There's no proof God exists,
There's no proof he does not;
Choose one or the other,
Then give it all you got!

Why do we always look to the skies
When we can't find the answers around us?
What are these inexplicable ties
That have encumbered our minds and bound us?

Why can't we admit the glaring truth?
No one from another realm hears our cries;
Though you may find my thinking uncouth,
I find no proof of heavenly allies

Only to each other are we linked
Through all the miseries that Life imparts,
When the sobbing's heard, clear and distinct,
Help comes only from caring human hearts

I've no need to seek divine deity.
Seeing a glorious sunrise spread its light,
I bow in awe at this amazing feat -----
A solitary star vanquished the night.
O, the majesty of Nature's might!

And as the moon dims his silvery torch,
Feathered minstrels open sleepy eyes;
What choristers could sing a sweeter song?
(To mention angel choirs would be unwise ---
Never have their voices filled the skies)

Rainbow-hued flowers, their heads bending low
To the gentle stroking of a breeze,
Fill the air with a hypnotic scent
And the humming of delighted bees . . .
It is to such things I bend my knees

Then upward my eyes are suddenly drawn
To vaporous clouds drifting lazily,
And I ponder that enigmatic realm,
Hesitant to unfold its mystery.
(Could this be God's true identity?)

Crickets chirping, wolves baying at the moon,
From the pond, a frog croaks his opinion;
The ocean's roar, the Autumn woods ablaze ---
And over it all we have dominion.
And yet . . . I feel I'm Nature's minion

But if an elusive God is your choice,
I look upon you with  pitying eyes;
Marvels surround you, and yet you still seek
That obscure and silent, unresponsive prize . . .
An unseen God that common sense denies!

The gloom of solitude fills my mind
With images unbeknownst to me:
Someone's loving arms with mine are twined. . .
And yet I know no such entity

Pausing to admire the meadow rue
My love and I share a brief caress;
O, the loving moments that ensue . . .
But when have I known such happiness?

Wintry nights find me in total bliss . . .
Making love before a blazing fire;
(Just as sure as logs sputter and hiss,
This is but a glimpse of wild desire)

From where do these taunting portraits come?
The mind's workings are not always wise.
But should the starved heart not take the crumb
That would save it from tragic demise?

Rarely does someone knock at my door . . .
It may be the darkness that they fear;
Through the open windows my voice resounds,
Perhaps they're startled by what they hear

I do tend to rant in mournful ways,
Maybe at times, a bit too robust,
But this is my voice, and these are my words,
So maintain your distance, if you must

There are those who commune quietly,
Speaking of God and his loving ways;
And those who reminisce about their youth,
Recalling scenes from happier days

But never has God come to my door,
So I have no divine tales to tell;
My youth was simple, passed with nonchalance,
So on this theme I've no need to dwell

But I could speak of cold, lonely nights
And the anguish of being alone;
How adept I am at nursing  love's wounds,
Yet, I never learned to heal my own

More than once, rough winds have ****** me down,
And Time had to re-feather my wings;
I've been neglected, abandoned and lost,
So I tend to dwell upon these things

You'll not hear a cheerful melody
Streaming through the broken window panes,
There's no roaring fire blazing on the hearth,
Just smoldering embers of love's remains

Skies become gray, and clouds tend to burst
When they pass over my little space;
Perhaps this is why guests dare not linger . . .
Too daunting and dismal is my place.
Well, then be off with you, and quicken your pace!

Throughout the years friends have been few,
(But when loyal, one friend will do;)
I never got close enough to make foes,
'I kept my distance' - as the saying goes

No birds, cats or dogs live in my house,
And I hesitate to count that mouse
That I've seen scampering down the hall.
(How dare he breach my castle wall!)
I fear he soon will  have a mishap . . .
Morning will find him dead in the trap.

But what resentment swells inside me
Thinking of all that's been denied me:
True love, contentment, happiness,
A hand to hold, a warm caress,
The passion with which I long to be kissed . . .
Alas! I've none of these treasures to list.
Such poverty I'm ashamed to declare,
My heart is starving . . . the cupboard is bare

Well, I guess my inventory's complete,
A grim tally, more sorrowful than sweet;
Ah, but then what right have I to complain?
I've a vast surplus of sorrow and pain,
A broken heart and buckets filled with tears . . .
What a stockpile I've amassed o'er the years!

But if Fate could rewrite my Book of Days
Changing these tears to laughter and bouquets,
This dreary house, haunted by lonely hours
Would be a dwelling filled with mirth and flowers

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

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

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

The arms that held you at end of day
Were not the arms you were dreaming of,
But how can a starving heart turn away
Anything vaguely resembling love?

When trust and friendship have been betrayed,
And harsh words spill from an unkind face,
I'll find you, no matter where you have strayed
And guide you to a happier place

Don't despair should darkness surround you,
I'll venture forth, searching day and night,
Though deep are the shadows all around you,
I'll find you and bring you to the light

Should tempting arms offer their embrace,
But the love you find there prove untrue,
I'll find you and kiss away every trace
Of your pain ..... then we can start anew

When you're drifting on an endless sea
Like a wave that cannot find the shore,
I'll find you and restore the harmony
That you found in my arms once before

Go where you must and do what you will,
Leave my love and blessings behind you;
But when your heart cries and tears overspill,
You know I'll not rest 'til I find you

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

A long time have I traveled alone --
A journey of twenty thousand days;
From my sojourns, wiser have I grown,
But I do not seek undeserved praise

I'm not the first to endure this state,
Many lonely hearts have journeyed thus;
It's not that we embrace this cruel fate --
Rather, destiny has chosen us

Lonely wanderers we're meant to be,
We view the world through a sullen eye,
Cursing our preordained destiny,
We raise our weary arms to the sky

Then we clench our fists and wring our hands,
Questioning why life must be this way;
Our castles are built on shifting sands,
Only to collapse at end of day

How above our plight are we to rise,
Seeing our dreams trampled on like grass?
Observe frail birds braving stormy skies!
So our hearts through such torments must pass

And amidst it all, hope finds a place
Somewhere in a corner of the heart,
Camouflaging its deceitful face,
It holds the day and the night apart

Nighttime finds us lost in welcomed dreams
That harbor us from our world of pain;
With loathing we greet the sun's first beams .....
To face one more day of Fate's disdain

Help me escape the cares of life,
Be the wind beneath my wings;
Dream along with me, what partners we'll be,
Together we'll do wondrous things

We'll be daring, but not foolish,
We won't fly close to the sun,
From Icarus I learned we could get burned,
For some things just should not be done

But you and I are not mindless,
We'll be daring, but careful,
I'll take your hand, but you must understand
When you lead, I'm always prayerful

You say you'll take me to heaven .....
Sky diving?? ..... how exciting ......
Sounds a bit manic, may cause some panic,
Even a little nail biting!!

What? How about deep-sea diving?
We'll go to the ocean floor?!
Just a suggestion ....  I have one question:
Have you ever done this before?

Now you're starting to frighten me,
Maybe we should think this through;
I'm not a coward, but I'm being devoured
By doubt, so here's what we could do:

We'll climb that hill and count the stars
That fall from the sky above;
Or, since it's so late, let's end this debate .....
Why don't we stay home and make love!!

Why does love keep tormenting us,
Why can't it just leave us alone!
Yet, when it comes calling, how we fuss,
Though its fickle ways are well-known

Love has an inflated ego,
And for that we are all to blame,
For as soon as it calls, off we go,
Darting like a moth to a flame

If we could just ignore love's knock
And batten the door to our heart,
Wouldn't that deliver love a shock!
(This scheme may fail, but it's a start)

We should be strong and just say no
When love's song serenades our ears;
(Although, I tried this once long ago
And found myself knee-deep in tears)

In my wisdom, or lack thereof,
I've found this advice still rings true:
Lay down a mat that says "Welcome, Love,
My door's always open to you!"

I scoffed at lovers playing their foolish games,
Driven to a frenzied state of mind,
"Come join us" they cried, "come fan passion's flames!"
But I declined

How I envied the hearts that love had healed
While my own heartaches I bravely masked;
If only my sad plight could be revealed . . .
But no one asked

Like tender warblings of amorous birds
Hope whispers sweet lies into my ear.
Still, Fate stubbornly withholds those three words
I long to hear

While tears may come easily, I refrain ---
How effective is this strategy?
Except for my heart, no one knows of my pain . . .
What irony!

Will Fate honor its debts long overdue?
Or are faith and hope but mockery
Of the worn-out promise that dreams do come true?
Then woe is me!

But too well I know I've myself to blame,
I scoffed at Love, now I'm paying the price;
Yet, it's hard to say who'll win at Love's game --
Fate rolls the dice!

Our love came like a bolt from the blue
And rocked our hearts like a storm-tossed boat,
And to Heaven my lips gave thanks . . . but you --
You sketched a disturbing anecdote:

"As time passes, how can we be sure
That our love is as strong as today?"
O, what dire torment the mind must endure
If simple signs fail to light the way

Rest assured there is a foolproof test
Should one of us doubt the other's love,
Or if upon both hearts there come to rest
Strong forebodings, or traces thereof:

When we're in each other's company,
Should our thoughts drift to another place,
And the hours seem to drag on endlessly . . .
Love is loosening its firm embrace

When thoughts of you don't quicken my heart,
And thoughts of me don't bring you delight,
When we get the sense we're drifting apart . . .
Our love is preparing to take flight

When my eyes no longer speak to you,
And your kiss is easily denied,
When we behave as fickle friends might do . . .
It is then we'll know our love has died

Are you still recalling that dispute
You had long ago with a loved one?
It's time unkind words were rendered mute,
Let go of the reins, and let them run

What torment petty quarrels can dispense!
We say things, then later wonder why,
Hurtful words that never made much  sense --
Bind them to swift wings and let them fly

Time is not what heals our broken hearts,
Or brings comfort to a shattered soul;
Gently gather all the broken parts --
Mend them with Love's threads to make them whole

Focus on the things that made you smile,
Words and deeds that made happiness flow;
When sad memories taunt you with their guile,
Raise the window wide and bid them go!

To all shattered hearts, this solace I bring:  
Awaken from your morbid dreams of death;  
Do not succumb to failed love's mortal sting,  
Don't let ill-fated love stifle your breath  

Though love's retreat can impart a cruel blow,  
Rejoice, knowing it was yours for a while;
For some, Love's sweet nectar will never flow,  
So bask in your sweet memories and smile  

Suffer in solitude behind closed doors!
But know this: tears will not restore lost love;  
Rather, relive the joy that once was yours,  
Memories are gifts from Heaven above  

Now's the time to let old wounds close and heal --
How far could you fly with your broken wings?
Reach for the stars and see what they reveal,
Observe Spring and the buds of hope it brings

Discard love's bouquet, keeping but one rose --
A keepsake -- not meant to be a tether;
Now let this spent love lie in sweet repose,
To float through time like a golden feather
                                          
Though the pain appears daunting, it will end,
Your heart will heal; but there may come a time
You'll need to offer solace to a friend
Mourning love's fickle ways with a sad rhyme

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!

A confident smile rests upon your lips,
A surge of  light radiates from your eyes;  
Like a happy child, your heart jumps and skips --
Wild expectancy is hard to disguise!  

Somewhere from the darkest depths of your soul  
Come the sweetest notes of a singing bird;
Woe and despair have relinquished control --
Within your tortured heart new hope has stirred

Has the voice of hope not deceived before,
Whispering such sweet lies into your ears?
And that cloak of joy,  flung upon the floor
To absorb the streaming flow of your tears?

Is the purpose of my tale clear to you?
(I'm not sure how some minds will perceive it);
When hope delivers its deceitful cue,  
Think twice whether you'll take it or leave it

Sometimes when I find I can't keep pace
With Life's demands and its treachery,
I seek refuge in my favorite place . . .
The other side of reality

What joy when my daydreams carry me
Like a hungry lion to its lair,
Into that land where passion runs free
And wild fantasies lurk everywhere

I can soar the heavens with the birds,
Or seek loving arms when nights are cold;
(You'll soon learn from my poetic words
My daydreams reveal desires quite bold)

O, how Love's fantasies flood this realm ---
Cupid flings his darts most recklessly!
Misery relinquishes the helm
Leaving me to drift Love's placid sea

And loneliness dares not trespass here
On this hallowed ground that Love has blest;
Though happiness wears a thin veneer,
Daydreams calm the heart's deepest unrest

So I flee to where elusive dreams  
Unfold their wings with temerity,
And I sate my thirst from Love's pure streams . . .
The other side of reality

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

If you care for someone, let them know,
Release Love's light, let it cast its glow;
This sacred fire was meant to be shared
So a heart in torment might be spared;
(How tragic when love goes undeclared!)

That flame of Love that is burning bright
Might fill someone's heart with hope tonight;
The roiling winds of despair will shift
When Love's guiding light presents its gift
To the unmoored heart floating adrift

Only Love can comfort and repair
A broken heart shattered by despair;
Love will rekindle the dying fire
Of mislaid dreams and hopeless desire,
As angels strike up the sacred lyre

But it is your love that writes the hymn,
Bringing light to eyes that have grown dim;
Rest assured your blessings will accrue!
Your days will wear a heavenly hue
When love you give is returned to you

Long ago  my pride was abandoned
And Love's beggary became my art,
Just a drop of Love - a brief romance --
Has amply sustained this starving heart

Amorous overtures still put a blush
Upon the face of this wilting rose --
Praise my beauty . . . write me a love poem . . .
Spring will be mine though winter's wind blows

With what eagerness I would devour
The love poems you might hastily scrawl!
My starving heart would forego the feast,
Finding comfort in the crumbs that fall

Though meager the trickle from Love's spring,
The parched heart gives thanks with solemn prayer;
And even pity, wearing Love's mask,
Would banish the demons of despair

What darkness enshrouds the lonely heart
Until Love illumes it with its flame,
Even the embers of a flawed love
Will lend their pale glow to this sad game

Though Fate often stoops to treacheries,
Pity me not for what might have been;
I find solace in Love's fantasies . . .
Tangled in the lovely webs they spin

You complain and say life is strange,
The world's problems cause you to sigh;
Tell me, what have you done to change
The little space you occupy?

What happiness I glean from these hours
Strolling Eden's garden with you;
Severest storms become mild showers,
For all tempests are now shared by two

Two fraught hearts, weighted down by the chains
Of loneliness found each other
Amidst the dust of love's remains,
Igniting sparks Fate could not smother

Drawn together by despair's drear pain,
Our hearts met on that rocky cliff;
No longer would solitude's rain
Overflow and sink our fragile skiff

Timeworn remnants of two shattered hearts
Reassembled, beating as one;
O, what joy, the sum of all parts!
Such love's seldom seen under the sun

Two frail hearts altered their dismal Fate,
Love's light now dwells where darkness had been;
How blessed was the day that Eden's gate
Opened widely and welcomed us in!

The beacon of solace grows dim,
I've no words to stop your heart from aching;
I'm tired of soothing your furrowed brow
While my own heart is breaking

Please don't ask me to hold your hand
While my whole being longs for your caress;
Don't expect me to throw you a lifeline
While I'm drowning in loneliness

I'm losing the will to respond
When from the abyss I hear you calling;
How do I guide you to a happy place
While my own tears are falling?

Now when you knock upon my door,
My love and understanding to entreat,
You'll hear a weary voice softly crying:
"Love is not a one-way street!"

When reality chills me to the bone,
The embers of make-believe are fanned,
Sitting on my garden bench alone,
Tightly I cling to a phantom hand

I sing words of love into the air,
Then wait for their echo to return;
My heart hears a love song, rich and rare,
Soon Love's cooling embers start to burn

I'll not despair, though he's far away,
(Miles of land and sea keep us apart)
No triumphant role does distance play --
In his spirit hands he holds my heart

And when the midnight hour is announced
By a distant bell, my yearnings flare;
Each need and desire is more pronounced
By every chime that pulsates the air

It is then I hasten to my bed
Where my spirit companion awaits;
With every embrace my passion's fed,
Each kiss brings me nearer Heaven's gates

Whispering "I love you" through the night,
I pretend my darling can hear me;
Yet when my eyes absorb dawn's first light,
Sadly, I never find him near me

But I'll cling fast to these wayward dreams
That direct my footsteps as they wend
Past the roiling swells of sorrow's streams,
Into that golden Realm of Pretend

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

Love is as fleeting as the moment
It makes its introduction,
Stirring the heart, and clouding the mind
With intoxicating seduction

Love breathes life into the dying heart
That loneliness turned to ice,
Then after reviving it, Love flees,
And the heart must pay the traitor's price

Love is a dangerous addiction
That can bring us to our knees;
And if deprived of Love for too long,
Once again our hearts shiver and freeze

Love is a merciless tormentor
That will take us to the brink
Of misery, and even madness,
Yet, from Love's cup we'll beg one more drink

Love that behaved as our dearest friend
Can suddenly become foe,
Conjuring up long-forgotten pain,
Delivering unbearable woe

But Love, who would not suffer for you?
We deign to play by your rules;
We choose a card, then roll the dice,
While Love laughs, watching us play the fools

Without our consent we're taken from our calm world,
A slap, then a cry, and into this chaos we're hurled;
The ensuing bedlam is referred to as Life,
I wish I'd been forewarned of the misery and strife,
I'd have said "No thank you, I prefer to remain
An inconsequential atom in a calmer domain!"

How pleasant it is to sit and dream
While evening clouds paint the western sky . . .
Before I could tell my harebrained scheme
To the setting sun, it waved good-bye

If I may I'll share my plan with you:
Since all hopes and dreams of love lie spent,
Now and then I'll write a poem or two
Relating memoirs that I'll invent

What jealous passions might I provoke
From the wretched souls that only know
Loneliness, unaware of the joke
That I'm playing to hide my own woe

Wait until they read of my wild nights,
Strutting with a suitor on each arm,
Painting the town red.  These vile delights
Will bring gasps and be cause for alarm

Then there'll be the poems of quiet hours
When love's very essence lays its hand
On my heart like dew upon the flowers.
How the flames of envy will be fanned!

But here I sit, while the midnight stroke
Brings tears of loneliness to my eyes;
What fantasies my poems may evoke!
(But you and I know they're only lies)

His face is not one you'd call handsome,
Most women wouldn't look at him twice,
But should some rogues hold him for ransom,
I would gladly pay their asking price

They say he's devoid of all treasure . . .
No wealth or landholdings,  so I'm told,
But I find riches beyond measure
In his silver hair and heart of gold

His love is the fortune that I seek --
It's not found in diamonds or in jade;
Though our cottage be humble and meek,
No palace would I accept in trade

Vile temptations, your labor's in vain!
Never could opulence take the place
Of the man, who like a king shall reign
In my heart . . . though common be his face

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 .........

Where, O where are the men of passion,
Men whose eyes reflect anguish unbound,
Silver-haired men, their faces ashen,
Searching in vain for love never found?

Men who'll dare to cast a hopeful smile
Toward an alluring face in the crowd,
As dark memories of deceit and guile
Float away like a wind-driven cloud

Are there still men who would weave their tears
Into a poetic tapestry?
Men who express hopelessness and fears
In a voice that cries out silently?

Where are the men who cower in the dark,
Tired of their eternal solitude,
Praying for that one transcendent spark
So their faith in love might be renewed

Where are the men who'll take one more chance
To know love's forbidden ecstasy?
Where are the men who can't forsake romance?
If you know one, kindly send him to me

A sweet  smile greets all who meet her,
With no hint of the pain concealed;
But her poems paint a self-portrait,
Where the truth is boldly revealed

Each word that her pen releases
Is a fateful stroke of the brush:
Sunlit paths that led to dark places,
The brief joys that Fate chose to crush

Sad tales are etched with precision
Upon this warped canvas of Time,
Describing the heartaches that linger,
Urging her to cloak them in rhyme

Are lonely days not distressing
Enough  for this painter of verse?
And yet night deprives her of slumber,
As memories refuse to disperse

But pity offers no solace --  
Fate's cruelty has taken its toll,
Leaving her to walk this Earth alone
With weary heart and blighted soul

Playing Life's dubious Game of Love
She was nothing more than a pawn;
Well does she know her fate has been sealed . . .
Long ago her portrait was drawn

Peace occurs when everyone's content,  
When has turmoil not been Earth's lament?
Peace cannot live with suffering and unrest,  
Have we ever known Earth to be so blessed?
We'll seek peace 'til Time itself unwinds,
But it's just a figment of our minds

I was too busy loving you
To ever notice the signs . . .
The frost forming in the vineyard,
The snow gathering in the pines

So busy was I loving you,
I didn't notice the smoke;
The fire had burned out long ago,
Leaving only embers to stoke

And then there was that lovely rose
You and I planted in the Spring;
While I was busy loving you,
I failed to see it withering

To our garden, without warning
There came clouds obstructing my sight;
Too busy was I loving you
To foresee the approaching blight

There's nothing left to salvage now,
Just withered vines  where love once grew;
Why did I not see this coming?
I was too busy loving you!

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!

The time had come to shed this loathsome cloak
Of life's failures, defeats and decay;
I knew, without further contemplation,
I had to give the wretched thing away

How appealing the oyster's existence --
Safely sheltered in its little shell;
And when life sends its messengers of doom,
He can just tell them to go to hell

You may think me crazy, but that's okay,  
I had to retreat behind these doors;  
If I had not created my own world,  
Long ago I would have died in yours

Can you imagine life without love?
Envision the sun without its fire;
What value has a book with no words?
Vain the efforts of a voiceless choir!

How would we get through life without love.....
Tell me, how could the wingless bird soar?
Hopeless is the cloud without the sky,
How desperate a wave without the shore!

Just imagine your life without love ......
Carrying a candle with no flame,
Stumbling through the darkness all alone
Toward a sepulchre bearing your name

How despairing is life without love?
Is it really as bleak as it seems?
Do you think the comfort that love brings
Is nothing but illusions and dreams?

Then you are living life without love!
If all of love's splendors you deny,
And say its absence means naught to you,
With life's darkest threads you've spun a lie

Should the moon and stars desert the sky,
And the sun withhold its golden glow,
That black, hopeless void surrounding you .......
That is life without love! ........ Now you know

Words can cause a death, or redeem a life,
Words can calm and heal, or cut like a knife;
Words can terminate or extend the Lease
Man has on Earth ---- words of war or peace!

I shiver with the howling winds
That seep through the cracks in the door;
My shawl awaits my trembling shoulders,
But his arms are what I'm praying for

Logs hiss and sputter on the hearth,
Sounding like some demonic choir,
But it's not their empty warmth I seek .....
(As if in protest, the flames leap higher)

The moon gives no encouragement ---
Cold indifference his gilded crown;
While doubt and fear pound upon the door
With such force I fear they'll knock it down

Doubt ..... that my prayer will be answered,
Fear ..... that I will forever yearn
To own the night, with him in my arms,
While we watch our holy fire burn

Longing for him holds me hostage ---
How often I've prayed for release:
If his love was not meant to be mine,
Take this yearning and restore my peace

My heart's a weary battleground
Where hope struggles to crush despair;
How long will Heaven turn a blind eye
To these tears and my unanswered prayer!

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

I heard the cries of his broken heart --
How it begged for the pain to cease!
So compelling was its lament,
I tenderly gathered each piece

The moon glowed with a pale radiance
As he revealed his doleful plight:
The scornful deceit of a woman
Caused hope and trust to take flight

Each word he spoke flew like a dagger,
Piercing my heart mercilessly;
My own despair, caused by cruel deceit,
Was a blight on Love's memory

In our pain we found a common link --
Hearts doomed to deceit's damnation;
But Fate's course was soon to be altered . . .
O, sweet joy of liberation!

Unhappy memories flew from our hearts
As if on the wings of a dove;
And deceitful lies melted like snow
Upon the sacred fires of our love

Now a joyous dawn greets us each day,
Pain and woe are in full retreat;
On this twisted, rocky path called Life
True Love's radiance now guides our feet

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

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!

Cry when you feel sorry for yourself,
You're the captain of your sinking ship;
Rebuke the fool who says "Things could be worse,"
He's not seen the whole iceberg ..... just the tip!

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