I sometimes dream
That I run with you
Along the river

You hold my hand
And my soul
Is full of joy

But every time
Just when our souls
Begin to meet
I wake up

freedom is priceless you say
and yet you are longing
to exchange your freedom
for the love of a man
who does not deserve you

You say to me
if I do not stop
looking at the dark side
I will never be in love again.

So I decide to turn my head
and look at the bright side.

I want to learn Chinese
so that I can understand
what he is saying to me
she sighs with sorrow

Her sadness confuses me
as I have always believed
that the language of love
can be understood
without learning

round
square
us

how can I forget
the stresses of life
how can I smile
without any fear
how can I be
joyful and calm

I show you
he says
taking me
passionately
into his arms

sunshine
laughter
happiness

trees
bees
summer

you should ring him
she suggests
he is kind
and deserves
your love

if he is kind
I respond
why does he
not get in touch

white mountains and trees
bright sunshine, calmness and peace
contemplative mind

what are
snowflakes
the little girl
asks

snowflakes are
the frozen tears of angels
her mother
answers

moon
night
awake

Ping pong
the words are flying
he is shouting
and she is crying.

Ping pong
he is lying
pretending to care
but even not trying.

Ping pong
I am spying
watching their hatred
and their denying.

lavender
cinnamon
happiness

Hush hush
sleep my little boy
Hush hush
you are my great joy
Hush hush
I guard all your dreams

Hush hush
smile my little boy
Hush hush
I bring you a toy
Hush hush
I guard all your dreams

I watch her mixing colours
carefully thoughtfully
deliberately
red yellow and blue
a rainbow emerges
flowers and mountains
desires and dreams
of a person forgotten
and hurt by him
who has no right
to make her suffer.

I shall leave you
if you do not stop
acting like a child
he shouts.

She stops and thinks
and then doubles
her efforts
to act like a child.

snow
storm
loneliness

It must be hard
to smile
he says
when everybody
wants you to fail.

But your smile
is more beautiful
he adds
because you know
what they expect.

heat
you
desire

read
learn
change

sing
dance
love

you
me
never

smile
touch
enjoy

come with me
he says

why should I
she asks

she talks
and talks
her voice
gets louder
and louder
her laughter
changes from
promising
to hysterical

I watch her
exhausting herself
not realising
that he longs
to be left alone

endless thoughts again
dark night and still awake
will this ever end

you have to listen
she says
patiently listen
and then
you will learn

I listen
to his words
searching
for meaning
until
I realise
that his words
have lost
their meaning
for me

he has left the house
she just cannot understand
why he broke their bond

rushing home from work
tired, hungry and depressed
joyless life for me

sitting on the bed
worrying about sleeping
dreams can be so bad

flowers and chocolates
dinner in candlelit room
happiness and love

be my valentine
he says with a smile
gives me a red rose
takes my hand
and begins to walk

I am surprised
but I do not resist
and walk happily
next to him
full of anticipation

Gods live in mighty old trees
he said and smiled
when he saw
my disbelief.

I shall show you
he responded
took my hand
and began to walk.

Then he suddenly stopped
and pointed to a tree.
This is the mighty old tree
I wanted to show you.

I was surprised
as I had walked
past this tree many times
and had noticed nothing.

Lean against the tree,
close your eyes
and listen
he suggested.

Still uncertain
I leant against the tree
closed my eyes
listened
and understood.

You need calmness
she says
and smiles.

How can I be calm
I ask
when I have
so much to do.

You need calmness
she explains
to decide
what you need to do
so that you can reduce
what you have to do.

hot and orange flames
crackling sound of burning logs
contentment and warmth

warm light of candles
heavy smell of cinnamon
here is home for me

old Japanese pots
mossy lanterns in the woods
calm is now my mind

green eyes
black fur
pink tongue
calming purr
black nose
happy stroll
gentle paws
I love it all

I watch her
carefully disassembling
her life.

Every facet of her life
is looked at and
stripped down
to its essentials.
Nothing is left untouched.
Everything is assessed.

When all the pieces
of her life
are neatly laid out
in front of her
she smiles and begins
to assemble
a new and better life
for herself.

I want to run away to
a place
where nobody knows me
a place
where everybody is kind
and understanding
a place
where nobody is concerned
about difference
a place
where I can be me.

trees covered in snow
fleeting images of peace
stillness, hope and warmth

yesterday
rushing to the train
the train is late again
waiting for the train

today
rushing to the train
the train is late again
waiting for the train

tomorrow
rushing to the train
the train is late again
waiting for the train

What is age
the little girl asks.

Age is an empty number
until you fill it with
experience
dreams
ideas
and happiness
her mother responds.

I want age
I want age
the little girl sings
and hugs
her mother.

Why is it so difficult
to be kind
if one is stressed
she wonders
and softly begins
to weep
as she has hurt him
again.

You should live
in the here and now
he said.

This will make you
happy and relaxed
as the past can
no longer hurt you
and the future
has yet to happen.

When he gently
kissed my face
I understood
what he meant.

Have you ever imagined
what it would be like
to walk with me
to the top of the volcano?
She asks and smiles.

When he looks at her
with burning desire
she quickly adds:
But it will not happen
because there are
no volcanoes
where we live.

I am on the train
tired but reassured
as I know that soon
you will hold me
in your arms again.