the stars twinkled over us
we spent it almost together
restless nights, heated indecision
long car drives and destinations
two planets, briefly aligned
surfing the warmth of the celestial ocean
the sky ripped open, our places in the cosmos
gently arrayed side by side
you: an anchor in my waves
my floating being; freedom and tumult
me: the water, the sea, washing over your strength and sturdiness
a free spirit, a water nymph, swimming alongside
pooling over you in blue melancholy
two hearts alight with the glow of the other,
just out of orbit, reaching
so close, yet so far away
different corners of the heavens

tree spirits beckoned
through pools of dawn's blushing glow
trees silvered seeping with soft musk and hazel
their lilting throngs of whispering tilleul arms
splitting misted air into swirls of hushed enchantment
pressed into the grass with strokes of emerald shade
etched into that twisting turret
lines
a hundred
each a miniature scroll of letters and words
blazing through sap and bark and bramble
each a sample of language
the ancient and vast
ink of sun's blood, gilt and dragon's fire

i wonder if they know the mystery
a conundrum of molten sentiments
an enigma of misheard or broken statements
a solitary piece of bone china, shattered on the ground

how did it happen?

that's what she asked herself in the haze
of phantoms choking her with lingering
smoky fingers of regrets and unspoken words
suffocating that tiny part of
her unscathed technicolor imagination

you know

the part that hasn't been sabotaged by visions of dramatic and morbid situations
that drip with the inky blood of the lost or escaped prisoners of old time ideas and essays
the state of the free and softly molded sparks
that dance in bright fields of constellations and galaxies
nebulas of true hope and joy
floating in a void of fear soaked thoughts

she is a fragilely sculpted being
born of earth and dust and dirt
a world's oblivion is coiled around her hair
flowing over shoulders that bear numerous opinions
and sometimes various glances of vague curiosity, disdain or admiration
the celestial tied to this tiny sliver of mud
freckled aquamarine speck
bound to the earth through delicate ties
a shell of the terrestrial

the mortal who clothes herself in immortality
through the only Way
the rise of the Spirit over the desolate flesh
only through His Blood is she reminded of His divine sacrifice
for all the delicate beings that reside temporarily
on this tainted planet

she smiles in triumph
studying a loosely strung thread
a tapestry of silvered fibres
naked in exposure when caught
in strong sunlight and a thin clasp
of miniscule enchantment

oh you are of temporary matter
temporary breath
temporary flesh
temporary glory

until eternity begins

quiet darkness
so it covers them
the hills awash with soft onyx breath
wandering paths of frosted stardust
glittering like shards of tears; pearlescent
December , close your eyes
light of the perpetual dreamer
snowflake, gentle traveler
of the heavens you traipse down
barely a ripple on the laced, moonlit hills
star

fire within, greater than the flame of the stars
seared in cracks of desert and forest rivers
capillaries of life
in deep valleys of yesterday’s silhouettes
tomorrow is forever leading,  
cradling vehemently against the force of
winds that ravage the valley with wolves’ teeth
sheltering a flickering warmth that revives
amid the glacier rivulets in the winter days
revives and longs to grow into a forest fire
abounding in ardour
except instead of torching all to ash
alighting its arms around
every flower and stem of life

can i ask a favor?
let me climb all the way up
through the chalk of the night
scatters of seeping ivory and wan silver
treading on the tiny reminders of design
wading knee-deep through the tide of marbled moon's blood
luminescent and whispering
in flickering voices
and twinkling smiles
and let me slumber
amongst their soft and burning hues
floating in ebony waters
overflowing with splendor

there hides a secret in the heart of the ferns
stars sing over this gilded corner of pixie homes and rippled pool
cool tears of the saturated mountain heights flow down the sloped arms
of hills, sprouting with seeds and clovers
to spill into the lake, dancing dragonfly wings
jasper and honey
here the lilies form goldfish ceilings
hearing every incantation above and below
rimmed stalks surround them, soft and tall
rabbits run wild, lacing round trunks of magnolia and pear
olive and ancient dogwood
the air sings of fairy work, a breathing painting of magic

the clock struck midnight
and the darkness stood still
in the hidden corner, a flicker loomed
casting pale drops of light
on creatures hibernating in dreams
as if to crack the doorway
illuminating a night path
through thin veils of waking
into the watery ebb of pink yellow
bleeding into the clouds
opening the eyes of the sky
to see us, nesting underneath
in the hollows and mountains of the earth

they all turned their faces away
bore flares
of sleeping suns
sails billowing
unfurling stems
heavy with blood orange petals
carpeted burgundy
twigs
cracked stone
acorns
riverbank of leaves
flaxen deeply
covered in willow hair
tidal river’s race
idyll

plant the seedlings of wanderlust  
into the thinning gloom
throbbing with the last touch of night
mingled with remnants of moon
down an avenue of silver, stardust, far off places
some day
sun bathed rooftops
terracotta, buttermilk
olive terraces,  the sea's bed
blinking eyes of a vast heartland
... delighted to meet you!

light
in places of shadowed hearth
arms of candle fire reach through the window panes
into the breath of frozen lips, the ballerinas of frost who dance into sleep
on all the leaves  in swathes of amber flood, the sun sinks down his head to rest
in beds of fire-colored moths,  clumps of dew and bracken hedge

he is a never-ending wondering
a small zephyr
copse of oaks
opaline birch sleeping in dappled moonlight
a quietly felt remembrance
secret

small yellow bloom
swaying between the dawn and mist of dusk
her legs dance through the grass and pebbled bays
lichen clings to the trees,  security in the ebb and flow
of the silver oyster moon’s face,
beaming, full-cheeked for now
but so very fickle tomorrow
when the storm breathes russet
and lightning splits the sky into violet mountain peaks

all the shadows in the world it seems
have fallen from the sky of my innermost self
clouded over and collecting in outstretched palms
trickling to overflow over my fingers
completely saturating
and if to refresh for a second, to drown the next
the oak tree in the forest knows this
he is witness to all
that dance on the borderline of chaos and hollows
in the deepest ocean of blackness and canyons
within the inside
the carved out ribs of mountains that thrum with wind-whistle
and glint in the shade of ashen branch piles

velvet sheets
threaded from shimmering webs
glacier streams
alabaster; moonbeams
burnished drop of light
sleeping with eyelids
painted in shades of
pearl

brittle leaves swing with windchime thrills
scattering minature fairy hats northwards
bristle tops of seeded whimsy
light strokes branches of resilience
revealing notches and furrows filled with courage
warmed and hazelnut tones of sap and towering elegance
in the end flourishing into taffeta skirts of green
plumes, plums and sour-apple caterpillars

rows of owls roost in their hair
secretly, I know that the trees are artists
they paint the air with fluttering brushes
scalloped and veiny
fingers so slowly tracing the clouds
who swing close to dust
in sprawls of fog and rain fairies
bless this ground
aspen and pine soak in it
tiny mouths rooted in the dew
mud and puddles
windows into the sky
where the roses' souls catch
napes and necks
in amber
melted petals

borderlines, precipices
clumps of breath-heavy
irises, mauve and lacing
caffeinated storms
sadly don't deter
unwelcomers
residual figures haunt halls
dreams, thoughts
revealing mind's eye
marring clear water

submerge the surface of your soul around my ankles
gingerly then violently raging against the shore
sable night coastline
soaking into the vast stretch of finely crumbled sun stars
leaving your residue of pearled-breath on
the unspoken words of a hundred poets
mixing the briny depths into metaphors
the lock-lipped horizon
keeping secrets only He knows the answers to
obsoletes of one place
originals of the other

the skyline melted
a soft molten candle
spiced tea and honey
steeping in the roof of the earth
the seawater flecked golden
in the mirror glazed shore
undescribed radiance
inside this hallowed cove
muted sea-spray and sunrises

unripe
one slender shoot
growing through the
shadows of serpentine weeds
the blackest of stones
blinded
in shrouds of whole brilliant suns
nectarine fire in tongues of holy flame
in the grain of dormant seeds
within creatures
sleeping, waiting to be saved

lean over the edge
into a pool of pungent wistfulness
on the other side of a memory
scrawled over crumpled pages
or in the depths of a silent tear
reaching out for lost history
falling gold and hushed wafts of jasmine
rising notes of the promised tomorrow
stitching together the divide

slowly light spreads
unrolling a thick nebulae carpet
deep forrest in the night sky
coruscating amethyst meadows
growing star drops and fire cups
tiny diamonds strewn
on the angelic borderlands
of a place far too beautiful

our feet tread on cautious shadows
fleeting swan feathers, running through shallow voices
fire my love, inside your spirit
bridle it and ride over the crescent
of moon, arched in perfect tension
a taught bow string; trembling silver fire
waiting for the quiver
hidden in the angel's hand
filled to overflowing with restless arrows
tumbling through the raven nights

why do the trees hug the shoreline so closely?
in twists of tangled arms
green flags, sprouting twigs
the lonely glare, floating in between the mirrored
crisp fractals of light
sliced into the blue deep
a tiny paper boat, sprigged with daisies
sailing the horizon
balancing an endless tightrope
tipping into the pulsing heart of the sky
over the edge
of the world.

rain is sifting through the leaves              
nests of bramble, blackberry  
ferns green and resting in
noon's shadowed face
shining drops, halcyon
washing April blue until
the moon blinks

dust, wood
the ground grows soft there
a sheet of pine needles
footprints etched into
the chestnut hues of autumnal life
softly the air gives way to raindrops
feeding the trees,
their steeples covering
creatures who wander their corridor
merging into the tarmac
stippled with pebbles
and freckles of water and fire

smudged into the soil
rooted amongst the oaks
Your life echoes through their depths
shines through linden arms
resounds within silent windows
through which You illuminate my spirit
sylvan winds sway my mind
one day isolated, only to see
reminders that You are here
and the crescent You carved
and fixed in night's sleep;
she glows over fragile souls
evening is peppered with freckled light
soft gleams of vanilla
still lies night's heart
black sheets washed in the crumbs
of a celestial banquet
You hold this world in love
and touch the hills with dawn's shining face
wiping away fear
pooling our tears
and watering the earth

tell me, what do they feel like?
satin on skin, silken and luxurious
gently brushed rose petals, their velvet caress soothing pain
maybe sandpaper, each syllable dripping with poison ivy, a deadly venom of voice or pen
stabbing you with ink quilled thoughts
chewing on stained letters, each a glass edged piece of
branded CAPITAL LETTERS on the page of your cranium
burning and scalding you as they spill off your tongue
quietly, shh, speak in soft shades of lavender
or bellow it to the crowds, in violent flames of vermillion
soothe or salt the wound of another with your pen
forgive or arm yourself with a battalion of frenetic artillery

or let silence frame your contentment