The feelings that hurt most,
the emotions that sting most,
are those that are absurd - The longing for impossible things,
precisely because they are impossible;
nostalgia for what never was;
the desire for what could have been;
regret over not being someone else;
dissatisfaction with the world’s existence.
All these half-tones of the soul’s consciousness create in us a painful landscape,
an eternal sunset of what we are.

A maul is not an axe;
an axe is not a maul.

One is for splitting,
the other for felling.

Of course to trees
such distinctions
are immaterial.

Walnut rounds
scattered on grass
stare into juniper
scratching the sky—

tall pallbearers
shiver in wind,
whisper above
dead medallions,
unblinking eyes.

The handle I hold
like a divining rod;

metal blade forged
by inchoate words,

honed on grinding
letters of precision.

Yesterday I asked myself,
Do I care about the pain?
The utterances from you mouth,
The tears that fell like rain.

Yesterday your face was red,
From things I couldn't feel,
Your sadness was your world,
For me it was hardly real.

Yesterday I sat and watched,
As you tried to set it straight,
And while I had been there,
It was a forgotten date.

Yesterday brought pain it's true,
My mind filled with regret,
It echoed with the thought of you,
Until tomorrow I forget.

On those empty lonely nights
When the city is fast asleep
And my dreams are wide awake
And there's nothing save for the moon and the stars
I often look up to the skies and wonder...
...'the stars..they watch over us every night..even on the roughest of days..there is always that one star in the sky..perhaps they have a greater purpose than what it seems..they don't come out merely to beautify the night sky...they come out to give hope..they come out to inspire'..perhaps they are saying...'hey there star-gazer look at us...we have been burning since time immemorial...every night we come out not to please your eyes but to tell you that be like us...each and everyday of your life..try and do what you do best..and we promise you...you will never regret a day in your life...even when you're enveloped by the clouds of sadness..don't give up...keep fighting..keep smiling..keep shining.'