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Lorraine Colon Aug 2017
The threads of love are on the loom --
I'll weave a dream for you;
All the pain that swells your heart
Will soon be out of view

Drift away on the gentle waves
Of Fantasy's deep stream;
I'll stay close by, guiding you
Through this enchanted dream

Our two hearts, chained to loneliness,
Offered a fervent prayer,
Unaware our utterance
Stirred and startled the air

Now our love shines bright as the sun,
Although the world be dark;
Meagre are the moon and stars,
Life itself, but a spark

Though confined to  love's gilded cage,
We've no cause for despair;
Our hearts soar on wings of joy,
For Heaven heard our prayer

Two hearts sing in an unknown tongue,
(Love's language has no name)
While the blessed words pour forth,
Our love kindles the flame

Every night, I weave the same dream ....
What could be more divine
Than love's first embrace and kiss,
When your hand first held mine?

Dearest love, as this dream unfolds,
Cherish the things you see;
They're held captive  by  the  night .....
But dawn will set them free!
Lorraine Colon Jul 2022
Are you tired of your boring life
But unable to change the scene?
There's a simple fix for this plight . . .
Let me show you just what I mean

The key is imagination --
There's really not much else you need;
Pack a bag with your wildest dreams . . .
Ready? Now mount your magic steed

Fly to the moon, go down to the sea,
Bravely walk that circus high wire;
Your imagination can place
You on any stage you desire

Sometimes we can't help but reflect
On a forbidden love affair,
Go on, indulge your fantasy!
(As the saying goes, "Let down your hair!)

You're holding hands, then your lips meet,
(To say more would be unrefined)
But don't let guilt taint the moment,
It's all taking place in your mind

After you've tried this a few times,
Life will start to lose stagnation,
Burdens will be more bearable,
Thanks to your imagination!

No, it won't cure heartaches and woes ---
It's meant to be a brief reprieve
From the garden where misery grows. . .
This realm,  cursed by Adam and Eve
Lorraine Colon Jul 2018
In a corner of my heart there dwells a pain
That thoughts of you awaken each day;
Purposely, I provoke it, then sigh in vain,
Knowing there will be a price to pay

In a corner of my heart there is a poem,
Born of each kiss and each solemn vow;
Loving you as I did they could fill a tome --
But poems your love inspired mock me now

What good is love if the happiness it brings
Turns into a pageantry of pain,
And the song of love the heart blissfully sings
Becomes parting's sorrowful refrain?

Without love, no comfort waits at end of day,
Just memories, unwilling to depart;
(Was it wrong to keep one flower from love's bouquet,
Hidden in a corner of my heart?)

In a corner of my heart my expressions
Of true and faithful love sit and cry;
Unable to absorb the transgressions
Your love brought, they're mute, without reply

So many tears have fallen, forging this chain
That won't permit memories  to depart;
And I can find no way to suppress the pain
Now filling each corner of my heart
Lorraine Colon Mar 2019
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?
Lorraine Colon Apr 2019
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?
Lorraine Colon Mar 2019
There's no proof God exists,
There's no proof he does not;
Choose one or the other,
Then give it all you got!
Lorraine Colon Mar 2019
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!"
Lorraine Colon Mar 2019
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
Lorraine Colon Mar 2019
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!
Lorraine Colon Mar 2019
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!
Lorraine Colon May 2017
What was it that made me so bitter
Toward life and my very existence?
Might it be all those unanswered prayers
And God's unrelenting resistance?

What was it that caused this discontent --
A bountiful harvest, just wasted?
The grove that flowered, then went to seed,
Leaving the fruits of love untasted?

What made me choose to live in darkness
Rather than rekindle the spent flame?
Did I tire of seeing Love's light expire --
Just new photos in the same old frame?

What caused me to flee from Love's garden --
Was it Truth's orchard, beset with rot?
Or was it the daisy petals I plucked
That all ended with "He loves me not?"

What led me to finally realize
Nothing is what it appears to be?
Was it that vow of eternal love
That dissolved like foam upon the sea?

I've since learned to quell my eagerness
When Hope beckons with its radiant light;
I've abandoned foolish hopes and dreams
Knowing now that Fate decides our plight
Lorraine Colon Aug 2020
One night, while walking in drear solitude,
Delicious thoughts of love dared to intrude;
Soon they overtook like a climbing vine
And I felt a warm hand slip into mine,
Then a kiss gently brushed against my cheek,
But not a word of protest did I speak;
Desire and common sense started to brawl,
Then a shadowy figure confirmed it all;
As I walked faster the shadow kept pace,
Dare I look directly into its face?
It mattered not what that look might reveal,
Love from any source is welcomed with zeal;
On I walked in a delirious state,
Convinced some angel had altered my fate;
The moon had been observing this strange scene,
Judgmental, determined to intervene:
"Foolish woman! you're born to walk alone,
That shadow that stirs your heart is your own!
You're beguiled by dreams that can never be,
End this pretense and face reality!"
How cruel of the moon ...... and I told him so;
The curtain fell, and thus ended the show
Lorraine Colon Nov 2019
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
Lorraine Colon Feb 2019
Little things no longer cause despair,
Though my daily vexations be rife;
Let the wind ruffle and muss my hair,
Rain on my parade -- see if I care!
I've made my peace with Life

While the neighbor's dog barks through the night,
Why not join in with your drum and fife!
Yesterday, those moments would incite
Anger, but now I calmly recite:
I've made my peace with Life

In my woe, prayers to Heaven I'd send,
Each time, their denial cut like a knife;
And slowly I came to comprehend
Some rules of Life were not meant to bend;  
I've made my peace with Life

Love never found its way to my door,
Never would I be the envied wife;
Too tired to fight, too proud to implore,
I'm no longer engaged in this war;
I've made my peace with Life

What did I achieve when I complained?
The rallying of more woe and strife --
Dark clouds hid the sun,  and it still rained;
Now from undue stress I've been unchained ......
I've made my peace with Life
Lorraine Colon Apr 2020
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
Lorraine Colon Dec 2019
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?
Lorraine Colon Apr 2018
The grains of sand grow fewer each day,
The task of the hourglass is at hand;
Shamed by poor decisions that paved my way,
Tears flow like pearls from a broken strand  

My heart was drowning in loneliness --
Ten fathoms deep, and still descending,
Crying mutely while sinking in distress,
Begging for a merciful ending

Then my heart was shaken to its core
And in golden laurels it was framed
When unexpected love knocked at the door,
Errant love, just begging to be claimed

Why did I not let my heart take flight?
Like a bashful ****** it waited,
With expectations of that wondrous night
When passion's hunger would be sated!

How clearly I see in retrospect
A foolish choice I could not then see;
Deprived of love, and weakened by neglect,
My heart now stands in judgement of me

These days, slow and labored is my stride,
As my conscience plots its alibi;
I found a place where my regrets can hide,
But loneliness vows to testify

Guilty! is the verdict that I hear --
For my folly, a price must be paid;
Eden's garden had never been so near,
With its fruits so temptingly displayed

Fraught with doubt, I turned his love away,
Sending hope back to its darkened lair;
And for this offense I face Judgement Day,
My wronged heart has no mercy to spare
Lorraine Colon Jun 2022
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
Lorraine Colon Feb 2022
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
Lorraine Colon Nov 2017
I'm just waiting for Love's knock at my door,
I've nothing better to do with my time;
Sometimes I count grains of sand on the shore,
Once in a while I compose a rhyme

Pay me no mind, I'm just biding my time,
I'll gather some kindling, then feed the birds;
Winter's threatening to bolt recklessly --
In its wake, I'll pen more idle words

Do you know how many teardrops it takes
To fill a glass after the wine is gone?
Many nights, when sleep refuses to come,
I sit counting my tears until dawn

How long can the flame of patience stay lit
On that candle upon my window sill,
Hoping its light beckons Love to my door,
And yet doubtful that it ever will

At times I despair, darkness overtakes
My mind, while hopeless thoughts start to unfold,
But the heart is wise and its spirit leaps
To stoke the embers that have grown cold

How long will I wait for Love to arrive?
'Til the blind man sees, and the deaf man hears!
But pardon me, I must be going now,
The wine is gone ..... time to count my tears
Lorraine Colon May 2022
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
Lorraine Colon Apr 2020
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!
Lorraine Colon May 2022
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!
Lorraine Colon Oct 2018
As thoughts tumble from my pen,
Who is collecting the words,
Scrutinizing, dissecting them,
Until they cry like wounded birds?

Let the words be as they fall,
Don't change their identity;
Drenched in tears or writhing in pain,
They're my feelings, finally set free

Please don't question my intent,
Each word was chosen with care,
Not born of whim or wanton chance --
What you see is my heart stripped bare

While the coals of passion burn,
Slowly, back and forth I rake,
Purposely I disturb their sleep
Until the ashes are awake

Don't search for hidden meanings,
There are no encrypted codes,
Just feelings, repressed and smothered
Until each emotion explodes

Look more closely at my words --
Transparent as summer's rain;
Don't interrupt their fragile voice,
Although you're tempted, please refrain!
Lorraine Colon Nov 2018
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!
Lorraine Colon Nov 2021
Are you still recalling that dispute
You had days ago with a loved one?
It's time unkind words were rendered mute,
Lay them in their grave -- what's done is done

What anguish a quarrel can dispense!
A snide remark, then a **** reply;
Do those hurtful words still cause offense?
Bind them to swift wings and let them fly

Time alone cannot heal broken hearts
Or bring 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 make you smile ---
Words and deeds that make happiness flow.
When bitter thoughts taunt you with their guile
Toss them to the wind and let them go!
Lorraine Colon Jan 2019
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
Lorraine Colon Apr 2019
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
Lorraine Colon Jun 2017
When I think of days and nights I have spent
Begging unresponsive deities,
I now wonder if that time should have been used
Savoring life's wine, instead of on my knees

So many prayers that rose like curling smoke
From a heap of dried smoldering leaves,
Rising upward, supplicating a response,
Were they lost in some galaxy thick with thieves?

I fear not one reached its destination --
Am I naive in my conclusion
That perhaps my prayers were feckless and garbled,
Or dismissed in a moment of confusion?

No! My prayers were delivered distinctly,
But to each one futile hope was pinned;
Too often these hands folded reverently,
While my supplications were lost to the wind

Now the rivulets are too cold to flow,
And the trees have donned their robes of ice;
No longer will these hands be joined together
Pointing upward, trying to reach Paradise

Such things are not accomplished by begging,
I turn my back and scoff at the rules
Of a game won only by the most cunning,
While faithfully observed by cowards and fools

I will not survey the devastation
Strewn in paths I've so faithfully trod,
Walking on thorns, wondering if I've suffered
Long enough to be found worthy by some god

Misery and woe have trespassed my heart,
So here's a vow I will not rescind:
These hands will now be used to reach out for love,
And not for prayers that will be lost to the wind!
Lorraine Colon Nov 2019
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
Lorraine Colon May 2020
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
Lorraine Colon Mar 2022
Though I love you, I am not blind
To your faults, but I let them pass;
I find contentment in your garden,
Though a few weeds grow among the grass

I was not blind when the blight came
To our orchard, rotting the fruits;
Yet, our tree grew stronger than before,
For deep and unblemished were the roots

Love is not blind . . . how clearly I see
The beauty of your heart and your soul,
So I choose not to sort good from bad,
But view your love as the perfect whole

Love is too precious to analyze ---
If we're blessed with love, let us give praise
While overlooking our loved one's faults,
Judging not their flaws in measured ways

In a secret chamber of your heart
Let the flame of forgiveness burn bright.
What joy seeing love's tender buds unfold
As the bitter memories take flight!

And so I believe love is not blind,
Though at times it has to make a choice
To close its eyes, pretend not to see,
And be guided by its inner voice
Lorraine Colon Aug 2022
Love left me waiting, staring at the stars,
While Faith and Hope stayed close behind;
Then the sun cast its rays, and still I stared --
(Now I know why they say love is blind)

And the sun and the stars looked down on me
And asked "What are you waiting for?"
Boldly I replied "I'm waiting for Love,"
And they laughed till I could bear it no more

Still I waited, but as the years marched on,
Faith and Hope abandoned their post;
And love never guessed its fatal mistake --
I would have made a marvelous host!

Love left me waiting, but I wait no more,
I've freed myself from its tether,
Ah, but Loneliness took pity on me . . .
It summoned Gloom . . . now we all live together
Lorraine Colon Sep 2018
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
Lorraine Colon Mar 2022
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
Lorraine Colon Feb 2017
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
Lorraine Colon Apr 2019
I've never envied another woman
For her jewels or garments finely sewn,
But I can't conceal the envy I feel
Knowing she has love to call her own

To see her walking as though she had wings
On her feet makes me pause in wonder;
And hard though I try, I cannot deny
I envy this spell that she's under

Once an elderly couple caught my eye ---
A man and woman whose youth had flown,
But her countenance, in radiant trance,
Left no doubt his love was hers alone

What envy permeates my waking hours --
What vile winds across my heart have blown!
I don't ask for much - a man's tender touch,
Just a love that I can call my own

But lonely days and nights turned into years,
And O, how my restlessness has grown!
I fear I shall die without knowing why
I never had love to call my own
Lorraine Colon Mar 2020
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
Somewhere there's a man who walks alone,
Finding mercy in the  pounding rain;
What a clever way to hide his tears,
With devious deceit he masks his pain!
But the lonely do what they must do,
Casting aside Reason's guiding rein

So a woman walks down moonlit streets,
Her echoing steps amidst the crowd;
Tired eyes scan each face, seeking the man
That would  wrap her in Love's envied shroud;
I know, for her shadow is my own,
Weary in my search, but head unbowed

Onward we press in pursuit of Love,
Walking in a melancholy trance;
When a tender smile is cast our way,
Or perhaps a warm inviting glance,
Love's untrodden shore comes within view,
Bringing glorious visions of romance

Time will not tame passion such as ours,
We have dreams defeat cannot smother;
We'll lay claim to Love the years denied
As a child claims Love from its mother;
For when such hearts join, bliss is assured ---
Lord knows we were made for each other!
Lorraine Colon Feb 2021
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?
Lorraine Colon Mar 2022
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
Lorraine Colon Mar 2018
What artist has dared to lay his brush
Upon this canvas, and vainly strive
To paint life into a dying heart
That surrendered its will to survive?

Only a master would dare this feat,
This assignment so bizarre and rare:
Paint a woman starved of love and joy,
Without revealing her true despair

Study those eyes locked in a cold gaze,
As if hiding unbearable pain;
Who can surmise what hell burns within?
This mute painting will never explain

A tear-moistened smile rests on her lips,
Causing premonitions dark and bleak
To the viewer, who can only guess
What he might hear if those lips would speak

Her empty hands, resting in her lap,
Are clasped together as if in prayer;
Voiceless supplications rise unheard,
A deafening silence fills the air

What artist is this that chose to paint
What the uncaring Fates have decreed:
A life of unending loneliness,
A broken heart, ever meant to bleed

Great artist, your work is now complete,
A masterpiece of duality --
Despair and hope, laced with smiles and tears,
Obscuring her true identity

This painter who dared not sign his name,
Nor from this daunting task, seek release --
Surely, now you recognize his style
As you behold Misery's masterpiece!
Lorraine Colon Jul 2020
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
Lorraine Colon Jul 2020
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!
Lorraine Colon May 2019
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
Lorraine Colon Sep 2019
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
Lorraine Colon Apr 2017
It didn't seem quite so urgent then
To lay my Song of Love at his feet;
The buds of Spring were yet to open,
And the song of the robin was sweet

I kept my song safe inside my heart,
I'd give it voice at just the right time,
As enchanting as a full blown rose
Would be the melody and the rhyme

And I rehearsed, a line at a time,
All the while, Fate watched from the back room;
My Song of Love, soon it would be sung
When the lilac trees burst forth in bloom

The lilacs dried, summer changed her dress,
While the hills took on a crimson hue;
No one asked to hear my Song of Love,
And soon the frigid winter winds blew

Now, behind snow-crested mountains,
Summer's sun has begun to descend;
My song lies wrapped in a burial shroud --
A concept it cannot comprehend

My Song of Love still wants to be heard,
"Tomorrow" still vibrates on my tongue;
Alas! tomorrows have come and gone
And my Song of Love remains unsung
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!
Lorraine Colon Jun 2020
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!
Lorraine Colon Sep 2023
I'm needing you like a rose needs the rain  ---
Her relief from the sun's burning shawl;
In mute despair she implores the sky,
Begging mercy with her silent call;
And O, what joy when that errant cloud
Hovers o'er,  and the rain starts to fall!

I'm needing you like a bird needs its wings
To ascend to a loftier perch
To scan the skies for its missing mate
In its frantic and desperate search;
(When the object of worship is absent,
How meaningless the choir and the church)

I'm needing you like the tide needs the shore
To find respite from the raging sea;
O, I need you in so many ways --
This rant could go on endlessly;
But should these words fail in their intent . . .
How incompetent my poetry!
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