How dreary this world appears to be  
When love does not rule the day;  
Everything that dwelt in harmony  
Now struggles in discord, gone astray  

Did the sun rise in the East today?  
It matters not that the sun rose at all!
Darkness will prevail where love has failed,
The shore weeps, though the tides rise and fall

And should a deluge cover the Earth,
Let each and every form of life die!
Without love, life loses all meaning,
Tell me, what purpose have you and I?

More than once a loveless day was mine,
And I swear, I would have preferred death;
(Fear of God's wrath would not taint the hour --
I'd pray for love with my dying breath)

Just the thought of living without love
Causes me to tremble and to shake;
Take everything that is dear to me,
But leave me some love, for goodness sake!

For love is all that really matters --
And there is no doubt that life is grand
When loneliness dwells on far-off shores,
And love walks beside us, hand in hand

I find my sorrows to be lightened
When I sing of things that grieve my heart;
When the threat of despair is heightened,
It is then my feeble warblings start;
At first, notes take off like birds, frightened
By a storm, as to and fro they dart

But soon my refrains flow like a stream,
Consuming the petty stings of grief;
One by one they fade into a dream,
Bringing to my heart blessed relief;
But how I tire of altering Life's scheme,
Rustling its script like a petty thief

It's not joy that causes me to sing,
But dark despair that provokes these tears,
With each note, another tear takes wing,
Each song freeing pent up woes and fears;
Without song how sharp would be the sting
Of Love's cruel deceit over the years

And if the strains of a mournful song
Escape from my window late at night,
My heart's remembering some grievous wrong --
A melody helps the pain take flight;
My heart does not pretend to be strong,
A fallen warrior, it fears its plight

Tears leaving my eyes cannot atone
For the wretched pain life sends each day;
When buds of loneliness are full-blown,
I weave each bloom into a bouquet;
With arms filled with flowers, I walk alone,
Composing new songs along the way

Why is it that petals fall from the rose,
Leaving only thorns upon the stem?
And why do lilies bend low to the ground?
It's so out of character for them

Well, roses know when love has deceived,
The petals they let fall are their tears;
Strangely, flowers can sense love's fickle ways,
In their own way, they vent mortal fears

And when lilies are seen bending their heads,
You can be sure they're in deep despair;
Love has once again shattered someone's heart,
Setting dreams adrift on sullied air

But Love will not be held accountable,
A free spirit -- thus it must remain,
Bringing unbelievable happiness,
Or rendering unbearable pain

And so I just glue the petals back on,
(The rose thinks my tears are morning's dew);
While I run a wire through the lily's stem,
I lift its head, and say "This love is true"

O, I'm aware such folly has its price --
Pretense stains life in a somber hue;
But when Love dons a dark, deceitful robe,
Just what is a broken heart to do?

So I start each day with my hope renewed,
Yet, anticipating old sorrow;
Full well I know as long as this life lasts,
A new love will find me tomorrow

And my life goes on - it's a brand new day,
Another rose is starting to bloom,
As I wait for petals to fall -- and they will,
I'll plant more lilies -- just in case -- if there's room

How mindlessly on Life's ocean we float,
Practicing deceit, causing tears to fall,
While a witness silently takes note --
Time sees and hears all

Not one false vow made in the name of Love
Will escape Time's ever watchful eyes;
Like thawing snow reveals the frozen dove,
Time unveils all lies

Tears carve channels that are easy to trace,
Brows are furrowed by promises broken;
You need only look upon my face .......
The years have spoken

Although we are very close,
Yet your silence,
an unfathomable distance...

what keeps one from taking the first move?
not one's ego,
it's the fear of getting disappointed afterwards...

what keeps one from certain people?
not the fear of being judged,
it's the fear of being criticised afterwards........

what keeps one from togetherness?
not the fear of being used,
it's the fear of being misused and thrown afterwards...

what keeps one from love?
not the fear of getting the love faded,
it's the fear of being unloved afterwards...

actually the biggest fear is not "the present",
it is the fear of "the afterwards"....
can we live in the moments? and fear afterwards?

I have lost sleep many nights from an overburdening feeling of sadness.
But, tonight I lie awake only in happy thoughts.
For I can't get her face out of my head.

Time is but a river,
Forever flowing in one direction.
There is no way to see the delta,
And no way to go back upstream to the headwater.

So it is imperative to live in the present.
To stay afloat and think about the now,
Not what has happened,
And not what is to come.

For those looking back often drown.

Autumn handmaid of summer
Clinging greedily to its green
Unwilling to let go of life
It vies with gold to be seen

Leaves glowing richly in sun
Changing slowly russet red
Or glorious butter yellow
Their beauty turns my head

A soft breeze stirs in the trees
Gently coaxing their wealth away
But there is a reluctance
To let the season have full sway

A carpet of their fallen bounty
Lies strewn here beneath my feet
And now the wind grows wilder
Drowning nature’s last heartbeat

Autumn herald of winter
A ghost in the evening mist
Abandoned and forever lost
Like a lover never kissed