove;
I'm drugged .... and hopelessly addicted
To the divine ****** that is Love!

Tell me what things you've seen, Brother Moon,
From your outpost at the top of the world,
Stories of lovers' trysts cause me to swoon .....
Please relate how Cupid's arrows were hurled

But tell me Friend, what else do you see
When you scan the four corners of this globe?
Do you sigh viewing man's iniquity?
You've earned the right to wear the judge's robe

Does our intolerance cause you pain,
Does our wickedness ever make you cry?
A pity our dragons have not all been slain ---
You witness it all from your perch on high

But perhaps you might take a minute
To recall if you've seen my darling boy;
You know, my world's cold, there's no life in it,
Without his love my heart can find no joy

Please, won't you help me to find my man?
One winter morn he left without a word;
But how foolish of me to think you can
Possibly keep track of each fallen bird

O, let the stars tumble from the sky!
What do I care if the moon turns to stone!
Without someone to love what need have I
Of heaven's jewels if I must walk alone

Forgive me if I've broken the rules
By cursing the heavens for my despair;
Mortals are no more than a crew of fools
On a ship that inflates its sails with prayer

No longer will I burden the air
With prayers whose replies are long overdue;
But dear Moon, is there hope in my despair .....
Or will my lonely nights be spent with you?
And then the moon gently caressed my hair,
Reaffirming what I already knew

As I watch Autumn glide into Winter,
Sparse are the fond memories I invoke,
Just a fragment here, and there a splinter,
But Love left not one ember to stoke

Hopes and dreams that held promises of Love
Hang like withered fruits upon the vine;
And my heart, like the solitary dove,
Mourns for the love that never was mine

As the hourglass marks the eleventh hour
I watch anxiously as the sand falls;
Loneliness wields its consummate power
While Death impatiently walks the halls

Is there time to right this egregious wrong ---
Will Fate discipline its heart of stone?
Before the last refrains of my swan song
Might I yet ascend Love's golden throne?

Only Fate foreknows all that's yet to be,
But it has no voice with which to speak;
Silently it walks toward eternity
Veiling the havoc it may yet wreak

If only to alter Fate's fickle mind
And beg Time to walk a slower pace,
The days yet to come might be redesigned
To show me a more merciful face

And each path I take might be strewn with flowers,
When I bet on Love, I just might win .......
Ah, what futile dreams fill these lonely hours,
Trying to calm the churning hell within!

I watched love take wing, swooping in constant flight,
Seeking a heart upon which it could alight

I watched Love clamoring for recognition,
Begging to be claimed without inhibition

I watched Love floundering in desperation,
Wearied of its flight with no destination

I watched Love grow weaker with each passing day,
Pleading for sustenance to keep death at bay

I watched Love yield to its frail mortality,
Defeated by the truth of reality

I watched Love succumb, forlorn and rejected,
Now it's dead ..... never to be resurrected

I'm needing Love like the rose, needing rain,
With bowed head awaits dawn's dewy cloud;
Her frail petals wither in distress
Beneath deprivation's brutal shroud;
So Love denies me its sacred balm,
Thrusting me among the loveless crowd

I'm needing Love like the stars need the sky
To recline in its endless caress;
So my lonely heart seeks a domain
Where sadness and pain dare not transgress --
A sanctuary where I'm absolved
From the tyranny of loneliness!

I'm needing Love like the birds need their wings
To worship from a loftier perch
Their God, who tends to their every need,
Yet, how vain and futile's been my search!
All my pleas for Love have gone unheard,
Doomed to die in a vacuous church

I'm needing Love just as Nature needs Spring
To rub Winter's long sleep from her eyes;
Please tell me that Love is sleeping, too,
And from its slumber it soon shall rise;
Tell me Love will come and carry me
Through the golden gates of Paradise;
Tell me! and then wait for the heavens
To resonate with my joyful cries!

Blithe and carefree as a wandering cloud
He drifted one day into my life;
How sweet were the hours Heaven allowed,
Tranquil - even though misery was rife

At times I'd been blinded by the sun,
But in his shade the path became clear,
No regrets appeared when day was done,
Joy, even hope, dared to draw near

Life is such a melancholy thing
When the heart is denied what it craves;
Now at Love's throne I was worshiping,
Dead dreams resurrected from their graves!

Like dormant seeds in a Springtime rain
My heart was awakened from its sleep
To welcome Love to its new domain.
(No longer would Heaven watch me weep)

But Heaven scoffed at my happiness!
Once again, Fate bared its ugly streak;
A brewing storm foretold my distress,
And in an instant my world turned bleak

Restless gusts were rehearsing their flights,
Like fierce gales that form upon the sea,
And as clouds often do on starless nights,
True to the wind, he drifted far from me

On this grave don't lay your spray of flowers
As tearful mourners bid me adieu;
I'll not be moved by their sweet perfume,
Nor be dazzled by their brilliant hue;
Your past deeds defined my curtain call --
Deeds that bear the bitter taste of gall

Please, let there be no sorrowful tears,
Don't pretend to lament my demise;
Remain unmoved as you were in life
When you saw tears flowing from my eyes;
Show no sorrow, not even a bit,
Lest you be branded a hypocrite

Come not to the mound where I've been laid
While uttering some meaningless prayers,
Once Death announces the end of day,
For broken hearts there are no repairs;
Don't seek forgiveness while on one knee --
I'll be slumbering in tranquility

As I drink from the Eternal Fount,
Do not sully the Waters of Peace,
Keep your distance, this soul is at rest,
At my grave is where your torments cease!
To the Light I will have made my way
As shreds of a wretched life decay

Imprisoned in my melancholy world
I sought escape in my errant dreams;
A vast universe of promise unfurled --
A stroll with love through Elysian streams

As my eyelids closed, my awakening came --
A dream lover woke my dormant heart;
A small spark kindled into a bright flame
Commanding the darkness to depart

And I savored love in all its splendor,
Every trace of loneliness had flown;
How swift and complete was my surrender,
For love's divine hand now held my own

But desperate hearts see what's not really there --
Phantoms and imaginings so real
That for brief moments they numb our despair,
And wounds of loneliness start to heal

How frail are the dreams of the desperate heart,
Fashioned of cloud-drifts and withered leaves;
With the slightest breeze they scatter apart,
(In dismay the bewildered heart grieves)

Doomed is love conceived of the lonely heart,
It's destined to end in tears and pain;
That darkened veil that sleep had torn apart
Now envelops my heart once again

In dreams, reality wears a disguise --
The love I find there is mine to keep;
So come, dream lover, murmur your sweet lies,
As the night winds lull me back to sleep

My languid heart was lost in reverie
As I wished upon a star last night;
While engaged in this wistful beggary,
An angel altered my wretched plight

The mirror briefly captured his contour,
My silken sheets wrinkled with his weight,
His wings, with subtle fragrance of mille fleur
Brushed my face in a most awkward state

My body quivered as I gasped aloud,
(His intentions could only be guessed)
O'er my room the moon spread its silver shroud
As warm lips against mine gently pressed

What sensual words were whispered in my ear,
(I'm sure Seraphs blushed in disbelief!)
Rarely are mortals permitted so near
Heaven, discarding Life's cloak of grief

Yet, is this not deemed a celestial task?
Love must soar on wings of Faith and Hope
Guided by an angel in mortal mask,
When in our dark solitude we *****

In his arms I had found my paradise!
Though this encounter was but a dream,
How deep was the love I saw in his eyes,
When he touched me how real it did seem

Panic seized my heart as morning appeared
And the sun's first rays dappled the floor;
With dawn's light he vanished, just as I feared,
For even Heaven could give no more

But on my mind is etched every detail,
And when yearning makes my thoughts take flight,
Should I make a wish and the stars fail,
I've but to recall that wondrous night

The valleys and the hills heaved and trembled,
The stone over my grave was rolled aside;
Like a freed bird, my spirit tried to soar --
Was this the Renascence as prophesied?

Upward I arose from my dark confines,
The flesh on my bones was reappearing;
Now all the dead were rising from their graves,
What gasps of confusion I was hearing!

A blinding light plummeted from the sky,
Its intensity then made manifold;
What joy! There I stood face to face with God,
His overture a wonder to behold!

"Choose to live again," a silent voice urged,
"And so my breath of life through you shall flow;"
Bleak silence ensued, sensing my unrest,
Then I dared to ask what most yearned to know:

"How will this new life compare to the last,
Will I be assured love this time around?"
The Light dimmed a bit, and somehow I knew
The sad answer, though I heard not a sound

"Then tell me, please, what about mankind .....
This time will all men embrace each other
With kindness, respect and more tolerance,
Will we accept each man as our brother?"

Oh, how the silence filled my soul with grief,
Upon a sea of turmoil I was tossed;
Was it madness on my part to suggest
Restoration of a Paradise once lost?

It was predetermined -- little would change,
Just different costumes and new scripts to read;
How rude to offer yet another life
Where neither love nor peace was guaranteed!

Still I argued: "But what about Heaven .....
Does no one earn the right to Paradise?"
Said the voice: "Earth holds both Heaven and Hell,
Make your decisions, and hope they are wise!"

Said I: "What of the plight of all mankind .......
Illness, famine, wars - pain without relief?
The list is endless - is there no recourse
For this senseless suffering beyond belief?"

An angel whispered a severe scolding:
"Life is a gift - accept it gratefully!"
What could an angel know of mortal things?
Without love, life would mean nothing to me!

I could not accept this new gift of life,
And gently, I laid it back at His feet;
Without further discourse He turned away,
There were so many more souls yet to greet

I had re-walked the steps of my past life
And recalled the pain of dying alone;
With no remorse, I returned to my grave,
With a sigh, an angel replaced the stone

Someone, so long ago
Listened while I sang my lonely song;
He understood each sad refrain
And chose to sing along

And when he sang I knew
Our two souls were destined to combine;
With three words he conquered my heart,
And lit the flame divine

Had the sun ever shone
As brightly before he came to me?
Life seemed worthless, without meaning --
A pointless destiny

Suddenly, life made sense,
I was a prisoner he set free;
The rain felt good, birdsong was sweet,
I touched infinity!

A beautiful bouquet
He offered me when he came to call;
But the flowers were not mine to keep --
Soon Fate reclaimed them all

But Love's fire is undying,
Though an ember, it still casts a glow,
Reminding me how much I loved
Someone ....... so long ago

At my mother's knee I learned right from wrong,
I learned life sent trials just to make us strong

In some endeavors I learned I may fail,
But I must keep trying, though rough storms assail;

I learned that at times clouds will hide the sun,
When despair surges, it must be outrun;

I learned that kind words when softly spoken
To distraught hearts were a healing token;

I learned sad folks smile when you caress them,
And when all else fails, ask God to bless them;

I learned to forge on, though weary and tired,
For life's a game where much skill is required;

Walking rocky paths I learned I might fall,
But I must go on, though I'm forced to crawl;
I learned how to fend when push comes to shove,
But having to learn to live without love ..........
Now that was the hardest lesson of all!

A little lady cardinal
One morning perched upon my deck,
Spying the seeds I had placed there,
Hungrily, she began to peck

Soon she was joined by her lover,
With his "tweetheart" he came to dine;
What a lovely couple they made,
Standing there underneath the pine

I stood in awe of their courtship,
Then came a moment of mystique --
Lovingly, he took a peanut
And gently placed it in her beak

His wing lifted to caress her,
So much in love they seemed to be;
Tears started to well in my eyes,
Seeing love's pure simplicity

Suddenly, there appeared a hawk,
A dark shadow touring the sky,
All chirping hushed, fear filled the air,
And then sounded the warning cry

All the birds in the area
Sought trees, left and right they did veer,
But little lady cardinal
Just sat there, paralyzed with fear

Death was gliding on wings outspread,
Lady cardinal in his sight;
Then down he swooped to claim his prize,
Suddenly her lover took flight

Up he flew into death's cold grasp,
Downward fluttered a tattered wing;
Satisfied with his handsome catch,
The hawk soared away, revelling

The red bird gave his life for love,
But his bravery was not in vain,
Each dawn finds his lady grieving,
Singing for him her sad refrain

Pretend loving words are seeds in your hand ---
Toss them to the wind and let them fly!
The receptive heart whereupon they land
Will bid them take root and multiply

Like restless birds, words of love seek their nests
Where they will be sheltered and sustained,
And the lonely heart will welcome such guests,
Giving thanks for what Fate has ordained

Loving words will shine with a radiant glow
Through the darkest nights of loneliness;
And when Love's sweet nectar begins to flow,
Such delight angels could only guess!

Like burning incense your words will ascend,
Rising to the altar of the heart;
What shattered dreams and broken lives they'll mend,
What soothing balm they're sure to impart

For loving words have been known to restore
Calmness to life's tempestuous sea;
They can dispel loneliness from our door
And nullify misery's decree

Loving words, what delights they possess ---
Like the fruits of Eden long ago!
And so to sweeten life's cruel bitterness,
No grander gift could you bestow

In my heart I held one "I Love You",
O, how it longed to be heard!
Three words that I guarded so closely
Soon grew restless, like a captive bird

Three words, anxious to unlock the door
Of my heart so they could flee
To find refuge in another heart,
And form one love for eternity

But these words cannot be flung in jest --
Too rare and precious are they,
Too easily could they be seduced
And then used in some deceitful way

One night, my heart behaved carelessly,
Leaving the door's latch undone,
Acting on a whim, "I Love You" left,
And to a profane heart it did run

He said "Trust me, I'll cherish these words,
I swear by Heaven above you,"
Convinced by his passion, I succumbed,
But he defiled my last "I Love You"

Three words, wrapped in a scarlet mantle,
Would never be repeated;
On a blazing pyre they found their peace,
Their purpose so cruelly defeated

I stood in awe of the sunset
Watching its rare beauty unfold,
Ray by ray, heavenly hues changed
From orange, to crimson, to gold

I saw silhouettes of leafless trees
Raising their bare arms to the sky,
As if to praise some entity ---
Or perhaps preparing to die

For all living things must succumb
Sooner or later ....... it's destiny;
Suddenly I saw the reason
We surrender so willingly

Now it was starting to make sense --
The crucial role Misery plays;
Might it be an act of mercy
That pain and sorrow fills our days?

Flora and fauna share the same fate
As does every being on Earth;
Predators, drought, sickness and blight
Stalk us from the moment of birth

Would any of us welcome Death
If our domain were Paradise?
How could we forsake happiness
If sad tears never blurred our eyes?

Knowing the anguish of loneliness .....
Constant, unsubdued by time;
Dour pain - mental and physical -
All the while faint bells of hope chime

Hope - that vain and fruitless longing
That augments our pain 'til we break,
Finally leaving us to welcome
That impending trip we'll all take

Weak and tired we concede defeat,
And with our last breath we implore
Death's guidance across Life's threshold,
And down that divine corridor

How we welcome this departure
As from pain and suffering we flee;
But what angst we'd feel leaving Eden .......
So I'm thankful for Misery!

How little I care for rubies and pearls
Or the sparkle of a diamond ring,
But when a man speaks tender words of love,
These are the jewels that make my heart sing!

No matter the obstacles in my path --
Be they copious as stars above me;
All I ask is that at my journey's end
There'll be a man waiting to love me

Now I've heard women say in angry tones
When with their lover they have just tiffed:
"He thinks he's special, God's gift to women!"
Well, I think of each man as a gift

His lips, his arms, every part of a man
Are all treasures that women adore;
What else do we need on a stormy night,
Or when winter's winds howl at the door?

Yes, I see each man as a precious gift.
(Perhaps I'm being foolish) ..... yet still
I know of nothing more divine than love,
And a man's touch -  an undefined thrill

With proper intent, I love every man!
(Forgive me if I seem indiscreet)
But God's wisdom shines in His grand design---
Without each other, we're incomplete

And when lonely nights prove unbearable,
We then see the glory of His plan:
Man will rush toward woman with arms outstretched .......
For woman is also God's gift to man!

The morning's dew moistens my eyes --
No, these are not tears that you see!
(Cleverly we learn to mask our pain
When Love's not what it pretends to be)

A lonely wanderer, I strayed
Into a hopeless reverie;
So completely mesmerized was I
By Love's sweet and haunting melody

Throwing all caution to the wind,
I rushed where Angels fear to tread,
Ready to worship at Love's altar ---
What despair to find Deceit instead!

Yet, my heart cannot forget how
Deceit, in its cunning disguise
Took me in its arms and carried me
Through those golden gates of paradise

Now the moon says this day must end ---
Put aside those sad memories;
Tell me, how do I dispel these thoughts
That invade my heart like refugees?

A cold wind blew across my heart,
Then I heard an angelic choir
Prompting me to cast that tear-stained page
From the Book of Love into the fire

Do not come gently into my dark night!
Intrude boldly on this loneliness
That creeps through my veins like a killing blight,
And no words of comfort can suppress

Blast the prison walls of this tortured mind,
Setting it free from its doleful plight;
Send it soaring toward realms yet unassigned
In its quest to find Love's guiding light

Pound loudly upon my heart's bolted door,
Shout to stir and wake these sleeping dreams;
Let them once again walk Hope's blissful shore,
And wade through Euphoria's glistening streams

All the bridges of caution must be burned,
Unfurl audacity's fearless claws;
Brashness is welcome where Love is concerned,
For Love fulfills the greatest of God's laws!

I searched for Love in my garden,
Parting each flower's petals,
I searched through briars and brambles.
Pricking my fingers on the nettles

I searched for Love in the heavens
Where God and the angels are;
While floating on a cloud, I searched,
Only to bump my head on a star

I searched for Love at the seashore,
Scouring each tide, high and low;
When a wave carried me away
I almost drowned in the undertow

I searched for Love in the desert,
Sifting sand through my fingers,
Burned by the sun, choking from thirst
(The torment of it all still lingers)

I searched for Love among the ruins
Of heartaches I overcame;
I found not a trace ..... all was gone,
Not a single dream was left to claim

If searching for Love brings such pain,
What can be done about it?
Nothing! but continue to search ---
It's more painful living without it

Perhaps you are not aware that many of our recent poems are not being seen by all members. I discovered this a few months ago when I was asked to "log in." I have to log in every week, and I don't know why.  Anyway, I had visited the site of a member who told me he had posted a new poem.  I read the poem, then realized I could not comment because I was not logged in.  After I did that, his latest poems disappeared - nowhere to be found.  Well, the next time I had to log in, before I did that, I checked out various other sites and found the same problem - all latest poems, going back as far as 4 months - were not visible to me after I logged in.  I have notified management at least 3 times of this problem, but received no acknowledgement, and the problem goes on. So many times I get Error 502 and cannot gain access to the site for days.  So if any members have noticed their readership and comments diminishing, this problem may very well be affecting you, too.  Perhaps if we all "storm the citadel" and complain enough, this problem will be resolved.  Good luck to us all!

His tender words flowed so sweetly,
Like honey dripping from the comb;
How quickly the seeds of love take root
When they're scattered upon fertile loam

So precious to me were his words ---
What passion they stirred in my heart!
But Time proved to be their enemy .......
In dismay, I watched them fall apart

How frail and brief their existence ---
Transparent as the ocean's spray;
And much like feathers borne by the wind,
Love's empty words tend to drift away

Empty words of love can't endure
The tornadic winds of the heart;
But for a brief while what joy they bring
As they practice their deceitful art

So let them fly -- set those words free!
Like weary birds with restless wings,
They'll find refuge in my lonely heart ---
Those false lyrics, bound with golden strings

And the next time such words drift by,
Like a child in a candy store
With unbridled greed I'll grasp for them,
Then devour those sweet lies yet once more

Whose arms will tenderly cradle me
When through Death's dubious portal I pass?
Whose heaven becomes eternal hell
When I'm laid to rest beneath the grass?

Whose quivering lips will call my name
As tears of remorse stream down his face?
Who will try to raise my lifeless arms,
Vainly imploring one last embrace?

Whose trembling hands will be joined in prayer
Seeking comfort from Heaven above,
While promising never to forget
His fervent vows of eternal love?

Who shall compose the final tribute ---
A sad farewell to the mortal me . . .
Perhaps a poem on a tear-stained page
That I'll carry through Eternity?

Who will mourn by my grave in Autumn
When the fading flowers give up their seeds?
Will I be draped in roses and ferns . . .
Or lie forgotten 'neath a pall of weeds!

Whose light will diminish the darkness
In my passage to Eternity?
If such love is never to be mine,
. . . then dead I would rather be!

Eight chimes of the clock announced the new day
As I struggled to get up from my bed;
Could this be morning? It's so dark and drear .......
But that's what the clock said

And so I arose, still numb to the truth,
'Til I heard the whisperings of woe and dread
Repeating "He's gone."  Words I can't accept .......
But that's what my heart said

At once, his solemn promise was revived:
"Our hearts, tethered by Love's unyielding thread
Cannot be parted," and so I believed .......
Because that's what he said

Love was the sum of all things beautiful,
Near my heart, woe and sorrow dared not tread;
And I know his love was deep as the sea,
Because that's what he said

No, dear reader, his love was not fickle,
He now sleeps in Heaven's celestial bed,
While I share endless nights with Loneliness .......
Because that's what Fate said!

They say that Love is but one step from Heaven,
And about Love there is not much else to tell;
But in its absence, our steps are misguided.
How true ...... I've already got one foot in Hell

This thing called Death is but a return
To the soil from whence we came,
The soft clay of this Earth, our components,
Formed into shapes, then given a name

The dust we see floating on sunbeams
Is the soul in disarray,
But when arranged in the proper order
Molds us into who we are today

How we cherish these bodies of clay,
Though we don't get to choose them,
Defective or whole, in sickness and health,
When Death calls, how we fear to lose them

Proud as the peacock we wear our flesh --
Fine particles of matter!
But Death carries us all to the same fate:
We rot, and the particles scatter

Our value diminishes to naught
When we realize this truth:
"From dust we came, to dust we shall return."
(Though you may find my ramblings uncouth)

And those who shed tears at our graveside
Cry for their own destiny,
For well they know that they too shall become
A speck of dust in eternity

So many words of love flooding the atmosphere,
Anxiously I wait, yet not one reaches my ear;
Endless tweets and emails go soaring through the skies,
Amorous verses, but none intended for my eyes

Charming refrains, scattering love all around me,
I just don't understand ...... why hasn't love found me?
Am I perhaps a spirit that no one can see?
**** you, Fate, for this unwarranted cruelty!

Empty arms abound, yet none offer to hold me --
What joy is found in an embrace! (so they've told me);
So many love-filled hearts, yet none to call my own,
A world filled with people, yet here I sit, alone

How long has it been since you've heard
Someone declaring their love for you?
Why are we not prone to say the word
That removes clouds tinged with sorrow's hue?

If you love someone, tell them so,
Bring a banquet to them, served with wine,
From their hungry hearts the thanks will flow
As on love's sweetest verses they dine

If you feel love, say it today,
For tomorrow is promised to none;
If you can chase but one cloud away,
Sorrow will be lost, and new hope won

Say it today, empty your heart ---
When those thoughts are suppressed, they might die;
Release the joy loving words impart,
Pull back the bow, let love's arrow fly

Say it today, make someone smile,
Erasing both despair and malice;
Give them reason to find life worthwhile,
Let them drink deeply from love's chalice

Say it today -- throw a lifeline
To a heart drowning in misery,
Say those loving words that ring divine,
And send them ......... Special Delivery!

I often wonder, when Death seals my eyes,
Who will read my poems, who will analyze
Every word and thought that dripped from my pen
As angels wept and softly sighed Amen

Many eyes will see just meaningless words
That flounder in their minds like wounded birds;
But dare I hope for but one astute heart
Able to translate my crude form of art!

While reading my words, he'll breathe a deep sigh,
Sensing each torment as it marches by:
Loneliness, with many a sleepless night,
Tears that clouded the moon's radiant light,
Prayers intended to shake Heaven's rafters
But never yielding "happy ever afters,"
Carefully planned dreams, all destined to fail
Like ill-fated plots in a fairy tale

Will these rhyming words so carefully wrought
Clearly illustrate the love that I  sought?
Then down his sorrowful face tears will flow,
Having realized the depths of my woe

And if his tears were to dampen the soil
Where I lie in rest, set free from life's toil,
Will I know he took pity on my plight,
Thus granting peace in my eternal night?

Once again I'm sailing alone at dusk,
No companion to help rig the mast;
So much pain accrued in my solitude,
The lonely hour approaches fast

Gathering clouds conceal the moon's bright glow,
Now I know all too well what this means,
The dark shadows fall, then I hear the call ......
The Court of Loneliness convenes

I see the stars lighting the firmament,
Yet, where I dwell, all is bleak and dour;
With my heartstrings torn, and my life forlorn,
No beacon lights my lonely hour

Was ever a chain of woe forged so strong .....
How did loneliness acquire such power?
The clock chimes, but how strange - time does not change,
Once again it's the lonely hour

I'm lost in a forest of broken dreams,
Searching for Love's enchanted bower;
Then, in the distance, with dark persistence,
A bell tolls the lonely hour

Is there no escape, no place I can hide!
Why do bells toll from every tower?
How can I forget what comes at sunset ......
The torment of the lonely hour!

Love has a way of lifting me up
To the summit of joy's highest hill,
Where I crowd the sky with heart-shaped clouds,
Using my fingertip as a quill;
Then mercilessly, Love dashes me
Headlong into heartache's stony rill

Love has a way of seducing me,
Even though I know I should beware --
So shrewdly it practices its art
Till I'm hopelessly caught in its snare;
Then what sadness overtakes the hour
When Love's broken vows defile the air

Love has a way of playing cruel games,
Leading my heart through an endless maze
Of sorrow, joy, then bewilderment --
At times, how it deceives and betrays!
Yet, Love remains master of my heart --
Through smiles and tears I will sing its praise

When stars fill the nighttime sky,
In a lonely realm I abide;
I think of the man and his loving ways,
But only his ghost slumbers at my side

In the early morning hours
I wonder why I lay alone;
I think of the man who should be with me.....
Fate is callous and has a heart of stone

In the bright sunlight of noon,
Feelings of hopelessness are stirred;
I think of the man - how I need his love,
And though I beg, all my prayers go unheard

In the solemn evening hours,
I beg of God to tell me why
I think of the man, but I can't hold him,
And in my silent loneliness, I cry

Standing at Love's window, I wonder
Why I've never been invited in;
I ponder the possibilities .....
Soon glorious fantasies begin

Is it true that roses smell sweeter
When Love gently caresses their stem?
I've heard that birds sing most splendidly
When Love is the purpose guiding them

And they say Love can revive a heart
That has withered like a dying flower;
O, the stories I've heard about Love ......
Its gentleness and its furious power

Even a heart that's grown weak and tired,
Fraught with ashes where once there was fire,
Even for that heart there's still a chance
To rekindle Love's blazing desire

But the years pass, and I've yet to know
If the things they say of Love are true:
That first union within Eden's gates!
The ecstasy angels never knew!

Yes, Love has quite the reputation
For bringing joy where sorrow has been;
But I wouldn't know - that's what I've heard,
I'm on the outside ...... looking in

At the end of the well-trodden path
That I walk each lonely night,
A figure of ghostly pallor
Appeared in the moonlight

Sitting on the bench with lowered head,
His silver hair, streaked with gold
Fell forward, as hapless tears dropped --
A sad sight to behold

Dare I ask him why he sits alone
On a night so bleak and cold?
Dare I transgress his solitude
With inquiry so bold?

Somehow I found the courage to ask,
And he responded with scorn:
"If I were to die here tonight,
There'd be no one to mourn"

Seized with pity, I reached for his hands,
Gentler hands I've never known;
So warm and tender was his grasp,
Why was this man alone?

The air filled with panic as he spoke,
Like the cries of hunted birds;
Feeling defeated and hopeless,
Desolate were his words

He said it had been quite a long time
Since a woman held him tight;
I then drew him closer to me,
And held him through the night

First our breaths mingled, then our lips met,
My heart started beating fast,
His kiss tasted like vintage wine,
Thrilling me to the last

Silently we wallowed in our bliss,
How lucent the moon had grown;
Fate laid its hands upon our hearts --
The seeds of love were sown!

Hand in hand we left that lonely path,
Rewriting our destiny;
I knew I'd found a discarded jewel,
And took him home with me

I see you had nothing better to do
And decided to come for the tour,
Then please, do come in, and you will see
Just how much pain one heart can endure

Before we begin, I just want to say
For our tears, we must never feel shame;
Rather, let envy flare up toward those
Whose hearts were never burned by Love's flame!

Throughout the years, I've had to add more rooms
As my collection of sad tears grew;
This dark room holds Tears of Loneliness ---
They have stained the walls a somber hue

As you can see, the labels are varied:
Tears When He Left, Tears of Missing Him,
Tears From Nights I Prayed He Would Return,
Tears When I Remember  Kissing Him

And here in this back room are all the tears
That were cried with intense, searing pain
When I found the courage to admit
He would not be coming back again

In this little room are assorted tears ---
Tears of Forgiveness, Tears of Regret;
Strange!  Among my tears I've yet to find
One that ever helped me to forget

And in this room are the Tears of Pity
Friends have donated over the years;
Sometimes I come here, seeking comfort,
But friends have moved on - now no one hears

I seem to have misplaced my Tears of Joy,
A box so small, I tend to lose it;
But I don't care, it just collects dust,
Seldom, if ever, do I use it

And with this concludes our tour for today.
When you've nothing to do, please feel free
To come again, perhaps with a friend ........
New tears are added regularly

I run to my mailbox with hopeful heart,
No message today - (that dream fell apart);
I stay near the phone,  just in case it rings,
(Loneliness can cause us to do strange things)

Sometimes I awake at the break of day
Imagining passion's rapturous display,
A thrilling embrace, then a kiss divine,
(Nothing more than a mad fancy of mine)

But I've mastered ways to get through the day,
It's when the sun sets, my thoughts tend to stray;
With soft music playing on the stereo,
I fill my wine glass, then turn the lights low

Despair is at its worst when shadows fall,
And Loneliness makes my heart its port of call;
A restlessness has me pacing the room
As doleful thoughts take hold, worsening the gloom

While the usual anguish makes its rounds,
The night offers its mystery of sounds:
I'm sure I heard someone outside my door,
(No, 'twas just the wind howling, nothing more)

Wait! What's that tapping at my window pane?
O, it's Loneliness, pacing in the rain!
Come on in, old friend, come sit by my bed,
I'll get more wine - we've a long night ahead

I'm not surprised, I knew you'd come to call,
Unlike Love, you're in this for the long haul;
Morning already?  The sun seems so pale;
Well, I've things to do -- first I'll check my mail .........

Talk to me about your worries and fears,
What makes you anxious, and what provokes tears;
Who wrapped you in this shroud of misery?
It just might help if you'd share it with me

Tell me what caused you to wade sorrow's streams,
What troubles your day, and disrupts your dreams;
When your darkest thoughts come to cloud your view,
Say what's on your mind, I'll listen to you

I'll always be close by, just so you know,
When the sun's high, or when it's hanging low,
Always trying to change your gray sky to blue,
My attention is yours, I'll listen to you

And so we shall remain dearest of friends,
Staying the course, no matter how the road bends;
And when Fate looks upon us disdainfully,
I'll listen to you .... and trust you'll listen to me

What would my reaction be
If love appeared unexpectedly?
Would I be swept off my feet?
Would my glad heart skip a beat?
Or would I cower, then retreat?

Would my feet suddenly grow wings?
Might I utter foolish things,
And babble incessantly
Like a child with eager glee?
Might I become weak or giddy,
Provoking contempt or pity?

Would I think it's just a dream
Where fantasies reign supreme?
Would I find it quite sublime?
Or simply say "Well, it's about time!"
After waiting for love to appear,
Day after day, year after year

Would my face betray some doubt?
(Long ago, hope's flame burned out!)
Yet, passion still burns in my finger tips,
And desire, so fresh upon my lips

What would my reaction be
If love appeared unexpectedly?
I guess I'll just have to wait and see

It's a bit late now to search for flowers,
The summer is in retreat;
Soon the cold north winds will blow,
Carpeting the ground with snow,
As slurred prints betray my dragging feet

It's a bit too late now for dreaming,
I don't feel up to the task;
All my dreams have gone unsung,
Bitterness befouls my tongue,
At last, I see Life without its mask

It's a bit too late now to seek love,
I wouldn't know what to do;
Would I even recognize
That crown-jewel of Paradise?
How would I respond to "I love you?"

It's a bit late now to try and change
All the wrong this world contains;
I'll pass that torch to the young,
Now that my Swan Song's been sung,
And the life slowly creeps from my veins

It's a bit too late now for most things,
I've relinquished all to Fate;
Yet, I swear by all the stars above
I want to believe I may yet love!
But I won't ....... it's just a bit too late

This life's good enough for me,
My heart's happy and carefree;
A pleasant smile cast my way
Is enough to make my day

Or to see a daffodil
Swaying on some verdant hill
To beguiling melodies
Composed by the gypsy breeze,
That's enough to make me smile
And delight me for a while

Should a stranger tip his hat
And pause for a friendly chat,
I shall be grateful for that

Or if some tall shady tree
Spreads its arms to shelter me
From the sun's intensity,
Could a frown wrinkle my brow?
Surely not - at least not now!

Warbling birds and buzzing bees --
Two of Nature's symphonies,
How could this music not please?
And with Love close by my side,
I shall be quite satisfied

But should no one smile at me,
Nor one flower do I see,
And the stranger walks away
Without bidding me "Good day,"
If the birds forgot their song,
I'd forgive the silent throng,
If all Nature's wonders cease,
My gladness would not decrease,
For Love is life's true masterpiece!

So long as Love holds my hand,
I shall find life to be grand;
Though the gales blow wild and rough,
I'll know I've been blessed enough

When the sun waves farewell, I'll keep my rendezvous
With my love, in a sanctum well-hidden from view;
To the Tower of Happiness together we'll climb,
It won't be long now, it's just a matter of time

And I toss and I turn with such anxious despair,
Then sleep overtakes, and I find him waiting there,
Taking me in his arms, our love unfolds once more,
One kiss is all it takes to unlock Heaven's door

The longing in his eyes stirs the depths of my soul,
And so to love's edicts I relinquish control,
For all is possible when love's born of a dream --
The lovers dictate the rules and fashion the scheme

And love governs the night, with not a word spoken,
Till the sun claps its hands, and the spell is broken;
As I watch the darkness quickly slipping away,
I implore the moon's aid, and beg the night to stay

But their task has ended --- there are laws to obey,
And how I tremble seeing the first light of day;
Alone once more, awakened from my fantasy
I pray: Take the night, but don't take my dreams from me!

But I know that tonight when the stars fill the sky,
We'll be together once again, my love and I;
For all dreamers have an hour when they quietly stray
To their own magic realm, and love the night away

Two hearts bond to form a single love,
Two joined spirits cannot be undone,
Two souls mingle, forever entwined,
Two bodies unite, becoming one

Love is the strangest of all studies
That ever existed 'neath the sun,
For only in equations concerning love
Does one plus one equal one!

I once pitied a man who had lost his love,
With compassion I reached out to befriend him,
His shattered heart was in need of repair,
So I offered kind words to help mend him

I once pitied a woman who walked alone
With just her shadow keeping her company;
Overwhelmed by grief, she bemoaned her fate,
But there was no one to hear her but me

And I once pitied lonely men and women
Who never met, sharing neither love nor dreams;
Drinking deeply from the well of regret,
Separately they waded sorrow's streams

But what irony my story discloses ---
The most dreaded of all my harrowing fears!
Now when darkness falls, I can't help but cry
Tears of self-pity 'til daylight appears

These days I find myself alone, abandoned --
A sad circumstance I've yet to understand;
Was I not deserving of his pity?
He walked away with my heart in his hand

In a secret chamber of my heart
Where my thoughts seldom dare to intrude,
I unveiled pieces of yesterday
Amidst the imposing solitude

Sorting through the broken shards of  love,
My teardrops disturbed the dust of Time;
His loving lies and deceitful words
Still moved me with their seductive rhyme!

Each fragment was moistened by my tears
As broken strains of our symphony
Carelessly strewed their bittersweet notes,
Summoning the past so tenderly

What sad but sweet memories were aroused
As my thoughts hearkened back to the day
Two hearts, in the winter of their lives,
Went searching for the last buds of May

What rare flowers might have bloomed for us!
Our story ended so incomplete;
Like thirsty bees that return to the bloom,
How those love-filled days begged a repeat

O, why did I rouse those sleeping ghosts .......
What master do lonely hearts obey?
Better these tears flood my tortured heart,
Drowning those pieces of yesterday!

If I were that forceful gust of wind
That lifts feathers on the robin's breast,
High above the clouds I'd carry you,
To where Heaven flaunts its sacred crest ---
Far beyond Earth's perils and torments,
Where no angels glimpse a mortal guest

O, to be a swelling ocean wave!
I would sweep the shore, drinking you in,
Dragging you down to my very core,
Showing you places you've never been;
Sheltered we would be from peering eyes,
Lest they judge our love, calling it sin

But I'm just a woman who loves you,
No mystical powers do I command;
I can unburden your heart from pain,
Offering all the love that you demand;
And when the night exhales its cold breath,
There will be the warm clasp of my hand

Yes, I'm just a woman who loves you,
I can't transcend my humanity;
But I can illume your darkest hours,
Bringing you peace and serenity;
And if Divine mercy shall permit,
I'll walk with you through eternity

His footprints next to mine in the snow,
The wildflowers he picked for my hair;
The kiss we shared 'neath the moon's pale glow ....
That kiss that left me gasping for air

Those evening strolls down paths thick with fog,
The first time he whispered "I love you,"
A night bird perched on a fallen log,
The lone witness to our rendezvous

Nights when Heaven's gilded gates would part
To reveal a glimpse of Paradise;
His heart pressed firmly against my heart,
Seeing my reflection in his eyes

So confusing are these memories
That consume my every waking hour,
With such precision they taunt and tease,
As if commandeered by some dark power

Is it just my mind playing a cruel game --
Does loneliness prompt this strange duet?
Recalling a lover with no name ....
Haunted by a man I never met

No longer will sadness set the tone,
Despair won't define my waking hours;
Never will the sun hear me bemoan
Lonely tears that cascade like Spring showers

To solitude's woes I'll not be bound
As long as the sun saunters the sky;
Like vile weeds I'll pluck them from the ground,
Laughing as their flowerheads droop and die

Love's silent voice will be disavowed
Since it will not speak the words I crave;
In defeat my head will not be bowed,
To Love I'll not be a faithful slave

I'll mimic the music box dancer,
Twirling 'round and 'round in silent glee,
While secretly begging the answer
To why Love withholds its melody

All throughout the day I'll wear a smile,
Every tortured longing will take wing;
I'll defy Fate's decree all the while,
But when night falls ..... well,  that's another thing!

The pillow I sleep upon each night
Seems to be in a state of distress,
All because the pillow next to mine
Yearns for the head it used to caress

Each dawn my pillow is wet with tears,
A mystery I'm loath to explain;
Imagine, a pillow shedding tears.......
Clearly, from the realm of the arcane!

But I've heard whispers deep in the night,
When the pillows believe I'm asleep;
Softly I hear them call out his name,
And after a while they start to weep

Then morning comes with a tarnished joy,
Rising with the sun are pangs of woe;
This dampness on my cheek just confirms
My fears that the pillows miss him so

How am I to comfort their sorrows,
When my own despair I cannot numb?
Yet, the pillows must be told the truth --
But when I speak, all the wrong words come

I tell the pillows there'll come a time
Their feathers will caress someone new;
Although my heart scoffs at such a lie,
I must tell it ....... or I might cry too

Seeking to escape harsh reality,
I pretended to be a vine,
Climbing and clinging to a strong oak,
My eager tendrils did entwine;
With gladdened heart each morn I awoke,
Free of cares and woes, and life was fine

'Round and 'round I twisted, embracing him --
To reach Heaven's light was my goal;
Steadfast and oh, so strong was my oak,
He calmed the unrest in my soul;
Proudly I became his leafy cloak,
But overconfidence took its toll

My sheltering oak had grown tired of me,
He released me and down I fell;
It was then I yearned to be a rose
Of great beauty and fragrant smell;
Why this vain choice?  Only Heaven knows!
What folly, but how was I to tell?

Along came the bees, then the butterflies,
And soon they drank my nectar dry,
Slowly I withered, then my head drooped,
The ingrates left me there to die;
O, to what wickedness they had stooped!
With lowered head, a worm I did spy

Calmly he laid upon the Earth's *****,
Then burrowed deep into the ground,
It opened its arms and welcomed him,
And therein he dwelt, safe and sound;
Being covered by soil seemed so grim,
Yet worth the contentment he had found

"That's it!" I cried, "I want to be a worm,
Hiding deep in my earthen lair,
Where soon I'll forget life's cruelty
And the torments that drove me there!"
And no one will come to look for me,
They might know I'm gone . .  but they won't care