And the cor anglais
Plays
The snake charmers
Medley
In the oriental artifice
Created for you

And the jasmine soaked
Velvet
Of the cushions and curtains
Masks
The devotion
Engendered by you

And the blue tiled
Fountain
And Moorish arched garden
Cool waiting
For moments
Gifted by you

I envy
The simplicity of the dog;
Thirsty,
drink puddle
Itchy,
scratch ear
Frustrated,
just bark
Bark!
Bark!

And when tired
sleep

Losing credibility
like the film star,
kissed
too many times,
by too many,
to be ever again
believably
in love

Our relationship
Doesn’t work

You only need me
When it suits you
You only use me
On the occasion
Of maybe
Knowing
That I remain
Your only option

I won’t always
Be here
For you

For Sheri and Russ


the thing about love is
that you cannot plan it
or describe it
or put it into words

the thing about love is
that you cannot own it
or possess it
or keep it for yourself

the thing about love is
that you can’t predict it
or restrict it
or make it play to rules

the thing about love is
that you cannot seek it
or borrow it
or put it in a cage

the thing about love is
that you cannot paint it
or write it
or describe it in a verse

the thing about love is
that you can’t demand it
or supply it
or find it in a dream

the thing about love is
that you can’t practice it
or teach it
or know it inside out

the thing about love is
you cannot master it
or limit it
or make it sit quite still

the thing about love is
that you can’t ignore it
or expect it
or deserve its warm embrace

the thing about love is
that you can’t bottle it
or label it
or place it on a shelf

the thing about love is
that when you find it
you'll know it
and you’ll recognise its face

These places
so familiar
where we were
where we existed
in time
accumulating memories
leaving traces
& absorbing influences

This place
returning
a frozen evolution
recomplete
animated
by your presence
relevant again
to all of us

Where is it
the softness you
promised?
Behind your ear?
In your smile or
on the soles of your
feet?

It was inferred
gently
in the measure
of your words
& touch
And strangely in your
anger

Where is the softness
I sensed
in the half-smile meeting
or did you wrap
it tightly
in your brittle shell
of skin?