Give to Me

Give me a day
Where the wind blows my hair around
My ears are filled with nature's sound
I turn my face up to the sky
And bask in nature's lullaby

Give me a night
Where gentle rains bathe my skin
Ease the pains I hold within
Patter lulls me off to sleep
Calming patter mine to keep

Give to me a life my own
Filled with love and friends so true
Every day brings joys anew
Each new day a complex poem
Life and laughter take me home

Nature's Melody

A lark is singing in the distance
The trees are swaying in the breeze
The gentle movement takes me with it
Nature's music fills the air
And my heart fills with rejoicing
Melody beyond compare

A lovely lonely song it's singing
Accompanied by an errant breeze
I gently sway to nature's love song
As green cicadas play along
The leaves they rustle out their song
I feel my cares and worries ease

Common Courtesy is Dead

Are you kidding me

To be sitting on a lovely hillside
Enjoying wine and quiet breeze
And here come three obnoxious asshats
Talking loud and braying laughter
Ruining the peace I'm after

I do not think they even see me
So caught up in their own fun
Oblivious of those around them
Self centered is their way of life
Carelessly causing others strife

I am sick of these self loving morons
Those who care not what they do
Encroaching on the space of others
Blindly making their way through
Caring not a bit for you

Would that I could strike them down now
Silence them with clever word
Would that they could see as I see
Their loud boisterousness absurd
Shut them up with just one word

Message to my Child

My darling child
Now grown
You make my heart sing
You are a joy
Every bit of joy you find
You have earned
And I hope you gather it
all to you
Breathe it in
Live it
Experience it
Own it
Well done, I say
Well done

Ode to Wine

Bring wine!

Sweet spirit

Magically made
From fruits of vine or tree
It matters not
Which one you bring
Ambrosia all to me

To raise a glass
To friend or foe
Each one with its own reason
There is a vintage
To be had
Fit for every season

And, So!
A Toast!
To vintners all
Both living or now dead
My life is richer
For your work
A blessing on your head

Down Time

I am taking a time out today
Away from all who know me
Need some time out on my own
Don't confuse alone with lonely

Crowded room or empty road
For today they are the same
There's a quietness regardless
When no one knows your name

Today I'm an observer
Disconnection sets me free
Recharging of my spirit
To enjoy just being me

Burdens of Love

Her spirit's almost broken
By the daily miseries
Life's endless disappointments
have brought her to her knees

She looks around bewildered
where are all her lovely dreams
She doesn't show her panic
Head filled with silent screams

Each day she keeps appointments
Every day she looks the same
Carries burdens that are not hers
Taking on her loved ones pains

And her family is blinded
by the falseness of her smile
They don't know her spirit's broken
And it has been for awhile

Look around you at your loved ones
Open eyes and see their strife
Ask yourself this as you ponder
Would you want theirs as your life

Meditation

When life starts closing off my air
So breathing feels it comes in gasps
I close my eyes and then recall
A photo seen on forgotten wall
Of sky and trees and grass

A lovely path of whitewashed stones
Leads through the grass
Towards distant trees
So lush the flowers all around
The richness of the damp dark ground
Seem answers to my harried pleas

Would that I could travel there
To walk the clean and lovely stones
Smell the flowers, grass and earth
Take the time to breathe the air
Time my own to be alone

Quiet Treasures

I walk this road most every day
Collecting soothing sounds
In memories held silently
Within a daydream's sleepy haze
My treasures held in silent praise
My quiet life's soliloquy

The cherished times within my life
whether shared or kept inside
The quiet moments spent alone
Listening to life's sweet song
Poetry etched on my heart
So sweet, at times I've cried

Today you came to me and shared
your quiet moments spent alone
You wanted me to hear the sounds
that you collect when on your own
and tell me how they fill your soul
My love now knows no bounds

Theft

Stolen glances
Stolen years
Stolen love and
Stolen tears
Stolen hopes leave
Pain and strife
Stolen dreams
Stolen life

Slow song

Simply, slowly, gently sway
Music drifts on humid breeze
Serenades the end of day
Washing all my cares away
Weaving through the silent trees

Mesmerizing melodies
Barely heard the lilting strains
Hold my breath, close my eyes
Fleeting memories my hearts prize
Bring to life loves last refrain

Life sentences

Sometimes
I see my life in flashes
statements made at
pivotal points
creating wrenching
changes

She doesn't love you
and she's never coming back
age 11

Don't open the door
if he knocks
it's not his house anymore
age 11

Flashes

I don't know how to
tell you this
Devera's dead
age 20

Mother
Father
Sister

We all change
I changed
What I recall
are sentences

Life sentences

Poetry

When I try to write poetry that is
Insightful
It comes out
Stilted
Forced
Jagged
Frustrated
I am no philosopher
I don't know
Or have answers

When I write poetry from my feelings
Memories
Joys
Sorrows
It rushes onto the paper
As if it writes itself
Flowing
Hurried
Easy
Healing

I hope to never run out
Of poetry

Panic

I'm beginning to panic when we talk
All our words seem to hold such meaning
As if we both can feel our time together
Winding down
Running short
Running out

Whatever we talk about
The everyday stuff that seems to
make you smile
It's there, underneath
Intensely unspoken
I love you
Don't leave me
You love me

I'm not ready
How can I be ready
Just the thought of you
beyond my reach
Begins to choke me
With fear
With longing
and despair

No
Not yet
I'm just finally getting to tell you
about me
What you've meant to me
I want to hold you
To tell you how lucky
You make me feel

It's so stupid
That I am here
Working, living, aching
While you are there
Living, laughing, dying

I don't know how to do this
I still have so much I want to tell you
Stories to make you laugh
I need to hear your  laughter
I want more time
I want more you

You and I

You
Who held me as a child
Who loved me for myself
Who gave without regret
Are irreplaceable

I
Who always needed help
Who wanted to be free
Who acted self assured
Am inconsolable

You
Who taught me how to laugh
Who sang the lullabies
Who kissed away my tears
Are unforgettable

I
Will love you all my life
Will cherish all our days
Will carry on this life
Will miss you all my years

Abandon

Love me now with sweet abandon
Throw all caution to the wind
Take my hand and leave me never
Life will be our own to treasure
We shall life a life filled full

Run with me through life's adventure
Let our unknown tale begin
Side by side we'll live together
Love will give its sweetest pleasure
Life of love is ever full

When Last I Saw you

When last I saw you
You were sitting in the sunshine
Laughing at something
You just said
Or was it something I said
I remember laughter

You were full of ideas
And your smile was making your eyes

Sparkle
You were making plans to go out
Next Saturday

Forever will I hold in my heart
In my fondest memories
The look of your face
As laughter crinkled your eyes
When last I saw you

Disco's not Dead

I want to rant and ramble
Flail my arms and stomp my feet
I want to have a tantrum
To a disco beat

To rant is not uncommon
And rambling on's not rough
You see it fairly often
I say enough's enough

I want an epic tantrum
One that could last for days
But much more entertaining
When done to disco craze

So if you should be passing
An applauding, cheering crowd
I will be at the center
Disco tantrum, alive and proud

Comfortable

There's something to be said
for comfortable
Oh, I know
many feel it is a bad thing
comfortable

Boring, stale
average even

Not I
I see couples
strolling
arm in arm
years of connection
comfortable

I see their love
accepting
honest
soft as a whisper
gentle as a rain

A lifetime
spent loving
the same individual
Like a favorite pair
of comfortable
shoes

One is nothing
without the other

Restless Sleep

This poem was inspired by a creepy picture of a pig smiling with human teeth that Rusty Rhymes posted.

I had the strangest dream last night
A dream you won't believe
It woke me in the strangest way
The subject ill conceived

I can't think why I dreamt this dream
Was it something that I ate
I did have some leftover fish
And I did eat rather late

But that is neither here nor there
I'm wandering off course
This dream it started fairly sane
I was riding a pink horse

Now that could seem quite odd to some
But, again, it's not that strange
Except to say there was a yacht
Out on the open range

I don't recall the entire dream
You know how dreams can be
The part I clearly do recall
Was a pig up in a tree

Now, after all the other stuff
I have mentioned came before
This may seem not so curious
As yacht or a pink horse

But, here it is, the very thing
That pulled me from my sleep
That pig was smiling a creepy smile
And holding a dead sheep

We Two

We stroll
Years of life
lifetime of love
Memories shared
Experiences embraced

Arm in arm
Through life's storms
Through days long
And nights longer
Burdens shared

Forever safe
Love our shield
Life our playground
Never afraid
Never alone

Love uplifted
Pains endured
Endless comfort
Joy is ours
Arm in arm

Each and Every

Each and every single day
You take the time to make me feel
Important to you
Necessary to your happiness

What a lovely thing to do

Each and every single day
I am thankful for your love
I know how lucky I am
to have you by my side

What a lovely way to feel

Each and every single day
For the rest of my life
I intend to make you feel
Important, necessary and loved

What a lovely way to live

Dreamless Slumber

Turn the darkness into slumber
That my weary mind shall rest
Wrestle no more painful memories
Bring a kinder rest to me

Endless churning dims my senses
Shadows thrown upon my soul
Turmoil twists my tortured waking
Leaves sorrow where there once was joy

Withering hope

Bring to me a dreamless slumber
Failures and sorrow haunt no more
Take me where soothing quiet heals
wounded minds and wearied souls

Slumber, where my hopes may flourish
leaving sorrow all behind
That perchance I'll meet the morrow
with a calm and hopeful mind

One Way Ticket

Sidewalks line the narrow lane
Yet I spurn them
To walk down the middle
Concrete walls decorated 

With glass and wood
Loom on both sides
Seeming to lean in
To get a better look at me

Still, without pause
I stick to the middle of the road
For me it's always
The middle of the road

Destination unknown
It's a one way life
There's no going back

Book of Life

I am the author of my life
Each day and page is mine to own
Not knowing what is coming next
For future pages blank remain
Until I reach that place and time
And life fills in the missing text

Each page contains my random day
With paths and patterns yet undrawn
I'll relish what life sends my way
The little things that are life's treasures
Chance encounters make up life's pleasures
Fill the page and fill the days

And as my book draws to its end
I'll know I savored every chapter
Each glad moment it contained
Each deep sorrow written there
Are treasures that made up my tale
This my story forever after

The Hunt

Rubbing sleep from tired eyes
Waiting for the coming dawn
Hoping for majestic prize
passing on the doe and fawn

Silently he waits alone
As the morning sun appears
Waiting for his prey to come
Barely breathing as it nears

The drab hunter's final kiss
Bullet piercing flesh to bone
What strange sort of gaming this
That thrill sends the bullet home

Love 2 -haiku

Follow winding roads
loves hope leads me to your door
With you I am home

Unsung Hero

This was no cowardly deed
This was all you had left to you
After fighting so valiantly
for so long
knowing there would always
be another battle
in a war that had no end
Not for you, never for you

How tired you must have been
beating back the darkness
time and again
Knowing that any respite
might be brief
How hopeless it must have been
where you were
Yet you fought on

Not for yourself
did you fight
but for those you loved
You were your own
fisher king
mighty knight, brave
and valiant

I am forever grateful
you fought so long
I am forever humbled
by your strength and
gentle spirit
I am forever changed
because of you

Loss

It's there
Hovering at the edge of my vision
like a will o the wisp
you can almost feel
A memory out of time
Why is today different

I stretch, enjoying the quiet of
the morning
Yet
Uneasy
As if I've forgotten something
terribly important

It's right there

Oh no
The memory awakens
Oh no, that's not right
That's not true
That didn't really happen
You aren't really gone
No
Please

Make it not be true

Promises

You're with me on the summer breeze
Gently lifting my hair
Caressing my cheek
As gentle as a breath

You're with me in the early hours
When the day is only half awake
And smells of mist
And damp earth

You're with me in the quiet raindrops
As they plaster my hair
To my head, to mingle
With my tears

You're with me each and every moment
The quiet moments between breaths
And will be
All my years

RW

I just heard
for an instant, the world stopped
and I forgot to breathe
I now know
crushing loss

I'm unsure
which breaks my heart more
that you are now gone
Or knowing
you wanted, needed to go

It makes no
difference really
just different ways to combat
the pain
the blinding pain

In the end
all that matters
is that you are gone
and life
is darker now

All the Best

There is so much I want to say
That I might make you understand
The lovely things that come your way
The happy moments yet unplanned
Are all my wishes just for you
That happy times and dreams come true
Be all at your command

May life's music fill your days
Its gentle tune console you
The pulse of life, the hum of time
Its melody in lasting chimes
Caress your soul and soothe your mind
Its joyful sound enthrall you

And last of all my dearest friend
My greatest wish to summon
Is throughout all your glory days
Through friends that go and love that stays
Through winter storm and summer haze
You live a life uncommon

First Step

There was a quiet to the dawn
Almost a hushed reverence
As if the night were holding its breath
Waiting for the sun
To put in an appearance

I stood on the edge of the wood
Looking into its gloom
Fortifying for that first step
Into the unknown
There was no discernible path

What would this journey cost
In the end would it be worth the pain
There were no answers from the
Silent wood
I released my breath
And began my journey home

The Stranger

She stands there
Hesitating
Feeling as a bird
About to take flight
Wondering where

Her courage has gone
She is alone

As I watch her struggle
Fighting the urge to flee
I realize
I am looking in a mirror

Tale of Woe

What sad fated lovers tale
Brings end to love so freshly born
How can life be ever cruel
And me ever loves mad fool
Finding love then having none

Giddy as a child at play
Gave my heart and soul to taste
Stolen moments of pure bliss
Sweet perfection loves first kiss
Vivid dreams now laid to waste

I now live within that dream
Hiding from life's crueler truth
Living on sweet memories bliss
Tasting still my lovers kiss
Gone forever with my youth

Singsong Kind of night

It's a singsong kind of night
Nocturnal neighbors hum their tunes
Quiet aftermath of storms
Clouds play hid and seek with moon

Tree frogs sing their mating song
Challenge rising here and there
Mixed within the crickets play
Distant thunder fills the air

Silence all the manmade noise
Close my eyes and breathing slows
Concentrate on slowing down
Symphony of nature grows

This shall be my lullaby
All the night sounds harmonize
Calm shall be my goal this night
Breathing slow, shuttered eyes

Summer Fruit

The sweet summer fruit
Crisp sumptuous sensations
Now satiated

What you make of it

I am exhausted
I stare at blank pages looking for meaning
Not making any sense of what is before me
Too tired to try

Where should I turn
Who can hear me without hearing their own
truths louder
Is there a safe place to put this load down
and rest awhile

I need distance
Call it a breather, a chance to regroup
It's not important what name you give it
it is a pause

I'm not quitting
I am far too stubborn to give up, give in
The joy I am seeking is just around the corner
I know it is

I'm sure it is

Son

Those chocolate eyes that pierce my heart
And fill my soul with joy
The smile that lights you from within
My darling little boy

I'd no idea the love I'd feel
When I held you in my arms
How right it was to just give in
To my baby's charms

And as you grew so did my love
I couldn't get enough
Of holding you and kissing you
And all that mommy stuff

And now you're grown, a family man
With babies of your own
But to me you will always be
My darling baby son

Questions

Why am I alone in this heartfelt sorrow
Grieving for a love I thought we shared
Where did you go
When did your heart leave me
Without my notice
How did I miss that you no longer cared

When did our journey cease to matter
Have I been traveling alone for long
When did my lover become a stranger
Did you try to tell me and I refused
To listen
Or were you trying to be kind
While trapped in this lie

I don't know who to be angry with
Or is anger just to mask the fear
Knowing my journey is a solitary one now
No longer even the illusion of having you near
To catch me if I stumble
As I surely will

If I know anything
I know this
You loved me once
We loved
Oh how we loved
And I still love you
Enough to wish you joy
And mean it