Spirals swirl pink, purple hues
under pepper glaze within a mug made
of Carolina clay formed by dinosaur bones,
fish heads, castaway bouquets
of crepe myrtle dreams bobbing bright on a breeze
that led me to you

a venture from which nothing but trouble could ensue
for love makes me a servant to whim and folly.
Reason waves farewell and takes the first trolley
to some make-believe land where events make sense
leaves me stranded and helpless to master romance.

My mind once a goat in full command
could guide my heart without reprimand
but like a sheep led docile to slaughter
by love’s hand to death, I submit like Isaac, a devoted daughter.
My good shepherd where have you gone?
What is to become of my heart so undone?

I fail to find meaning in day-to-day scheming
mundane murmurs, duties professional seeming.
Untethered from love, my soul departs these shores
determined to escape and feel nothing more
but the cold wind of logic and rational thought
on the open sea where the sun’s gold gleams not.

Dark tides swell, swallow in briny delectation
meaningless words, gull cackles of conversation
on shore car wheels spin, chrome shines
though speeding innovation dulls not the fangs of time.

Silence beckons my inner confusion
stops the mockery of my forlorn delusion
my heart numbed clean
of hope and wonder, joy and pain
no music but thunder, no laughter but rain
beneath a warm blanket of earth
my comfort at last sustained.