my mother always said
"don't fall in love with a poet"
they pretend to love you
but what they really love
is writing about loving you
you are mere words to them
feelings cheapened by a page,
dusty grey typewriters,
and many unfinished drafts
of lovers both old and new,
you are the question mark,
but not the answer,
they are searching for ?
person unidentified: mystery
the page wanderer,
each poem a missing
person poster to cover their
bedroom walls.
they cannot love something
that is in their head
poets are the loneliest of
all people, my mother said.
they write to immortalize
what has long passed.
to live within their words,
but not reality,
lost souls writing suicide notes
and proclaiming it art.

Down by the river
Fog dances and swirls
To mists in thought

Down by the river
Swims the desires
we keep hidden deep

Down within the river
Flows the hardwired
reality that speaks

Dance fleet shadows
of souls heavenly
they seek

Down by the river
ache and heartbreak
forms swirling clouds

Down by the river
rising from the tears
we weep loud

Let us dance
our lives radiant , free . . .
Down by the river

Rainclouds form,
in a grey skied mind,
pouring down,
is so unkind,
crystal ball tears,
& lightning fears,
emotionally you're mind reading,
indigo ink is quickly bleeding,
your touch you know I'm needing,

a premonition was imprinted,
on your darkened heart,
& doomed us right,
from the start,

I crash to the ground
in a deafening sound,
thunderstruck,
endings ****
& so does luck,

I'm ripped apart at the seams,
shattering my broken dreams,
of ever finding the way,
to your sea,
& ever hoping my heart,
will finally be free.

Cherie Nolan © 2016

you will go your way
despite my protests
no use lamenting
what was never promised
the sun rides low the horizon
soon it will not clear the treetops
storms gather in the northern sea
needled wind to scattered seed
hoary frost on yellowed grass
dark leaves in mirrored puddles
a suspended death
crystalline and indeterminate
there is no fire hot enough
to stave off the first chill
of a careless winter
the numb hibernating sleep
soft gray melting days
the desperate wish
to regain summer

Only the moon
Defines our day
With orbit

Only sunshine
Allows our life

Only our ***
Creates our people

Only your love
Made me whole

Now moon drifts away
3.87 centimetres
Each year

The night shall stretch
And die

You left
All at once

Only I cry
I cry
I cry