She hums to herself because she is an
unrivaled botcher of lyrics. Her yellow
butter hair swings buoyantly to her tune.
She smells of bubble gum and does not have
a care in the world. She likes to make up her
own words and her own set of rules. This girl
that thinks she has an answer for everything.

I saw the familiar
rose-flush dust
shoot from my
fingertips,

the day
I finally
decided
to snap out of it.

I had forgotten what lived inside me.

I snapped again
at the
worrywart hut
I'd created
for myself
to live in.

And again, once more
for all time
gone
to my mind's

incessant banter
and going-on's
with
the
flirty,
too flirty,
doubting Adonnis.

The fog was heavy,

in its resilience against my
needs
to get it right,

overtaking me in confusion,
making me forget

the reality
that lay beyond it.

Its grip was choking,

sending me reeling
through a
soul-tainting realm

I hated
I knew so well,

grasping

for anything
to hold on to,

anything that
looked
like

Life.

So,

with the moon
tonight,
I weep

for the many suns
sacrificed
to
Unbelief

and
the parts of me
permitted to be
plagued
by

poison
and
malpurpose.

Though,
with the same tears,
I will thank my God
that I can at least
see
what lies
within me

and again, once more
while the moon is still bright

for the gift to feel
remorse.

His name purred on her lips; 
She loved the way it
Rolled around on her tongue,
Loosened her vocal chords 

Every time she said 
his name aloud,
It felt as though she were 
Becoming more and more
Well versed in him; 
His character,
His very being

In your smile, I
found my happiness.
In your tears, I
found my sorrow.

In your eyes, I
found my love.
In your love, I
found myself.

I guess it's time to move on.
Because this is that
and that is this.
Without words, there's a shift.
Our disposition sways.

The sentiments and gestures
it all festers
in the small space between us
because it just doesn't
have anywhere else to go.

No matter how busy I make myself,
it's still there.
Pounding on the cage
in the back of my mind.

I never wanted to let slip
the anguish
which was breathing through my pores.
But it's there.
Emanating around me.
In the small space between us.

Caroline loves the ocean.  
Her soul sails on a Carolina breeze.
But her music's in the mountains,
and her heart's back home
where it needs to be.

I'm stuck here
in a Carolina wind,
wading in the ocean
with my heart in Tennessee,
and my mind on Caroline.

Carolina's got everything
a man could want.
Everything he needs.
It's got the mountains and the ocean.
It has a Carolina breeze.

He has everything but Caroline;
everything but Tennessee.

r ~ 6/22/14

IN MY GRIEVING HEART
I HAVE BEEN TRULY BLESSED
WITH THE MEMORY OF YOU
PEACE YOUR ETERNAL REST

HANDS UPON YOUR BOSUM CROSSED
NOW MOTIONLESS, WITH LIFTED FACE
YOUR SOUL FLOWN AWAY
GLIDING WITH AMAZING GRACE

WITH TEARS OF SORROW I BID FAREWELL
ME WITH A HEART LEFT BROKEN
I WATCH THE SPARROW JOURNEY WITH YOU
YOU LEAVING BEHIND A GLORIOUS TOKEN

THE LAST GIFT YOU HAVE GIVEN
A HEARTBEAT LEFT INSIDE OF ME
A GOLDEN THREAD FROM MOTHER TO DAUGHTER
THAT BINDS OUR SOULS ETERNALY