Funny Child
sparkling sapphire eyes
full of misadventurous adventure and whirlwind mutiny.
Never be still
For you are the beat of my heart.

A whisper escaping through ruby lips
and echoing through my fragile heart
A simple pact by a fool and his folly 
lays bleeding at my feet, betrayed.

Time marches on
fleet of foot
regardless of hope
in spite of love
it's beat, unwavering
drowns out our pleas.

We sat up high, we mighty kings
Gnarled branches our throne
Our sun kissed skin muddy
with tales of treasure to be found
and wild lands to be discovered.
We three, with grit grazed knees
and sweet strawberry breath,
hiding from the home-time calls of
clucking mothers with spit-wet handkerchiefs
our hand muffled giggles rising to the faded sky
in appreciation of a perfect day.

I haunt myself in darkened rooms
a vague recollection of beauty
aged and worn by your changing tides
Solitary as driftwood on winter shores in your company
I sit
shadow silent in my absence
While busy hands do busy things to pass the numbing time.

Crimson curls strewn wildly
across a sleeping chest
bright as blood on snow
against sated skin
weary limbs entwined
supple in their satisfaction
as dappled sunbeams
light the spoils of their surrender.

The sun mourns your absence,
her faded warmth muffled by wool- damp clouds
her once riotous light now muted
casting melancholy shades
over tear stained streets
as she listens for the echo of your laugh.

To all the times I held you
To all the times I cried
To all the times you hurt me
To all the times you lied
To all the times you screamed my name 
and the times I screamed yours back
To every bruise you gave me 
and for every bone you cracked.


To every name you called me
as your blows rained from above
To the corner that I cowered in
as you dealt out your "love"
To your friends that saw the battle scars and quickly turned away
To the drink that made you do it
even on your sober days.


I raise this glass to you my love
in thanks for all you've done
it took a while but now I see
that you're the damaged one
So when you're feeling lonely
Don't spare a thought for me
I cower there no longer
Your anger set me free.

What if love is just a word
Kicked around like dust
tripping off brazen tongues
in anticipation of pleasures spent.
Four letters in succession
to create one small sound
meaningless in it's utterance
triumphant in it's glory
as it dances across the lips of broken fools