Love is the Beauty that overtakes
Our every sense of being alive,
The dew of Heaven that nourishes
Each new dream, enabling it to thrive

Love is the Beauty our eyes emit
As it rekindles the lambent flame
Cruelly extinguished when loneliness
Comes to inhabit our weakened frame

Love is the Beauty of eventide
When every star in the universe
Floods the sky with gold and silver orbs,
And the moon prompts poets in their verse

Love is the Beauty that ambles through
The desolate chambers of the mind,
Removing all the hopeless despair
That loneliness often leaves behind

Loneliness is the uncaring Beast
That laughs while our broken spirit mourns,
It suffocates our passions and dreams,
Laying on the heart a crown of thorns

The Beast of Loneliness is famine,
Whereas Love is an infinite feast;
To appreciate the joy Love brings,
They both must exist ..... Beauty and Beast

At daybreak I awoke alone
With a sadness I could not quell,
Without a love to call my own,
And now, morning's waving farewell

No one pitied the tears that flowed,
Not one word cheered my dreary day;
Alone I walked this lonely road,
Watching the noon hours fade away

No one held me close to his heart,
No one looked at me lovingly;
No chance this pain will soon depart
Now that evening has been set free

To my lips no kiss found its way,
Alone I watched the setting sun;
No one said he loved me today,
And now ..... the day is done

Drifting like a feather in the wind,
Being carried here and there,  
In love's windstorm, around I'm spun,
Just a prisoner of the air  

Floating and tumbling in turbulence,  
Once more  being turned around,    
At any time expecting love      
To cruelly dash me to the ground  

Dancing like a feather in the wind  
With no solid ground to tread;  
While floating over restless waves,  
It's the cross current that I dread  

A feather.... just floating.... in the wind,  
How I fear the hurricane! 
The raging  winds of love's deceit  
That would see my hopes and dreams slain

Twisting and turning, out of control,  
Surrender the sole recourse;    
Let the winds of love have their way,  
Blustering with their awesome force!  

Just a feather carried by the wind,  
Sanity becomes a blur;
I rise, then I fall helplessly
While begging the wind not to stir!

From the cold marble tower of loneliness
I gaze at the moon, my loyal sentry;
Then dreams of love tap at the window pane,
And too willingly I grant them entry

Why does the moon frown in disappointment
And let passing clouds take him from my sight?
Does he not know my pain of solitude
Is far too great to bear alone this night?

As bells labor to announce the twelfth hour,
Loneliness comes scattering its ****** seed,
Yet, the blessed harvest of fantasies
That follow, bring comfort, sating my need

A touch, a kiss, his heart pressed against mine,
Once more, loving arms become my prison;
My darkened realm glows with the light of love
Until the morning's first rays have risen

But how could the moon ever understand
The pain and longings of the human heart?
If he could but dwell in this anguished frame,
Would he, too, not dream, holding dear this art?

So I lay here each night with heart forlorn
Trying to explain to the moon my plight,
Waiting for fantasies to take my hand
As together we fly into the night

Come back, old Moon, and keep me company,
Be my light as the shadows come and go,
Watch me weave this sadness into a dream
While the rivers of sweet illusions flow!

If you awaken before me
And I'm crying in my sleep,
Kiss me gently and stroke my hair,
Give me reason not to weep

If you awaken before me
And I'm smiling happily,
It means I'm dreaming of your love,
Make my dreams reality

If you awaken before me
And I'm shivering with cold,
Let your body become my quilt,
Let your sensual warmth unfold

If you awaken before me,
Gently, darling, pull me close,
Tell me just how much you love me -
In poetry, then in prose

If you awaken before me
Please, never leave me alone,
I panic when I don't see you,
And your whereabouts unknown

If you awaken before me
And you need to hear me say:
"I love you more than life itself....."
Awaken me ..... you know the way!

My mind's like a seafaring vessel,
Ready to sink with an overload
Of volatile rhymes that scuffle and wrestle
And at any moment may explode

Heaven knows I've tried to stem the tide,
But every thought turns to poetry;
I fear, while interred on some peaceful hillside,
I'll be rhyming through eternity!

My body is frail . . . I'm growing old,
Each step is accompanied by groans;
My hands and feet are constantly cold . . .
But my heart aches much more than my bones

I squint when I witness dawn's first light
When all of nature in gold is trimmed;
My eyes are no longer clear and bright,
But the flame of love has never dimmed

Time has taken its toll on this frame,
The roseate glow has left my face;
All those youthful passions have grown tame,
Yet, I'd still welcome a warm embrace

More important now are simpler things --
Like companionship and loving smiles,
All the joy that togetherness brings,
Someone with whom I can share life's trials

It's a bit late to make long-term plans,
So I'll settle for a hand to hold,
And a lonely man who understands
The blessings of love as we grow old

My days are tormented by longing,
So many dreams life did not fulfill,
Longing for the love that never came,
(Yet the gallant heart is hopeful still)

I'm longing to foresee the future -
Just how long will my loneliness last?
Old memories offer no comfort,
So I'm longing to forget the past

I'm longing to know if God exists,
In my mind it still remains unclear;
Who shall I praise for nature's beauty,
Witnessing its wrath, whom shall I fear?

Few praise God in all circumstances,
The faithful pay homage without doubt;
But I'm perplexed by the suffering
Born of disease, war, famine and drought

I'm torn between loving and hating
A God who cannot seem to decide
If wrath or mercy is deserving ....
So both arrive, with hope on the side

I'm weary of this life of longing,
I seek my refuge in solitude;
Abandoning unanswered questions,
I ascend to spheres of quietude

But end of day finds my heart longing
That just one of life's schemes be revealed:
Fearing the reply, still it inquires:
Will love be mine? Or has my fate been sealed!

My tears greet each unwelcome day,
Blurring the sun's first golden ray.
While dead dreams submit to decay,
Hopelessness binds my heart like a glove.
And you bear the blame, capricious Love!

At times you draw near just to tease,
Torturing me by slow degrees,
Leaving my poor heart ill at ease,
Till tears are all I'm capable of.
What anguish you cause me, shameless Love!

You take delight, or so it seems,
Shattering my most precious dreams,
Leaving me to wade sorrow's streams.
Never will you soar with the pure dove ---
Tarnished are your wings, deceitful Love!

Fickle Love,  God's laws you defile
With your demons of falsehood and guile;
Send those cursed flaws into exile!
Grant all lovers what their hearts dream of:
Your cherished counterpart . . . sincere Love

When loneliness whispers too loud,
And despair wraps me in its shroud,
With folded hands and my head bowed
It is then I plead with Heav'n above:
Teach me the words that summon true Love!

Yet, when Love's disguised as a lie,
Who'll dare to renounce it?  Not I!
I'll press on with hope and a sigh,
Giving doubt and common sense a shove.
For Love in all its facets is still Love!

Loneliness is a shadowy hand
That reaches deep into the night,
Clutching our hearts, awakening our pain,
Reminding us of our wretched plight
(Without feeling the least bit contrite)

What a cruel master is Loneliness,
Each night it connives with the moon,
Urging her to mock and deride our pain,
While we cry, and our hearts lie in ruin
(To our pain and woe they're both immune)

Born of an evil, uncaring source
Loneliness has but one intent:
To deliver its pain and agony
To our hearts, causing endless torment
(Turning a deaf ear to our lament)

Loneliness can change a smiling face
To one filled with panic and fear;
Tearful eyes that once reflected Love
Tell Loneliness what it longs to hear:
(We have lost the one we held most dear)

But Loneliness has one fearless foe
That always ensures its defeat:
Love appears, rendering its deadly blow,
Knocking Loneliness right off its feet
(What other battle could be as sweet?)

Alas! Loneliness will not be deterred,
It knows the ways of Love are fleeting,
How patiently it waits in the shadows  
To pounce when it sees Love retreating!
(And the dead heart goes right on beating)

How meaningless life appears to be  
When Love withdraws its comforting ray;  
Harmony turns into entropy . . .
Chaotic impulses have their way

Though the sun rose to announce the day,
It matters not that it rose at all!
Darkness prevails when Love goes astray,
The shore weeps, though the tides rise and fall

Should a deluge submerge hill and dale,
Then oceans be scorched by the sun's breath,
Without Love, such calamities pale
When compared to solitude's slow death

Nowhere else in the vast universe
Can the harmony of Love be found;
So at every chance let us rehearse
Love's sweet symphony - Let it resound!

For Love is all that really matters --
And there is no doubt that life is grand
When that wall of loneliness shatters,
And Love walks beside us, hand in hand

Such loneliness permeates my days,
No one seems to notice I exist;
I'm as transparent as the sun's first rays
Intermingling with the morning mist

I'm as obscure as a grain of sand
Clinging to the ocean's lonely shore;
Should a wild wind fling me to some strange land,
Who would notice that I'm here no more?

Has my frame decayed and turned to dust
And my restless spirit unaware
That I'm just a ghost tumbling in a gust
Of the pitiful wind of despair?

Too long I've haunted this lonely sphere
Where it seems no one's aware of me;
Let there be a soft whispering in my ear:
"Claim your peace, dear soul, you've been set free"

And how eager I'd be to depart
From this cruel world I've come to deplore!
Yet, if love would lay its hands on my heart . . .
I'd consider staying a few years more

Candlelight illumes my dreary room
Causing shadows to contort and sway;
In my heart there stirs a deep unrest
As the past flaunts its seductive play

Merciful Absinthe! It's known to calm
Tortured hearts by helping them forget;
How the swirling liquids mesmerize . . .
Tears and Absinthe make a strange duet

But my reveries will not be scorned --
I must yield to their silent demand.
And as the Green Fairy warms my throat,
Memories unravel, strand by strand

I recall the little tiffs we had,
Sometimes ending in a full-blown row,
But with each sip that moistens my lips,
I swear, they seem so trivial now

As I drain the glass, warm thoughts of you
Fill my head, causing me to give pause:
Why in Heaven's name did we part ways?
Right now I can't justify the cause

And I miss the good times that we shared,
Not just romance, but the laughter, too;
I thought Absinthe would help me forget,
But tonight . . . tonight I'm missing you

What cruel force keeps lovers apart --
Why must each tread a separate path?
Preordained they should never meet . . .
What arbiter inflicts such wrath?  

Two lives hurled into misery,
Two hearts nailed to the same cross;
Never to savor  love's banquet,
They're condemned to feed off life's dross

Spring faintly smiled on these two hearts
As dreams absorbed their youthful hours;
Although  nurtured like tender plants
They yielded naught but withered flowers

Each new day held a ray of Hope,
Dispelling  impatience and doubt;
They kept watch as the flame burned bright . . .
Till finally, their tears put it out

Two hearts dying slow painful deaths,
Each cloaked in its own crimson shroud;
One heart dies, crying silently,
The other sobs its pain aloud

Two lonely hearts ever dreaming
They might stroll Love's Garden one day;
Now resigned, they no longer dream --
Sadly, on Death's threshold they lay

So come forth and ring the death knell --
Come lay your bouquets at their feet;
Mourn if you will such tragedies
While asking  "Why didn't they meet?"

"Forever"  is such a foolish word,
To its promise we're held like a slave,
Too often love is vowed forever
And then hurtled toward an early grave

Without shame, "forever" deceives us,
For what it vows, it can't deliver,
Like a stream that can't float a dried leaf,
Yet, it boasts like a mighty river

Yes, "forever" is a finite word
Eternity must find amusing,
Just a carelessly shared expression
We mortals delight in abusing

"Forever"  derides reality
Even when spoken with good intent;
But only fools believe "forever,"
And soon discover its value spent

Yet, we need "forever" in our lives,
This word, uttered with bold endeavor,
This beacon that lights our darkest hours,
Can we just cast it aside?  Never!

When doubt and fear attack my heart
My world adopts a somber hue,
As the battle rages, I panic,
But then I find my peace in you

When I can no longer believe
That God's mercy will see me through,
You come to me, rewriting my faith,
And I find salvation in you

While the unending jolts of life
Keep me mindful of pain and rue,
I know wherein lies my remedy:
I find healing comfort in you

At times my sun sets too early
And the darkness obstructs my view;
My feet may wander dubious paths,
But I find forgiveness in you

O, keeper of my troubled heart,
With each day my hope you renew,
Please, never unclasp your hand from mine,
For I find my guidance in you

Though my words be inadequate
My dear one, know this to be true:
Whenever I'm lost in life's travails
I always find myself in you

Loneliness, I need not speak a word
Yet you're aware of my wretched pain;
All through the night, your vigil you keep,
Hearing my heart call to Love, in vain;
Sensing my distress, you warn the dawn
To tap gently at my window pane

You know me so well -- my heart's a book
You've read many times, with empathy;
Steadfastly you watch, come rain or shine,
You stand at your post most faithfully;
I feel your presence in the darkness
When tears blind my eyes mercilessly

In a moment of false bravado,
I foolishly pushed you from my side
When I believed Love had come to stay --
A silly notion I now deride;
Somehow you knew not to stray too  far,
And when you returned, how we both cried!

Come, Loneliness, let's call it a night,
I'll discard these dreams, then we'll go home;
Once again we'll amble, side by side,
I have you ..... there's no reason to roam;
Tonight I'll raise my glass in a toast:
To you, friend, I dedicate this poem!

This path, overgrown with briar and brambles,
Thorns and nettles strewn in disarray;
A loathsome path of broken dreams, and yet,
Willingly I walk it each day

This path that hurts not the feet, but the heart,
Where roiling streams overflow their banks,
And burning cinders comingle with ice --
An affirmation of Life's cruel pranks!

What is it that prompts my unwavering steps?
The love that greets me at journey's end!
The ghost of a love lost so long ago
Leaps boundaries only love can transcend

What pain I endure to savor love's bliss!
On this path, blazed by temerity,
I fly past the graveyard of ill-fated  dreams
To a love that defies mortality

How weary I've grown trying to understand
Why such perfect love incurred God's wrath;
And now all that's left are the memories
That await me at the end of this path

It's been a while since Love came to call,
O, to hear its footsteps just once more!
So I've asked the moon to shine brighter
On the pathway leading to my door

But the moon told me Love needs no light --
Down the darkest paths it finds its way,
For Love itself is the light that guides
Wandering feet that at times tend to stray

O, sagacious moon, you've earned your crown!
Guardian of the melancholy hour;
Can you tell me why Love hesitates
To unchain me from this lonely tower?  

Has my heart been deemed an unfit host?
Absurd! Warmth and tenderness abound!
Chambers exude tolerance and peace . . .
Where might a more perfect nest be found?

An old weeping willow keeps its watch,
Straining to hear Love's knock at my door;
And it weeps with me throughout the day --
But when night falls, I cry so much more

No birds violate the evening's calm --
They've no reason to burst forth in song;
Filled with pity, they hear my laments,
Chiding Love for tarrying too long

I draw comfort now from memories,
Memories that time cannot erase;
But Hope's candle flaunts a radiant flame,
Just in case Love's listening  . . .  just in case

I remember when his love died,
With care, I buried each memory,
How could I know echoes would escape,
Bringing to my heart their treachery

With cloud drifts, his words come floating,
On the wind, close to my ears they glide,
When the evening spreads its purple cloak
I run underneath, trying to hide

But I find no sanctuary,
Everywhere I go, an echo strays,
Echoes of pledges made by our hearts
Are searching for those happier days

Echoes stir the sleeping fragments
Of a heart shattered by a cruel blow,
Tell me, in what way have I wronged Fate
That it chooses to punish me so!

I'm a prisoner of his echoes,
They keep me chained to his memory,
His words crash and break like crystal waves,
Pounding my heart's shore endlessly

I don't know how such things can be,
All my days now in darkness are clad;
Slowly, but surely, haunting echoes
Of his love are driving me mad!

This loving you does me no good,
Why won't Time help ease my pain?
In the late hours, memories gather 'round,
Smouldering ashes are stirred again

First an ember, and then a spark,
Soon the flames are leaping high,
Our symphony of love begins to play,
(I just can't let this music die)

Do you recall how we would hide
And love each other for hours?
That old shack by the lake would welcome us
With its fragrant jasmine bowers

Strange how the moon always found us,
He'd perch high above some tree,
Unfolding his rays of silver satin
He would cover us tenderly

Did you know how much I loved you?
Were my whispered vows too weak?
My heart and my soul are tormented now
By words I may have failed to speak

Nothing has changed since you left me,
I still love you, this I know,
(How can love that's been starved and abandoned
Still thrive and continue to grow?)

As darkness peers through my window,
I miss you more than I should,
It's taken me much too long to admit
This loving you does me no good

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!

Last night I had the strangest dream:
Love carried me to Heaven's door.
All the joys of Life magnified
As angels beckoned us inside,
Warning this was but a dream -- no more

What delights my senses beheld,
Elysian music filled the air!
Only Love could write such a score
And the heart understand its lore.
But the enchantment did not end there .....

A mystic fragrance made me swoon
As Love chanted its divine hymn;
Who could have guessed a dream could bring
The rapture of eternal Spring,
With each tree boasting a flowered limb!

Smiling angels reassured me
Heaven can be found here on Earth;
The golden key of Love's embrace
Permits entry to God's pure space.
Only there can be found Life's true worth

All's vanished now -- that sacred view,
The angels' smiles, that perfumed air;
Once more my life's burdened with grief,
I look to Heaven for relief ...
But only Love can take me there

Winter has settled in my garden,
Why did I not see the frost arrive?
Ashamed, I begged the flowers' pardon,
But the roses are barely alive

As I lift each flower, the petals fall
Upon the ground that once nurtured them;
Summer's calm became a wintry squall,
A chilling frost has weakened the stem

And now the ground is covered in ice,
The tender buds have withered and died;
For what purpose was their sacrifice?
Such loathsome things leave me mystified!

My heart has not shifted its season,
Steady in its clime it still remains,
Love's broken promise - the heart's treason -
Caused the killing frost and icy rains

Witnessing my joy and grief collide,
Swift-winged angels urged me to depart
This garden where once love had denied
Loneliness admittance to my heart

Why does the refulgent moon still crest
O'er that path where I first touched his face?
Where even Death would be deemed a guest
Were I to expire in Love's embrace

But to that garden I'll not return,
I've locked the gate and destroyed the key;
Time will quell my longings as they churn,
Time will heal this searing agony

Love has turned me bitter, though more wise,
Yet, the wisdom of love comes too late:
Each night, waiting for the moon to rise,
Darkness finds me standing at that gate

How callously this day has come and gone,
Though hoped for, no gifts did it bring to me;
The sun reluctantly announced the dawn,
Not one bird could I find to sing to me

No matter the path, I walked it in vain,
No one offered a kind word nor a smile,
A cheerful spirit was hard to maintain
And became burdensome after a while

Strolling my garden I sought solace there,
While gathering roses, thorns pricked my finger,
Hopelessness and woe hung thick in the air,
With dusk at hand, I chose not to linger

O, the searing pain of being alone,
Doubting, while yet hoping love might find me;
But this day failed me and can not atone
For all these hopeless longings that bind me

I shall not forget nor forgive this day,
Such neglect saddens and tortures my night,
And this chaplet of misery shall lay
Upon my heart like a perilous blight

Contemplating Love's banquet of delights,
I greet each morn with new hope in my heart;
But a thousand days and as many nights
Saw my dreams perish and watched Hope depart

Too long my lonely laments have been sung,
Do I demand too much when I implore
Love's blessing before my death knell is rung?
(This granted, I would ask for nothing more)

"Tomorrow Love will come - be not concerned"
Hope softly sighs.   But my senses are numb.
And yet, as the page from Life's book is turned,
Once again to Hope's deceit I succumb

Love taught me to laugh at Life's ordeals
When I scarce could find a smile;
And the lingering pain that plagued my heart
Had been hurled into swift exile

Love taught me to sing the sweetest notes
When no sound would leave my throat;
And when  I was drowning in despair,
Love taught me how to float

Love taught me I have the right to hope
For things I thought could not be,
And I learned anything's possible
When Love found its way to me

Love taught me to humbly render thanks
To a God I thought long dead;
When Love's holy chrism healed my heart
All my doubts dispersed and fled

Love taught me to have faith and believe
In miracles long overdue,
No matter the hour or circumstance,
Love may grant what we pursue

Then Love delivered a grievous pain
When one day it said good-bye,
Thus rendering a lesson unforeseen . . .
Love taught me how to cry

The night watchman lights his lantern
From his balcony in the sky,
Shining his light on lovers each night,
And when they kiss, you'll hear him sigh

But tonight the moon is worried,
Frantic calls of anguish arise,
And as his light spills on darkened hills,
He starts searching with anxious eyes

The moon scatters beams north and south,
Fearing for the troubled lovers,
Feeling distressed, he looks east and west,
Then weeps for what he discovers

In the dark, a heart-wrenching scene ....
A woman,  alone with her tears,
And while she cries, the moon denies
The sad truth that her heart most fears

Her dearest love has gone missing,
He has not been heard from in weeks,
No word from him, her hope grows dim,
To her heart a fearful voice speaks

O, careless moon, what have you done,
She lost him when you looked away,
Slowly she dies, pain blurs her eyes,
What fate befell him, can you say?

Can you shed no light on her woe?
Please try, send her spirits flying!
He must be found soon, please, dear moon,
Little by little .....  she is dying

Let the wounded bird take wing,
Though dismal may be his fate;
Should he overcome this cruel sting,
His triumph he'll celebrate

Let the willow bend and weep;
Though it appears to be weak,
It would tell you its roots run deep
If it were able to speak

Let the wolf howl to the moon --
He has the right to be heard;
Morning will be here all too soon,
Then enters the singing bird

Let the spider weave her snare,
For this task she was designed;
While her prey, feeling no despair,
Awaits its cruel fate, resigned

Let love and loneliness brawl,
Let die the things that must die;
Release the tears and let them fall,
And let the broken heart cry

Let me love without constraints --
The sinking boat needs no oar;
Do not preach of sinners and saints
With Death's feet so near my door

Let me taste love's sweetest wine,
And let this shattered heart mend;
Having seen my star of love shine,
Then let the curtain descend

From my window I gazed on a lily
That had been denied rain and sun,
Always looking heavenward with trust,
Pleading for mercy . . . but finding none

From my window I watched a grieving bird --
Strong gales had swept over her nest,
In vain, she called to her loving mate . . .
Morning found his tattered wings at rest

From my window I observed a woman,
Lonely tears channeling her face,
Every day she walked her path alone,
Feeble and unsteady in her pace

A reassuring word might sustain her,
As I hastened to draw nearer,
It was only then I realized
That I was looking in my mirror

The slighted lily, the forsaken bird,
How devious the mind can be!
My own pain, so cleverly disguised
Fills my mirror, staring back at me

From my window I watch life passing by,
O, these eyes, how they have deceived!
But blessed are they who cannot discern
What is certain from what is perceived

As trees awake from their Winter rest,
How they shiver without their green sleeves;
Doleful birds gaze at their vacant nest,
Alone, the mateless dove mourns and grieves

Icy snow covers the forest floors,
Even my hot tears are turned to frost;
Has the sun shuttered its golden doors?
It appears Nature's wires have been crossed

Winter's settled in and won't depart,
The hearth's cold embers will not relight;
My love left, taking with him my heart,
Frozen I stood as he left my sight

Angels peer down from their lofts on high
As cries of anguish rise to their ears;
Who dares to set Nature's laws awry!
What force is this that can stir such fears!

Without his love these bleak wintry days
Are dimming my view of Paradise;
Bid him come to lift this cold dark haze,
Only then can sunbeams leave the skies!

He was the guardian of my dreams,
Alas! he carelessly let them fall
Through the ice of Winter's murky streams,
Spring will be late ...... if it comes at all

Never again will I say "I love you,"
Feeble was the passion returned;
But I swear by heaven above you,
I'll regard this as a lesson learned

Maybe I will miss him from time to time,
But he'll never hear it from me;
Perhaps I'll cry at the midnight chime
For this pipe dream that could never be

But for a brief time I flaunted a smile
Dismissing those dark hours of tears;
Happiness walked with me for a while,
Erasing the pain of lonely years

Why do hearts engage in such foolish games?
When someone wins, someone must lose;
And when our dreams have gone up in flames,
Self-reproach comes to collect its dues

Then Hope raised its head and spoke to my heart:
"If you don't play, how can you win?
Forget the past and make a fresh start . . . "
Oh, what the hell, let the games begin!

Soon the sun will set in this valley
Where I've roamed for many a year,
So many questions left unanswered!
So many answers remain unclear!
And others will ask what has been asked before,
But this much I know:  I'll ask no more

I cannot say that I'll miss this Earth
That censured me at every turn;
Too often were tearful lessons laid
On a heart that was too slow to learn,
And many more tears will flood misery's shore,
But this much I know:  I'll cry no more

And as for love that hid from my view -
Come, emerge from your hiding place!
I'll no longer seek your charity,
Supplication was my heart's disgrace;
Surely, more lonely hearts will plead at your door,
But this much I know:  I'll beg no more

This frame will dissolve into the soil
To nourish the worms and green things,
And flowers and birds will take delight,
Uncomprehending the gifts death brings;
And life will continue the same as before,
But this much I know:  I'll be no more

A woman knows when a man loves her,
By Divine Grace she perceives such things;
Even when his love goes undeclared,
She can feel it vibrate her heartstrings

A woman knows when a man loves her,
Her heart opens when he turns the key;
From her face a noble radiance streams
Reflecting love's rare divinity

A woman knows when a man needs her,
Watchful she stands, ready to appease
With wise counsel and devoted love,
Putting both his mind and heart at ease

A woman knows when a man loves her,
She'll nourish  love's seed until it grows
Into their own Garden of Eden.
O, there is no doubt, a woman knows!

My heart felt a fear I could not define,
A feeling Love was drifting away;
I realized this was not a good sign
That greeted me at the dawn of day

Foreboding thoughts that I could not curtail
Were invading this poor head of mine --
Like foul wreckage gathered after a gale --
I knew this could not be a good sign

Panic had now overtaken my heart,
Rational judgment was in decline.
Had the threads of our love been torn apart?
This anguish could not be a good sign

Dark clouds overflowed the heavens above,
Luminous teardrops fell from the sky;
It was then I knew I had lost his love . . .
It's not a good sign when angels cry

I walk rather slowly these days,
Without purposeful destiny,
No plane to catch, no train to board,
There's no one waiting for me

Time and I have severed our ties,
Now I roam unburdened and free;
No need to hurry home tonight,
No one's waiting there for me

Seasons still change, they come and go,
The tide's still carried out to sea,
Not much has changed at all, except ....
Now no one's waiting for me

I still talk to the moon at night,
But it's not like it used to be,
My tear-filled eyes reveal my plight:
I've no one waiting for me

It matters not when I get home,
Be it midnight, or half past three,
No one's concerned ..... did I mention .....
There's no one waiting for me

Believing in the God of Love,
Each night finds me on bended knee,
Wistfully glancing toward my bed ......
But no one's waiting for me

What a bitter cup of rue
When Love proves to be untrue!
Lying lips can bring such bliss,
Masking each deceitful kiss

When deception's undertow
Drags us to its depths below,
It is then the heart withdraws
To take a reflective pause

How can it trust and believe
Love will not again deceive?
What shall it do when the urge
For romance begins to surge?

Will it find a hiding place
In denial's cold embrace?
Know this! Love may cause regret,
But there is no safety net

My heart once walked that high-wire.
Teetering, blinded by desire,
Down I tumbled into hell
As love laughed, waving farewell

O, what torment shrouds the heart
Pierced by deceit's poison dart!
Sing the dirge, toll the death knell,
Love is dead - yet here I dwell

Nevermore will my heart trust
And into despair be ******!
This I swear by stars above
      and yet .........
How can I live without love?

Today a melody caught my ear
That enraptured my very soul;
I heard a duet being performed
By a lark and an oriole

A gnarly branch made a fitting stage
For their theatre high in the tree,
While a backdrop of blossoms and clouds
Left the audience in ecstasy

What was it about their rhapsody
That encouraged my heart to dance?
So mesmerized by their dulcet tones,
I stood there as if in a trance

My thoughts drifted to happier times . . .
The nights my darling sang to me;
Every refrain that flowed from his lips
Echoed a lovers' symphony

But then the music started to fade,
Softer it grew till silence fell;
Now only the wind sings in the trees,
And at night it tolls Love's death knell

But today the lark and oriole
Enchanted me with their sweet song;
Though there's unrest in my solitude,
I found comfort in the feathered throng

I've grown accustomed to Earth pulling at my chain,
Seldom have I questioned the laws that restrict me;
Yet, for adverse reasons that no one can explain,
On some unknown date Death will come to evict me

I'll object, maybe even kicking and screaming,
When I'm told that it's time for me to move along;
For what purpose was all my planning and dreaming,
And all the knowledge I gathered from Nature's song?

I watched Time flowing at its pre-determined pace,
Believing in the promises of tomorrow;
Though at times quite overwhelmed, I ran a good race,
And kept the faith amidst challenges and sorrow

Now I'm being warned the day of transfer is nigh.
How can I leave all the wondrous things I have seen:
The ever-changing blues of the sea and the sky,
Earth's velvet mantle in its many shades of green?

Mesmerized I've stood watching the tide's ebbs and flows,
It was the blackest seas that reflected the stars;
And when held captive by loneliness and its woes,
Love sent its brightest rays through my heart's prison bars

So familiar with this Earthly home have I grown,
How can I leave all I love so far behind me?
Catapulted to some distant orbit unknown,
I wonder, will memories of Earth still bind me?

Will I miss morning's dew sating the thirsty rose,
Or a sudden winter's gale, blowing wild and rough?
I've had my share of anguish and pain, Heaven knows,
But my deepest regret:  I was not loved enough!

How I dread these intruders of the night ---
The restless ghosts of Love's extinguished light;
Knowing I'm alone (by Fate's cruel decree)
Here come the memories of you and me . . .

They start taunting me when no one's around --
Those lonely hours when by anguish I'm bound;
But is that not the task of memories --
To torture the mind and create unease?

They take delight in breaking down the door
To a painful past I'd rather ignore,
Reviving blissful hours of fantasy,
Like that summer night you whispered to me:

"I'll lay a blanket on the starlit sea,
And we'll drift away . . . just you and me."
Such ill-fated dreams, dressed in joyous disguise --
So hard to recall without tear-filled eyes

Most times these memories come without warning . . .
But time enough for tears in the morning.
It's time to sleep, so I'll turn out the light.
(Knowing my luck I'll dream of you tonight)

And tomorrow there'll be clouds to chase away
As I struggle to make it through the day.
How I wish Time would purge my memory . . .
Erasing all traces of you and me

For these fitful nights, love must bear the blame --
But is sleeplessness not part of love's game?
What's left but to entreat the heedless air?
(That useless prattle, also known as prayer)

A heart that's plagued with unspeakable pain
Will cry out to Heaven, time and again.
What recourse have I, teetering on the edge,
With no one to talk me down from the ledge?

Loneliness becomes a nightmarish realm
Where I drift alone . . . no one at the helm;
Then Hope throws the line that pulls me ashore
And rescues me from despair's tidal bore

At times I tire of Hope's uplifted eyes,
And its surfeit of well-intentioned lies;
More than once I've been tempted to ignore
The shining outlook Hope brings to my door

But Hope never mocks my relentless quest
For love, but fans its embers in my breast;
If not for Hope, despair would defeat me,
Bringing dread when the dawn comes to greet me

For when I find bitter thoughts taking hold,
Weakening my will, urging me to fold,
You can bet Hope will  knock upon my door,
And I can't help but answer . . . just once more

Pondering the gnarled vineyards of twilight,
It is for these grapes that I hunger,
For they have survived the drought and the blight,
Bearing scars of days when they were younger

The fruits of old love are tender and sweet,
For they've learned to endure sun and shade;
Keeping strong through gale force winds, snow and sleet,
Their true value has been measured and weighed

Old love seeks beauty deep within the heart,
The wrinkled face and the graying hair
Matter not, yet what a sting they impart
To the lonely tangled in Time's cruel snare

Observe the pearl fishers - they're not concerned
With the oyster's shell, but with the prize
That's dwelling deep inside, for they have learned
They might find a gem in cunning disguise

Satisfying are the fruits of old love,
So patiently they wait to be claimed
By soft, wizened hands, gentle as a dove,
Yet displaying passion's touch, unashamed

Love that has withstood the test of the years
Is a love that's worth its weight in gold;
In spite of all the sorrows and the tears,
Old love can still bear fruit a hundredfold

How blessed are we who can see love's sweet truth
Unfolding before our very eyes;
We don't need the exuberance of youth
To yield to love's call  under star-filled skies!

Old love has had its feet held to the fire,
And it emerged, still able to stand;
It survived the bogs of life's muck and mire,
What more can be said ..... for sure, old love's grand!

Tonight I'll wait to see the moon's face
Hovering above that cypress tree;
Then I'll drift off to my favorite place .....
The other side of reality

Into that land where passion runs free,
And wild fantasies lurk everywhere;
My body goes limp .... Love carries me
Like a hungry lion to its lair

I'm held captive, unable to flee,
But not one complaint do I proclaim;
Love fans the embers of fantasy,
And suddenly my heart is aflame

Soon the flames are enkindling two hearts,
An embrace and a kiss enchant me;
At last Cupid's free to throw his darts,
(A fantasy day cannot grant me!)

Phantom love flourishes in the dark
Where truth cannot invade its domain;
My hunger for love has lit the spark --
Now my spirit seeks this astral plane

Where do I go when I fall asleep?
Surely, the Edge of Eternity!
And so among the shadows I creep,
Where Love dispels its uncertainty

My worldly possessions are meager,
In this life I'm but a poor renter;
Is it shocking that I'm so eager
Through this blest passageway to enter!

If Love cannot find me in the light,
Then let my eyes permanently close;
Loneliness is banished from my sight
While my eyes are shut in sweet repose

So let me dwell where day's dormant dreams
Can awaken with temerity,
And woes are drowned in Love's sparkling streams ....
The other side of reality

I find my sorrows to be lightened
When I sing of things that grieve my heart;
When the threat of despair is heightened,
It is then my feeble warblings start;
At first, notes take off like birds, frightened
By a storm, as to and fro they dart

But soon my refrains flow like a stream,
Weakening the throbbing pulse of grief;
One by one they fade into a dream,
Bringing to my heart blessed relief;
But how I tire of altering Life's scheme,
Rustling its script like a petty thief

It's not joy that causes me to sing,
(Heaven sighs when my songs reach its spheres)
With each note, another tear takes wing,
Each song freeing pent up woes and fears;
Without song,  profound would be the sting
Of Love's cruel deceit when it appears

And if the strains of a mournful song
Escape from my windows late at night,
My heart's remembering some grievous wrong --
A melody helps the pain take flight;
Never has my heart feigned to be strong,
A frail warrior, it yields to its plight

But my tears alone cannot atone
For the wretched pain life sends each day;
When buds of loneliness are full-blown,
I weave each bloom into a bouquet;
With arms filled with flowers I walk alone,
Composing new songs along the way

This day began with a resolute vow:
No longer will Life's trials wrinkle my brow;
Woe and misfortune shall seek me in vain --
Though their shadows creep, steadfast I'll remain

Today is my day --  I'll hold my head high,
And with a broad smile greet each passerby;
I'll not waste my breath to voice a complaint,
But joyfully shed this cloak of constraint

Today is the day Fear's restrictive chain
Will dissolve like a snowball in the rain;
Guilt and regret shall assail me no more --
Today I learned to barricade the door!

Yes, this is the day my voice will be heard --
(Passion's smoldering ashes have been stirred!)
All my inhibitions will be set free --
On swift wings will they claim their liberty

From this day forward, who knows what awaits --
Might love rescue me from these dire straits?
(Hope is a beacon whose light comes and goes,
Ah, but today, how radiantly it glows)

Today is my day -- new paths I'll travel
As life's binding threads start to unravel;
I dare anyone to stand in my way!
Do you hear me world? Today is my day!

If perhaps it were my circumstance
That misfortune pierced me with its lance,
And hunger held me in its embrace,
You'd not see tears running down my face,
For surely meager portions of bread
Might bring angst, but not be cause for dread

Or if the confines of my domain
Were bleak and dour, provoking disdain,
Though disheartened I'd not chastise Fate,
(Far worse things pass through its dreadful gate)
I need only ponder the sad plight
Of the homeless wandering in the night

But should I have no one to love me ---
I swear by all the stars above me
I would curse Fate to the depths of Hell,  
(Do you sense this tale will not end well?)
Better I be swallowed by the tide,
For life without love I could not abide!

Well, what can I say . . . I should have known,
Fate is callous, a rogue carved of stone!
This was a dare it could not ignore ---
Now love no longer knocks at my door.
Vanquished are the joys that once were mine.
**** you, heartless Fate -- you've crossed the line!

A poor wingless bee in dire torment
Sat brooding beneath the lemon bower:
"How shall I ever know the rose's scent,
And sample the sweet nectar of her flower?"

"And what value do you place on these?"
Asked a wise old bee perched on a stone;
Suddenly there appeared a swarm of bees,
Eager to hear the wisdom of the drone

Cried the wingless bee: "My days are drear,
Longing for the rose's scented dew;
Without wings how can I hope to draw near?
How I thirst for her . . . if only she knew!"

"Climb, my lad," advised the wise old bee.
"Brave the stinging thorns and twisted vine.
Only through courage and tenacity
Will you savor the bliss of her sweet wine"

O, what angst now stirred within the bee
As he scaled that stem toward the sublime!
But what delicious hospitality
Awaited him . . . because he dared to climb!

I dreamed tears were flowing from my heart's core,
And my head was bowed low in prayer,
An angel appeared, saying "Weep no more,
Come and find relief from your despair."
Smiling, he pointed to a golden door . .
So I entered,  but no one was there

Then I found myself seated 'neath a tree
Staring up at a cloud-filled sky;
I pondered mankind's state of misery,
And I couldn't help but question "Why?"
And that angel just stood there silently,
With an expression that made me cry

As if this were not enough pain to bear,
I found myself on paths well trod --
One marked Loneliness, the other Despair,
While Fate scowled with an approving nod;
(Better to blame Fate than unanswered prayer
And all the failed responses from God)

Attempting to wake myself from this dream,
From my lips there escaped a moan.
Then the angel said "Praised be the Supreme,
To whom all man's miseries are known"
And all heaven bowed (which seemed quite extreme
Since no one was seated on the throne)

As in most dreams nothing was making sense ---
Prayers drifting on a murky stream,
Frustration and doubt growing more intense.
"Lord, show thyself," I cried with a scream.
But the angel warned "Seek no evidence!"
And I realized  . . .  this was no dream

Who has not pondered their last hour
When Death points to our name on his scroll?
As we slowly wilt like summer's last flower,
What concerns will beleaguer the soul?

Who will be waiting to guide me
Down the hallway, just beyond that door
That allows passage to Eternity?
On gilded wings, will my spirit soar?

What questions will be permitted?
Will my heart discover what it seeks?
Will every fault and error committed
Flash before my eyes like lightning streaks?

Will death be unencumbered sleep,
Final escape from the bonds of Earth?
Or will we recall things that made us weep,
And all the joys that gave life its worth?

Will the flowers of love still bloom?
Though I've never carried the bouquet,
Might I be granted one blossom's perfume,
Or will denial once again hold sway?

Should I be granted one query,
With much angst I must inquire of Death:
This heart that expired alone and weary,
Will it find its peace with my last breath?

But should fragments of life still course
Through this clay, allowing pain to seep,
Then I must implore of the Divine Source:
End this game! grant me eternal sleep

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

Live for today, just ignore tomorrow.
Why worry what the future may bring?
Nor dwell on a past that harbors sorrow.
For this day alone let the bells ring

While the hummingbird's feasting on nectar,
She's not concerned about foolish things ---
Tomorrow's plights don't seem to affect her
As she savors the gifts this day brings

So for every pleasure life sends your way,
Ring the bells and declare to the world
Those joyous moments that brightened your day.
(Who knows when Fate's wrath might be unfurled!)

And when Fate comes to sate its dark desire,
Grasp Fortitude's lyre and gently strum,
For while the dove sings with the sylvan choir,
Misery draws near, beating its drum

But mute that drum with hymns of gratitude ---
(Does the sun not always vanquish night?)
Tally the blessings this day has accrued . . .
Then let the bells ring with wild delight!