I want to be the smile on your face.
I want to be the song in your heart.
I want to part the clouds for your sunshine.
I can’t be your WHOLE, so I’ll be your PART.
I am by your side forever,
To help heal you and always keep you well.
If anyone sings our song for others,
Let that be the story they tell.

Oh my, my dear,
What have you done?
You’ve gone and sinned,
Now it’s all undone.

Now He’s angry,
And you’ve cut the Rope,
That tied you to
Your one last Hope.

You’re all adrift,
In a sea of tears.
Tossed about,
By all your fears.

But there with you,
He still does stand.
Holding fast,
To your trembling hand.

He Always keeps,
His Promise of Grace.
His love for you,
You cannot erase.

So dry your tears,
And fall in The Arms,
That keep you safe,
From all sin’s harms.

(Here)
LIFE
Is
Just
The
Slow
Process
Of
Becoming
Who
You
Were
(Hopefully).

“Papaw, whatzat?”
My granddaughter asks,
As she watches me
Pull my pocketwatch
From the front of my bibs
To check the time.
“That’s my watch.”
I tell her,
As she holds it in her hand,
Intently studying.
She shakes her head.
“It takes too long
To know
What time it is.”
She remarks.
Out of the mouths of babes…
But I like it.
The slow deliberate
And quiet ticking
Of the pocketwatch
In my bibs.

Morning.
My hot coffee awaits.
Sweeten it with kisses.
Soothe my soul
With so soft sounds.
A chuckle is a tickle.
Laughter the ******.
Love becomes laughter,
Laughter becomes love.
A giggle with a snuggle,
A musical, singing sigh.
We say so much without a word,
But draw closer,
You and I.

I so badly wanted to write
The perfect love-song.
But the words escaped me.

I thought the words all had to rhyme,
The chords had to make perfect harmony.
But I had not heard yet, the song of love.

I had heard the so-soft words.
Whispered in twilight just before dreams.
But had not found their meanings.

I did not know the stop,
To lay softly and be weak.
But instead stood tall, strong, and ready.

When my body could love no more,
I was sure I had achieved wisdom.
But I was just being made silent.

I learned love in the quiet whisper,
In the soft twilight memory of being held.
But thought then it was too late.

And in my tearful lamentations,
Spoken quietly in the wind.
She heard...her hand still in mine.

Come to me easy,
Like a warm Summer’s night.
Laying bare on my bed,
In soft glow of the night.

Come to me easy,
Like a soft gentle sigh.
Whisper soft in my ear,
As the night passes by.

Come to me easy,
In night’s symphony sounds.
Our passion together,
Love knowing no bounds.

Come to me easy,
You are but a dream.
Memories held fast,
You are here so it seems.

Come to me easy,
Put a smile on my face.
The things that we had,
Gone will never erase.

As a young boy I was happy to have it.
The toy that brought me fun.

As I grew older it served me well.
I shared it with my one.

Now that I am "elder" I see it.
Like an old photo found again.

I never knew I had a choice,
But I'd do it all just as it has been.

(Cisgender?)
...hahahaha...

Some seek to deal,
And do not see,
The deal is done,
We are ALL set free.

You are with me,
During those times.

When I have known
Joy
And
When I have known
(sorrow)

You are with me,
During those times.

When I have felt
Deeply
Or
When I have felt
(nothing at all)

You are with me,
During those times.

When I have
Built
And
When I have
(destroyed)

You are with me,
During those times.

When I have known
Pride
And
When I have felt
(shame)

You are with me,
During those times.

What I remember,
During those times,
Is turning to find
YOU,
During those times,
Never a question,
During those times…
Holding my hand,
During those times...
Until time is gone…
And
Eternity remains.

Time is only foolishness anyway.
We are all eternal.

Sitting naked
On the edge of my seat.
When I look down
I see my…

Feet.

If quick with rhyme,
Maybe not what YOU see.
After my feet
I notice my…

Knees.

Now I’m thinking
I’m remembering, but
After my knees
I see my…

Gut.

Oh ****** aging
What cruel tricks you play.
I remember
It was not always that way…

**SIGH

Hello, poetry!
I decided to stop by
And visit today.
It HAS been so long…

I opened the door
And ducked my head
As I found all of these
JOYOUS words,
Bouncing about
Like schoolchildren
Kept in
Against their will
On a sunny day.

So we all clasped hands
And stepped back out
In the bright bright SUN!
Laughing and playing
With PEOPLE to love!
Bringing smiles, and hugs,
And (sometimes wet)
Warm kisses!

We enjoyed
The exclamation marks
Of LIFE
(!!!)

I will make you write
Some other day.
And pontificate
When words are ready
To listen
To what
That means.

I speak my words to you so sure,
Lovingly,
Lovingly.
Heart’s intent so true and pure,
Lovingly,
Lovingly.
Your loving words come back to me,
Joyfully,
Joyfully.
Bring righteous magic that sets me free,
Joyfully,
Joyfully.
Then come my words to Heaven above,
Prayerfully,
Prayerfully.
Awestruck gratitude to have such LOVE,
Prayerfully,
Prayerfully.
Prayers of thanks for things not deserved,
Humbly,
Humbly.
Links to the hands God has preserved,
Humbly,
Humbly.

Sweet lady you have my heart.
When you smile,
The sun shines brightly.
And should a tear wet your cheek,
The clouds gather.

WE are not able to FEEL alone.
Synchronicity exists
In our heartbeat rhythm.
You cannot take a breath
Lest I breathe too.

We live pain for pain, joy for joy.
Always in sharing,
Eyes together with hands clasped.
Giving, forgiving,
Do we know which is which?

Sweet lady you have my heart.
Whether you smile,
And sunshines brigthly,
Or a tear wets your cheek,
My heart remains yours.

Coulda’s
Shoulda’s
Wanna’s
Woulda’s
All
Just make me shrug.
How to live:
- Never plan
- Never give up
- Always give in
But only with a vision
Of
Righteousness.

You do me your love,
You do me.
And I my love,
Do you.
And with this doing done,
Beneath the sun,
Is any left undone?

Have we drawn a line,
Real or in mind,
And stopped
Before we finished?

Did we hold back,
Or somehow lack,
And thus
We were diminished?

Our words unsaid,
Things left for dead,
Will be
Our great undoing.

So let the do,
With me and you
Exceed
The great undoing.

I was still saying “teen”
At the end of my age
When someone gave me
Mescaline
And told me
It would change me
Forever.

I stepped outside that night
Looked up
And saw
For the first time
Ever
How deep
The stars really were.

Today some think
I should apologize.
Today some think
Of my foolishness.
But the twinkle in my eye
Today
Came from that starry night.

I won’t say it…
I’m not sorry...

You, my dear sweet love
Have seen me complete and raw.
Still your eyes sparkle.

I think
How wonderful it would feel,
Your lips on mine
Soft and gentle…
Yet intent.

(Sigh)

That
And your smiling,
Dancing
Eyes.

(Tingle)

(Laugh)

YOU
Are my
ONE.
I have given you the key.
It unlocks all things…
...within my heart.

Unlock it.
Open wide.
Look.
Truly look.

There it is,
All the JUNK.
Dig through it,
Eager, as a child.
Finding all the TREASURES…
...amidst the junk.

You alone  (my ONE)
Will find.
You (only YOU)
Will see.

You look through eyes that LOVE.

The esoteric-ism
Of eroticism
Is the fact
That
God
Made us that way.

Call the demons out
In His name
And do NOT
Let
(the enemy)
Take it from you.

It is
A special fruit
A succulent wine
To be set (only)
At the table
Of Commitment.

Would you build your fire in the woodshed,
So that it would burn with a glorious intensity,
And soon it would be gone?

Or would you kindle it slowly with careful spark,
And distance between its warmth and its fuel,
So it burns for eternity?

We are both the fuel,
Spaced afar from the fire,
That would not kindle without joined hearts.

We both bring our fuel,
In measured amounts,
To the fire still burning brightly.

We cannot remain,
But soon must leave,
So the fire continues to burn.

But always we carry,
The warmth of the fire,
To be shared by the travelers we meet.

Someday I will settle,
By the fire at your side,
And together we both will find rest.

My mother taught me
Music,
Poetry,
Words,
Love,
The day is not done
Until you find all the beauty
It has to give.

My father taught me
Work,
Persistence,
Integrity,
Love,
The day is not done
Until all those under your care
Have all they need.

My Father taught me
Love.
Everlasting
Submissive
Love.
The day is not done
Until you have shed yourself
Of guilt that was never yours.

Guilt nearly destroyed me.
Gracious love restored me.

There was a beginning
Will there be an end (?)
Shhhhhh…
(Say that softly!)
(You dare not speak it into being!)

Always
Between two points
There is:

INFINITY

So…
I will pretend
It always was
It never will end

So...
I will place it
ALL ALWAYS
In God’s Hands

“Explain to Me again
What time is to you
But think carefully
Before you tell Me
What you wish it to be”

Still
Always
There
I
Stand
For
You

Because THAT
Is what you do.

She spent her life
On her knees.
Praying?
No, cursing.
Her hands ached,
Her fingers bled.
Her life’s mission
To organize
All things that grew.

She cursed the weeds…

Pulled them,
Tore them,
Sought to destroy them.

Everywhere…

The garden,
The yard,
Even in the fields of crops.

Her back was bent,
Her shoulders ached,
Her hands,
Gnarled and twisted.

And?

The weeds came back.
I think they mocked her,
Saying:
“We bloom too!”

Think of the good
Your hands can do
When they are NOT
Driven
By the shallow nature
Of your judgments.

I dreamed a dream one night...
I laid alone.
(No...deserted!)
Fitful slumber…
Mind full of others’ ideas.
I sought knowledge,
To put letters after my name.
And yet,
My heart
Did not want to be there.

The Glass Wall,
YOU on the other side.
(Funny how it is YOU now)
Dream woman,
Your fiery hair,
A halo around your head.
Beauty that took my breath.
The gasp that would become
A welcome part of my life.
Perfect woman.

Your bright, piercing eyes
Saw my every flaw.
And yet…
Your arms stretched eagerly
To hold me to you strong
Eyes closed tight,
In perfect peace.
But the wall was there...
I could not go,
But I did not care.

I was too young then.
(“Just a silly dream!”)
Did not know God,
As I know him now.
He waited…
Then He brought me
The fiery haired woman
Woman who took my breath.
Woman of my dream.
Perfect woman.

Your bright, piercing eyes
See my every flaw.
Your arms stretch out eagerly
To hold me to you strong.
Eyes closed tight,
In perfect peace,
Behind the glass wall…

Give me your laughter,
Give me your tears,
Give me your love,
Give me your fears,
Give me your moments,
Give me your years.
Give me the gifts of your love,
Sweet girl,
Give me the gifts of your love.

You hold in your hands
The strength of my heart.
When we are near
Or when we’re apart.
This gift that I give you
Will never depart.
That is the gift of my love,
Sweet girl,
That is the gift of my love.

And when we grow tired.
Seeking deep rest,
And the tears that we share,
Are the best of our best,
Our gifts to our hearts
We hold firmly pressed.
And we share the gifts of our love,
Sweet girl,
We share the gifts of our love.

Life’s work has left me empty.
I walked the country mile.
I’m hungry, oh, so hungry,
For Anna with a side of smile.

My dear sweet Anna, come fill me up.
Take the hunger from my soul.
Serve me with your fare of love,
Serve me ‘til I’m whole.

You pulled the bad things out of me,
The good is left behind.
I will be full of your delight,
In body, spirit, mind.

The menu set before me
Is perfectly complete.
The only thing you give to me
Just what I need to eat.

I need the food you bring to me.
You bring it with such love.
My perfect Anna, you are the one
I have been dreaming of.

You are my one, my only one,
Perfect woman of my dream.
The one that God has sent to me,
In wisdom so supreme.

I walked the country mile today.
Stood all I could abide.
And every step was worth it,
As I sit here by your side.

And when you fill me to the brim,
You pull me to your breast.
I hold you tightly in my arms,
And rest,
And rest,
And rest.

I want to lay naked beside you,
With warm fire glow flicker at night.
As we lay naked together,
In pure and innocent light.

I want to lay naked beside you,
Soft touch trace the curves of your skin.
As we lay naked together,
Defining the woman within.

I want to lay naked beside you,
Your ear feels my lips, hears my voice
As we lay naked together,
Soft love words of careful choice.

I want to lay naked beside you,
Hold you close, feel the warmth of your heart.
As we lay naked together,
Love fire that does not depart.

I want to lay naked beside you,
Know the truth that comes from our best.
As we lay naked together,
It stands through eternity’s test.

I want to lay naked beside you,
Bare all, ‘til the secrets are gone,
As we lay naked together,
In the clearest light of the dawn.

I want to lay naked beside you,
With our hearts entwined so tight.

I want to lay naked beside you,
All done and undone is so right.

I want to lay naked beside you,
All my life, every day, every night.

In the deep dark night,
I slipped away.
I do not know
If I’ll be back today.
In the cloak of gloom,
I chose to go.
I smiled a smile.
So none would know.
The sun was gone
From shaded eye,
I knew the dark,
But knew not why.
A lesson learned,
Was difficult taught.
Battles lost.
Never fought.
When despair is final,
It’s time to go,
If I’ll be back,
I do not know.

Am I yesterday
When you are tomorrow?
When I am today,
Will you tomorrow be?
If you stay there in tomorrow,
Oh won't you look,
Please carefully,
For me?

Oh, silly me
I think I have forgotten,
Today, tomorrow,
Both will cease to be,
If we just bind our hearts
In joy together,
With the promise
Of eternity…

Even as you sleep,
You are on my mind.
Always, always,
You are in my heart.
Unconditionally,
You are loved.
Never doubt
Your value in the world,
And even in Heaven above.
You are priceless to me.

Tonite
I hold you tight.
Just because…
Just because
I need to
And I NEED to
Just because.

Close
I hold you close.
Just because…
Just because
I need you
And I NEED you
Just because.

Stay
Don’t go away.
Just because…
Just because
I need us
And I NEED us
Just because.

Just because…
Just because
My heart knows.

Love is judged
Best tomorrow.
In trembling hands
Filled with sorrow.
True love comes not
In times of pleasure.
It comes instead
With sorrow’s measure.
With quiet prayer
On bended knee
Standing fast
To let it be.
Eternity’s span
Is all tomorrows.
Love is known not in joys
As much as in sorrows

I thunk.
I thunk about you.
Me too.
We two.
‘Cause I do
Love you.
Ain’t no me
Without you.
We two.

Come with me to the meadow,
I’ll weave flowers in your hair.
Life is not so important,
To miss what we find there.

Come with me to the meadow,
Your fingertips I’ll kiss.
With sighs let deep within us.
We’ll find Elysian bliss.

Come with me to the meadow,
Soft touch upon your skin.
Belies the heat of passion.
Held longingly within.

Come with me to the meadow,
I’ll hold you ‘til setting sun.
Beneath the cloak of darkness,
Two become as one.

Come with me to the meadow,
Cast fears all to the wind.
My love to you eternal,
and WE shall never end.

Day is done…
Long shadows
Creep across the fields.
Weary,
I settle into my chair.
Dare I rest?
If I do
Will they catch me?

(Day is done…)
Long shadows
Creep across the fields.
Weary,
I settle into my bed
(A younger man)
Ready to rest.
Caught…happy…

Caught now…
Bittersweet memories.
Cool white sheets,
Warm breeze,
Honeysuckle bush
Under the bedroom window,
Arms around your soft
And loving body.

Caught here…
You left.
I saw your eyes,
Looking wide,
You did not
Know me.
So I had to
Let you go.

I held your hand,
I said good-bye,
You left…
And I kissed you,
One last time.
But I did not cry.
Finally,
You were free.

I arose in the dark,
Deep sigh,
Stumbling step.
Mind unclear yet,
Heavy heart,
Woe beset.

Coffee so warm,
Almost hot,
Trembling hands.
Frail aging body
Finding strength
Again to stand.

There was your face,
Sweet smile,
Gentle sigh.
Your aura embraced,
Power rush,
Drawn up high.

Then came your hand,
Outstretched,
Holding mine.
And the sun came up,
Worries gone,
All is fine.

Let me brush the hair from your face,
And caress your warm soft cheek.
As I whisper love-words in your ear,
And feel you by me, warm and near.

I do so softly, so as not to wake,
Or disrupt the night-spell's magic.
I want to feel your breath so soft,
The angels' wings upon it loft.

A tear so softly wets my cheek,
My breath is drawn in deep.
From my lips a prayer is spoken,
That this spell will not be broken.

Of all the gifts that God has given
So many not deserved,
To this one alone I will hold fast,
Until I breathe my very last.

Now us…
   My time
   Your time
   Our time
   No time
   Time stops

Now us…
   No clock
   No past
   No future
   No worry
   No fear

Now us…
   Touch
   Touch softly
   Move closer
   No me
   No you

Now us…
   Passions ignited
   Hearts pounding
   Breathe deeply
   Hold me
   Hold you

Now us…
   Falling
   Spinning
   Fear gone
   Love guides
   Hearts together
   Earth closer

NO! (Yes?)

Now us…
Rise up again…
Rise up again…
Rise up again…
(Time stopped)
Rise up again…