It lies
in limbo
a beautiful
wreckage
glistening chrome
the wind
from the sea
stings salty
tears for the
deaths of
youths and
one man
whose name
is not
spoken but
whispered along
the cobbles
of the shore
nature at
its most
unnatural
tells all
and nothing
a secret
like that
of Midas
but the touch
is silver
not gold
tainted heavily
with guilt
the tale
sung by
the breeze
but not
the villagers
their tell-tale
hearts thumping
as they
pass by
for they hear
those voices
that will not
be drowned

You saved me.
You didn't need a mask to do so.
Yet when I see your eyes after a long day of crime
I see the pain you bear inside.
I will always kiss your pain away, baby.
And even though I'll never know the New York City skyline quite like you do,
I'll always stay nearby.
You don't need a web to keep me stuck on you.
Instead I'll try to keep your chin up until you finally can rest.
It might not be much, just know I'm doing my best.
I'm no hero myself, but I know I'm handling this the best I can,
and when you lay down beside me at the end of the night,
I'll kiss you.
I'll show you the tenderness you so desperately need, whether you admit it or not.
The scars on your body are the scars on my heart,
and I'll share your pain.
You are not doing this alone.
It is hard, but I am trying.
And I always will.
I'm not quite sure someone else could do this,
it's hard, I admit it.
But I'll always be here.
Partners in crime until the end of time.
What can I say?
Face it, tiger...
you just hit the jackpot.

Simon, son of Jonah
You sailed the waters seeking fish
You were called from your boat to walk upon dry land seeking men
You were called by the Lord, God of Israel
You were beloved by the Lord of Ages

Oh Simon, denier of the Lord
Simon, you claimed Him to be the Messiah, the Christ
That He was the Son of the Living God, and He gave you a new name
For upon you, Peter the rock, He would build His Church
And like Simon’s father Abram, you became like Abraham a patriarch with a new name

Oh Peter, you saw who He was
Not by flesh revealed
But because the Father above revealed it to you
Peter, how might you ever forget that He loves you?
Oh Peter, how might you forget what you have seen?

Immediately taken up by Satan
For you focus on the things of earth
Oh Simon, have you forgotten who you are?
Have you forgotten, Simon, that He made you new?
Simon, have got forgotten that you are a rock, made not for a boat?

Peter, with faith to move mountains, you served the Living God
But when you walked upon the sea, Simon sunk like the rock Peter was to be
Oh Simon, hadn't you the faith?
Hadn't you known, Simon, that you had the faith to walk on water?
But Simon, you sank fast from the weight of your unbelief

Peter, you sat as the Lord washed your feet
Not understanding why the God of all would wash old Simon's feet
And you broke bread together in the room with the betrayer
Peter, did you know that He would go to die?
Did you know, Simon, that you would deny the Lord?

Oh Simon, He prayed in the garden
And in His last hours with you, could you not keep awake?
For but an hour, Simon, could you not keep awake for the Lord?
Simon, was sleep more precious to you than the life of the Lord?
Oh Simon, such a low place to which you had sunk like the rock Peter was to be!

Then came the soldiers to arrest the Son of Man
Oh Peter, you could not bare for your master to be taken from you
But Simon, must you have cut the ear from a soldier's head?
Must you have, Simon, resorted to such violence and vengeance?
Oh Simon, you could attack a soldier for the Lord, but could you not confess Him?

Oh Simon, a servant girl came and asked of your master
And you denied Him as if you never knew Him
Oh Simon, would you deny the Lord in His time of need?
Simon, saying you never knew the man, God Himself
As if He had never called you Peter, or declared that you were HIs rock to build upon

Oh Simon, would you deny your Lord during the very trial for His death?
Would you, oh Simon, deny that He was the savior to all?
And when the rooster crowed, oh Simon, you knew
Peter, your eyes opened to the sins of Simon
That you awoke a rock sunk by the weight of unbelief gasping for air in the depths of the sea

Then the Lord died, and Simon, you forgot the profession of Peter
That He was the Christ, that He would rise again, Simon wept with the world
But when the girl came, that the body was gone, Peter, you ran
Peter, you hiked up your robe and ran to the tomb
The other disciple may have won the race, but it would not matter

Simon, you went into the tomb, and your blindness kept you
You saw emptiness, and darkness, Simon
How could you not remember the words of His prophecy?
Simon, why did you not laugh with joy at what the scriptures foretold?
Oh Simon, you went home never remembering what even you knew!

Simon, you went upon a ship to seek fish, the treasure of the sea
Oh Simon, have you forgotten who you are?
Have you forgotten that you are Peter, the rock
Simon, remember that rocks belong not on boats
But upon the ground, Simon, that the Church may be built upon you

Simon, you locked yourself in a room with your brothers
Hiding away from the world to which you were to serve
Oh Simon, what did you fear?
Oh Simon, why did you hide away?
Simon, oh Simon, how had you forgotten the promise He made?

Yet still He came in and brought for you peace
Oh Peter, He breathed His breath upon you and indwelled His Spirit within you
Simon, you left and came not back, and were never missed!
And Peter awoke never to give way to Simon ever again!
Oh St. Peter look back on the life you led
Born Simon, a sinner, a lowly sinner
Born again St. Peter, the rock, the patriarch
Oh St. Peter of the Rock, on you has our Church thrived

Bright as a warm summer day
Radiant like the moon
As beautiful as the stars
This is my love for you
As strong as the mountains
Constant like trees
Forever I will be
Loyal like a dog
As wide as the sea
This is what you get from me
As sacrificing as a soldier
Protective as an army
Sometimes green with envy
Don't want to share like a child
Spoiled worse than rotten food
I give you these things too
Even if they aren't the best
All of me belongs to you
The last one for today
As vast as the universe
My love for you will never grow old
Like Peter Pan
In you I've found my Neverland.

Take with me to Neverland
Here you'll become a never-man
won't grow up, won't get old
but in exchange
you'll loose your soul

The second star to the right
The destination can't be reached by flight
You need a happy thought or two
or else you won't even reach the roof

You're barely soaring
a centimeter over the earth
While I'm having clouds
sticking to my shirt

You can't let go
You're always stuck
Sometimes I ask myself,
when will you have gotten enough

When will you finally
have a breakdown
so I can help you
get back up.

She is not a paper doll pressed between
Sheets of cellophane in my notebook for
The world to undress with their eyes.

She elbows me out of dreams featuring
Peter Pan with his Lost Boys, and leaves
A bruise the shape of Illinois on my ribs.

She sews on the Metro without a thimble and ******
Her fingers stitching buttons onto her black pea coat—
White thread bleeds red in her hand.

When she rides the North Line in the winter,
She sails past her stop for the thrill of surveying
New parts of the city bundled in winter clothes.

She collects deserted train tickets with expired
Destinations, and passes the minutes between
Stops speaking with strangers.

Most of them grumble that the Cubs won’t win
The series until they let a goat into Wrigley.

I would trade her every canceled ticket stub
In my wallet to buy her hot chocolate at the
Next random stop she chooses.

But she and I will always be passengers on
Opposite trains traveling to different cities.

Hey, I don't know if you know this, but I'm a hopeless romantic. actually, I'm a hopeful romantic, and I'm hopelessly in love with you.
I hope you can hear me because I sit here every night before bed and pray for our dreams to come true... but, I hardly ever see you... and you're so far away. Every night I look in the sky in the hopes to glimpse your shadow; but, only the stars twinkle back at me.
Peter Pan, I love you. Take me with you on your adventures! I want to live with you in your world.
You came and swept me off my feet and took me to our own Neverland. We climbed rocks and we were as tall as the mountains. We grew together and I want to grow with you forever. I'll be the second star on your right hand side and we shall be the flame that will shine brighter than any other. I know we will.
I know we will because I trust in us. I trust in you. Do you hear me? It doesn't really matter if you're here - I know you hear me. I know you know how I feel and I know you feel the same.
I've learned a lot about myself since you left and I don't really like what I'm seeing. I am learning to take what you've taught me so I can be the best person I can be. I'm learning.
I promise you, my love, I will love myself before your return. I promise I will always be loyal because I know that honesty is key. I promise to protect my own flame from the winds of others - just as you told me to.
It is your heart and soul that doesn't age but only grows wiser, because you're you... Peter Pan, and I'm your Lost Boy.

No, said I, the rock on which you thought to build your love.
Don't dash yourself on me.

Come,Come!
She'd scream
Come,Come with me!
I'll make your dreams come true
Put your heart in my hand
Follow me into a strange land
Come,come with me, won't you?

Follow me into Neverland
Follow me into Neverland
We'll meet with Peter Pan
Follow me to Neverland.

Slipping through the back door

and into the night,

you waited for me

to join you in flight.

You wore not a feather,

but offered your hand.

A silent invitation

to enter your Neverland.

When I was falling,

you taught me to fly.

With Pixie Dust Kisses,

we took to the sky.

A glowing gas station,

our second star to the right.

You turned your truck left,

and we soared to great heights.

Hand-in-hand we touched down,

landing in your driveway.

Stumbled into your messy room,

our underground hideaway.

We made a pact of youth

in a moment without time.

our tangled legs quivering,

and starry eyes aligned.

With daybreak it was over,

stolen pirate ships returned,

but always in my aging heart

the purest love for you will burn.

-c.g.s.