light a match to the dry eyed heart
bring back the romance
bring back your heart
while there is life there is hope
you've been through the darkness
now come back to the light
the world needs bold hearts like yours
bring the love you have in you
bring it home
light a match to the dry eyed heart
bring back the romance
bring back the light

they all walked
with willing hearts
with open eyes
or so they all believed
they wanted to know madness
so she showed them mirages she created ink and paper
the fruit of a tree where there was only barren darkness
the man who could fly without wings or a sky
a sea made of sand
a child with an old mans soul
a dream made of burning wood
the machinery of the mad mind blinded by darkness
its wheels turning powered by the words she spoke
its sharp edged meanings painted by her haunting eyes
did a lifetimes living in its loud escapism
quick the muddy waters flow
drink of its thick strong taste
know the clarity of madness
only found in the shadows of night
a corner beyond the edge of carpet
carved into the wooden floor in strange symbols
the meaning of your life
the name of the beast your heart rides
its dark skin that you cling to sweating and hot
leaves you staring into
the abyss
lost from your mind
whispering secrets
laughing quietly
grin at the beast
see it grin back

the addled man sits
with his eyes wide as the photographer focuses
his lost scraps of tangible thought
he sews into a tapestry
of foolish creations
such charm may be found
in the playground of amused twisted creatures

but the grip the shadow he casts
crawls across the sun strewn lawn
like a creature of thirsts
tangled in its spoken vision is the
frame of the house of the mad
this shadow he bleakly thrusts at me
is rife with the rumours of tomorrow
but make for a thin meal in the aftermath of today

he sits with his glasses on
smudged with stained greasy fingerprints
like a visual history of his labours to seek this
understanding with a brutal sunny day
the scraps of his meager thoughts
swirl round and round the stew of his mind
the bitter things float
the sorrows pool to one side in toxic lakes
edged by the serene images of summer

the shadow his eyes chase finally reaches the church wall
and he bemoans a loud spectacle of a prayer
to the divinity of the photographers gentle hand
redeem me with your lens
stitch a new meaning to this tattered life
mere reflections of the world captured by her hand
through the lens
through the shadows he flings with
careless abandon wherever his raggedy preamble
of a life gathers him

beauty is a hearts hunger
beauty of feeling or beauty of sight
i live for her
she is my light

i hear your voice in the shadows
i see your reachin out to save me
but you dont know
you dont see

deep down inside
deep below the fast waters of words
is dark places that have claimed my soul
there are shadows shot into the soul

there are things
in the shadows of your world

just round the corner from your bistro's
just down the street from your happy homes
just round the alley from your bright shopping malls
are places like an open grave
and theres no life there
in the the breathing things crawling there

i came from there
a place no one belongs
a place not easy to escape
so don't ask me
cause i may just tell you
and that's always the first footfall
on that dark path
is thinking bout that dark place
thinking it holds something
other than death
living death

so don't ask me
i don't want to tell you
wouldn't wish it on anyone

it was a winters night
the air thick with cold
a thin veil of snow dancin its way to the the
the dead earth tangle of leaves and twisted vines
an odd echo follows her words
as the cold steals them off her sweet lips
it distracts from the meanings of her deity gazing argument
and i allow the conversation to die a fitful death at the hands
of her discomfort
wanting only to hold her hand
but denied by the harsh truths in her stance
by the tears she inflicts by proxy
we resume our walking with a silence between
like a rough thief his filthy hand on our hearts

the snow becomes heavy
and the taste of cold is bitter
she shivers as we reach her door
she pauses me in my distracted mumblings of fumblings
and invites me in with an odd voice unspoken
so we lay warming ourselves silently by the fire
watching it define itself with its own soul searching dance
she reaches out and takes my hand
and without a word begins to weep
i pull her to my arms troubled but not breaking the silence she keeps
like a fortress of shadows
like a dark army dressed all in black
become a funeral procession at war with itself

we did not say a single word to eachother that whole night
we made love there on the dusty carpet
and slept fitfully wrapped in eachothers needy arms
like two lost fearful minstrels wearing the same terrible tale in a mournful song
i can still hear it in the taste of her tears
when she was near her ****** she stopped and looked deep into my eyes
kissing me with such gentle hand
like forgiveness as the tears began to fall once again
we made love again and like the wine dried to the bottom of our well
we pushed it aside to find comforts in slumber
and eachothers nervously tender embraces

outside the snow fell like a soft mountain
deep and thick with its own tale of dark princes of night
deep and thick with its own tears of memory
somewhere in the distant mountains
a stranger run to the river to fetch water
trying to appease the fire that consumes his world
the shouts of desperate urge painted thick on this cold cold wind
disturbing our dreams

till the cold dawn broke the overcast with bright scorpions of sunlight
through the high windows
falling on the wine stained dark wood floor
where she had left a note for my waking minds confusions
and so she had fled my world
on the steam train headed north
headed back into the winter
leaving me in the windswept dunes
watching gulls swim in the winter sky
alone without words to heal
alone with just a aching memory of her body in my arms

my lover wrapped in white linens
with the small breezes stirring
the curtains
with the first rays of summer morning breaking on her brow
like wild horses scatter full of the power of beauty and purity
with the power of my desire for her
my lover
she lay in my arms
warm and breathing softly
and i tenderly kiss her lips
and tell her that she is my temple
she is a epic adventure that i open each day
to find what wondrous vista she will teach me
what deep mystery she will unlock before me
to find the wonder and beauty i find exploring her and her sweet form
to know her
to be with her
in her
to see the world thru the hope i find in her bright eyes
to see each-other in the everyday of our lives
isn't so hard
when its with someone like her

she was born of the cold north wind
she was a divine presence in sunlight
but she was a dark word softly slipping into the ear
not for malice but for her own fears
she thought me a chalice from which she could
sip the fine wine
and so she disrobed her outrageous contagion
and with a swiftly measured dance and desire taunting
she lay out the design of her entrapment
and enticed me to follow her into its sweet softness
because she had known desperation and hunger
and she had once sworn while huddled in the cold rain
that she would never succumb to the whims again
no malice in her intents just
one woman against the reckless world
just one soft creature of light in the foreboding desolation
so i sheltered her from the blistering cold of that winters night
and while the wind flayed the snow across the window
we spoke quietly deep into the night
before she without a word took me into her bed
offering without penance the alter of her divinity
surrendering without attached implications all her jewels
she was born of the cold north wind
but as she dressed in the morning and slipped out into the bright sunlight
i thought to myself she was more a home to the deep summer night
and its passions delights
i never did see her again
but i know that she thrives in some warm dream
she lay supple and young in my thoughts
as she did that night in my soul forever more
a goddess of light in the foreboding desolation
of a winters night

her delicate hand did lead me away
from the setting sun and all its warm glories
took me to a place of mysteries
she silenced my velvet tongue with her smile
placed some music in the sweet summer air
pulled me into a soft dance close to
her lace and rose scented silken skin
let me loose myself in her enchantments
let me change in the warmth of her gaze
told me with a voice that sailed the breeze
like on wings of gentle butterfly's
that she could handle a rough one like me
that she could see the harsh edges disappear
if i would let her
she took her words down to whisper
asked me to take her
till the sunshine breaks the clouds
till her last willing surrender
till she would call out so lovely
that she has found who she had spent lifetime looking for
and i knew i could build a life with her too
one with words exchanged softly
one with hopes sweetest dream
with her
today

feather light i drift in a dream
feel the sun's breath on my face
floating eternal upon warm summer breeze
forever between dusk and first light
the sweetest sense of reality reflected in minds eye
where i find the shopping cart in parking lot
the scattering of cracks in the pavement paints
a masterpiece of loves and loss
hearts born to passions of desires flame
and those who sit in wicked darkness and
nurse the dying light of beautiful loves lost
feather light i drift in this place
feel the moon's compassionate light on my face
for the moon sees all these dreams
and holds us to its warm heart
keeps us from being alone in the night
wake now all you dreamers
dawn approaches
and our dreams must stop
till dusk comes again and unites us in beautiful loves

absent words speak loudly in the minds eye
often heard more clearly that the ones that are spoken
all the things that one wished had or could be said
the absent person also speaks
in your heart

since the first poet picked up pen
they have cried out to end war
all it takes it to see a single face
a woman sitting by the winters window
with the light of candle to guide his way home
for naught...he has fallen to the tomb
on some forgotten field where noble ideal clashed
but she still awaits him
looking into the camera with such sorrows as to rend my heart
her delicate eyes looked out
at me from the photograph creased with
time and miles
she was a soldiers wife
she held the the candle by the winters window
light the way home for him

in thouse eyes you can see the echoes of dancin with joys
in hay of barnyard and the ashes of thouse sweet dreams now long past
you can smell the bread fresh baked sunday mornin' with loves hand
now gone cold in the dust of empty homes cupboard
in thouse tender eyes you can see the hope each of us
holds so dear to the heart fading away in darkness

in thouse gentle eyes you can hear the souls shuffling off to
meet one another in fairest fashion on the avenues of glory
if i could reach back through the passing of time
and hold this young woman's hand
comfort even in some small part
but i fear words fail me and my strength wanes
as i ponder the cost

if i could only tenderly take her hand
and give some measure of comfort
ease this burden
but time and miles has left a hundred years to the tale
and nothing yet has been learned
as today on the television a young man stretches
out his will on some foreign field  
to change his small world by force of arms
nothing yet has been learned

immortal in my heart
are the moments with her in my embrace
lost myself in her tender loves
her unspoiled gaze is the home iv sought
all my life
the warm seasons of my heart
belong to her
like two summer suns together we live as one
forever in the beautiful illusions
of summers everlasting days
and deep pure nights
as one we live
as one we breath
this eternal love
this gift sweet and dear

time moving....
twist the words into meanings
unkempt and strange
or simple and pure
twist them till you see yourself in them
then speak them clear and loud
speak in tongues if that spins your lily's
but make sure your heard
its not weak to be silent
but it takes strength to speak
to make yourself heard above the crowd
to get your point made
time is moving....
speak your hearts greatest dreams
speak the softest moment you once shared with a lover
there is such beauty in every heart
there is such beauty in every life
you only have to find it
in moments of compassion for the down trodden
in helping hand given to strangers
in the gift of a smile
like she gave me
time is moving...
but my time to write this poem has expired

the white language of snowfall lay
perfectly still where sunshine once warmed
a shaft of light pierces the evening tide of falling snowflakes
a point of reference for the weary footfall of
the man heading home
warm sweet home
his steps retraced leave one with
the enduring feeling that this vast sea of snow
covering the ground in gentle undulation
is but a foretaste of days of cold febuary to come

the winds tugs at his hood
and cling to his heart
in this the depths of winter
as he plunders his next
footstep from the cold crisp snow
it stirs thoughts of desolation
but he can see clearly sings of life
the tracks of a small creature as
it too reached for it home and warmth
in some nest or burrow

he feels the turning tides of this nights snow
he understands the meaning of these changes
to where summer sun once stretched the days into
long comforting green beauty of vibrant life
where spring will come
to melt away the white carpet which
he lays his mind on this night
where he will dream once more of
the beautiful summer sun will grow upon him
like the embrace of a lover
like the truth of passing seasons
write their own passionate tales
with the wind and skies
with the beauty of dark and light mixed
in the heart of our dreams

its late
and the stale September air feels
to linger on a hint of something impending
search for its meaning
but the stars are muted by sky
and.she lay here sleeping peacefully
so all the known
is reduced to stark words
penned to page so long ago
the instruments of its creation have since
turned to dust and bones
have become like September air
the forever transition
between warmth of loving summer
and the cold grip of winter

its late
and the September air is stale
in my chest
as I breath quietly next to my lover
as she dreams
of me
I entwine my hand in hers
and urge sleep to overtake me
so I can join her smiles
and run with her in our dream

the long day done at long last
watching as the sun sails into night
watching as the street folds up its day faces
the ones of good cheer
peddlers of balloon cotton candy mysticals
the ones who have traveled to the far reaches
seen more than tongue can tell
the wanderers of the ancient and magical
listen as these deep souls speak
like a quiet song loud as the wind and sea
then listen to the young souls speak
with laughter and tears
deeper living to be done is what they sing
let us set aside the rights and wrongs
of what divided us
lets breath deep the gathering evening tide
and join them in believing and living
in the forgiving lovin sun
take off that anger you wear with such fear
mask that you hide behind
and lets fly in the stars
like the lovers of ancient world
with our very souls

her face is what my heart paints into
this whirlwind of conflicting images
her velvet voice just within perception beneath wild wind
calling my name with reassurance and empathy
intensity of the night tries again and again to overwhelm
but the grainy vision of my confusions cannot withstand
fragments shatter and her intent sweet and sure shines into my eyes

brittle stone that i lay my head on
while rain soaks the woods around me
pieces of sky seen through canopy of leaves
rushing torrent of clouds
shades of grey
my pale mind grasps at swift thought
like reaching for a ghost
droplets of rain gather in the palm of my hand
slowly pooling there cold and indifferent
swallow them whole bitter and smooth

dusk finds me walking slowly in the woods
without path or direction
admire the madness
question the sky in mumbled phrase
my body inked with the tread of darkness encroaching
seek patterns there like gifts of sweet thought
jumble them till they will play out like
a hopeful dream
a promised heaven on this dark earth

night finds me standing at the edge
of the football field in the drenching rain
in the utter darkness of solitude
my mind speaks loudly at me
gestures animated with images distraught and disturbing
so loud in my head i cannot scream
in some inner corner of me
i wait silent vigil holding hopes light up against
this dark of night

dawn finds me at long last
curled up under a tree
sleep wrapping me in warm tender bliss
i have survived the worst of it
a trail home lay before me
laid out with the clarity that her open and warm heart
had gifted me
sleep now be at ease
she waits for you
she waits for you

a storm rode up slow
on the sea's horizon
filling our senses with its wild winds
we rode the night out passing bottle of crisp wine
by candlelight while the sea rocked us
like children in the cradle
but our laughter and words were
so alive with our long roads
so rich with our full years

morning found us taking on water
so we turned to make haste
some near uncharted islands haven
and we beached her on untainted sands
with its stretch of palms and gentle *****
as he worked to mend sail and patch the hull
we walked far up the shore and found secluded spot
and i lay there with you
drinking in your taste and body
feasting with you on the sweetbreads of our love
till we were full and were left with only soft smiles

we sailed once again as dawn overtook the sky
sound once more and making good time
with a beautiful salt breeze in our sail
beating to windward
with a loving song to our hearts
these the days that my heart will cherish
these are the living dreams that
my worlds foundations are built upon
i knew i would marry you
you knew i would always be yours
from this day till time cease

one of the masters could have captured this for you
one of the great poets could have spoken to you
with such moving beauty
as to stir your soul
could have painted her sweet dignity
could have brought her soft smile home to you
and laid it gentle restless on your romantic heart
swept aside all but the truth to the sunlight
dancing on the fingertip of a blade of grass
watch it dance like sparkling stars come
magnificently to play in the midday meadow
watch the wind romance the trees
and dance laughing in her hair
as you are soul searching in her cool water mind

one of the great wordsmiths would have left you
sitting here with her hand in yours
feeling that kind warmth that leaves you feeling so alive
feeling the beauty of the forever moment in her sweet eyes
yes one of the great poets would leave you dancing
on cobblestone street at midnights majestic hour
with the laughing sinners and saints
back before such definitions divided
we were all just happy clowns
dancing and smiling for the sake of dancing and smiling
and so don't fear this
i am not one of the greats but i can spin a word or two
and i just want to see you happy once again
i will take you there
in my soft fashion
because i never seen you so happy
and that means more to me than mere words can say

her simple pure lines
her light footstep in frigid gloom
open lips tremble over the broken phrase
she casts glances behind as she sneaks up the alley
as if the thing crawling up her spine is
any other than the aftertaste of her own dark urges
anything but the small sound creeping in conscience in the night

she packs her self deceptions into the pockets of her ***** jeans
and shudders at their wet stain slowly spreading
with their stench mocking her and her ridicule
she ***** on her cigarette greedily
the tip glowing like a furnace in the darkness of the room
its thick smoke laden the air with its fearful premonitions
like an oracle she casts the bones like cigarette ashes
and speaks of the future she sees
but my finger traces the dark lines on her arm
a thousand holes of individual crime
a thousand times compounded unholy union between dark and light

but she breaths a smile on me
and i must surrender to her world of mystery's
i must submit to the silence of her dark reverences
her alabaster skin flows beneath me
like a frozen river
each moment a lifetime in the presence of her spoken disturbances
like ripples on the still and dark waters,
of her sorrows released like doves caught in fading light
like scattering dust motes on the bitter winds

forever lingering in the absence of
forever in the desire but never the attainment
please hear me now like you have never heard me before
i cannot bear another moment in this cage of vices
in this silent dark place
forever lingering in the absence of
her
and her touch

the two women sit in
absolute silence
worlds apart in the small room
they look at the polished wooden floor
and wait
she shifts in her seat
nervously looking at her watch
while the other woman plays on her phone
each had taken time to be here
each had a role to play in this daydream
she gets up
and like an obscene gesture walks to the door
a thousand eyes film her as she leaves the silent room
a thousand wishes embrace her as she leaves the silent room
the other woman flinches back into
the confines of her chair
and puts away her phone
she glares at the door
wishing for the courage to escape
knowing nothing would try to stop her
except her own fear
two women sat in absolute silence
only the younger fled
the older woman trapped by her own mind
waits for rescue that may never come
the mind is a dangerous place to wander
too easy to become lost in its maze of reality
she waits there

leaning on the far side of half awake
fragments of poems flowing and falling round
with glimpses of things real and imagined
roads taken and thouse that only dreams tread
out of this soft maelstrom she moves like a ghost of blue silk
out of the silent dance of half sleep
on the edge of reality's cage
she lay down with and with ever gentle hand
brushes away all the fragments floating
and gives with beautiful gaze
a single perfectly formed phrase
like a piece of music in the larger symphony of her life
and after making sure that i had a firm grasp on the lines given
because she knows what a silly forgetful boy i can be
she kisses me awake
with that giggle that i was so fond of
twenty one years
twenty one years