you are back
she says, smiles
and puts the kettle on
to make tea for him

he is confused
as he had not expected
such a welcome
having left her
nearly ten years ago

pizza and pasta
memories of holidays
smiles and happiness

She is sitting on the wooden bench
in the shadow of the mighty
Eucalyptus tree.

She appears calm and relaxed
with her eyes closed and
a smile on her lips.

Only when I look at her hands
I know that she is struggling to hide
her excitement and desires.

you say:
I want to fly high
and reach for the stars

I wonder:
do you know what you are looking for
or are you just running away

snow
storm
loneliness

I have no home
I say
quietly beginning to weep

That is not true
You say
impatiently shaking your head

I lost my father
I say
weeping with sorrow

We all loose our fathers
You say
not feeling my pain

sunshine
laughter
happiness

trees
bees
summer

heat
you
desire

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

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

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

read
learn
change

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

forgive
forget
smile

sleep
dream
recover
wake up
work
sleep
dream
recover
wake up
work
sleep
dream
recover
on and on
and on
it goes

hip
hop
Poppy

she stands
at the foot
of the mountain
longing to reach the top
I can see that fear
is holding her back
so I take her hand
and begin walking with her

barrenness
raindrops
flowers

who are you writing for
he asks
having just read
one of her poems

not for you
she answers
and leaves the room

what is holding me back
to leave the relationship
you have left long ago

she listens to the cars
passing by the window
soon the church bell
will have struck twelve times
welcoming a new day

but when she hears
the bell‘s joyful sound
sadness creeps into her soul
as she knows that
nothing has changed

I look at you and wonder
why our roles have changed
but just when I begin to worry
you hug me and smile
I can feel your love
reaching my soul
and making it dance with joy
and I understand
that it does not matter
if our roles have changed
as long as the love
we have for each other
has stayed the same

she quietly sits on the bench
focusing on one question
a question she has recently
often asked herself but not been able
to find a workable answer for

how do I begin again at this stage of my life?

this question has been haunting her
and kept her awake during the night
and lost and depressed during the day
she has tried to push it away
but it creeps up again and again

watching her I realise
that her question
is also my question
and just like her
I am still searching
for a workable answer

she is sad
as nobody seems
to read her poems
she has much to say
but her words remain unheard
not knowing what to do
she begins to wonders
if she really is a poet
or just pretends to be one

red is my favourite colour
as it reminds me of
cherries and roses
sweetness and love
warmth and belonging
desire and joy
red is my favourite colour
as it reminds me of you