On the banks of the river of time, I walk alone,
On this journey of life; Sorrow is my staff;
It gives me strength. Long ago, on a misty day,
I spotted you, your beautiful eyes visible
Through that veil, looking at me, across the river.
The fragrance of the promise of love wafted
Through the air, across the banks and even
Touched my heart; But I was impetuous. Too
Uncut my heart, to recognize that soft nudge,
I walked on, on my ‘mission’ alone, myself.
Alas, faith you did not have, in the power
Of your own love; that fragrance of love did
Overpower me, moisten even my hard heart.
But I lost you. When the mists cleared, I found
You nowhere; vanished, like a shadow. With
The haunting music of a joy that was not to be
Playing on the waves and my staff for my
Company, alone I now walk, on the banks of
This Endless River of time, on this journey of
Life, to some destination unknown, unknowable.

Torrential downpour-
Dry, morose, barren buildings;
solitary tree.

You die every day, like this: you choose a life of slow
Death: through long nights, you burn away
Like the slowly fading lamp
Mourning some sombre memory,
Does it matter to know, you love me?

The mist dripping from the roof and the slow
Wind of the deep nights play to the dirge
Of a buried life, buried behind
Walls of smoke, unfathomed crypts,
Does it matter to know, you love me?

You sit for hours like this, silent like the moon
On an unwavering pond on a windless
Night, your eyes express so much,
But say nothing, like a valley of flowers
On a silent summer afternoon:

Does it matter to know, you love me?

The clock ticks away, little concerned of the absence of attention
The tender morning silence that was unaffected
By the sharp chirps of myriad little birds
Quivers a little as waves recede
In the wake of the first morning train

A soft smile acknowledges a nudge and nods for a kiss
Thoughts crowd the wakened mind like the returning
Waters of a receding tide; long does it take
For us to see: a highest joy is spread common
Before our eyes, yet unrecognized.

These moments of calm reflection,
Undisturbed peace,
Quiet acceptance of all that is to be done

Like the first golden rays of sun
Sweeping the face
Amid gentle summer morning breeze

Like the brief lightening of the
Blueness of the sky
On a grey winter London afternoon

Love gushing into the heart
Soothing, like a spring
Silently flowing away in a deep forest

Makes all this living worth it!

Lost to everything around me, rising in myself like vapour,
Listening to Purcell and reading
Neruda, thinking just about you, I could melt away like this,
Burned so sweetly by your love,

Speaking in many voices the day knocks at my closed doors:
But the hammer, the drill, the
Traffic noise, din around me, all seem to just play like drums
To the effervescent dance of my spirit

I will burn away like this, lighted in the fire of your love,
I will become one with the fragrance
Haunting the depths of existence; everything must become
Like mist to my ascending spirit as I

Burn away
Consumed by the fire of your love:
This will be the frankincense I light at the altar of love