Love's Consequence

You would have me change, but

I don't want to change.

I like myself.

Just the way you see me

Is the way that I intend to stay.

You keep saying you've made

Your concessions just

To be with me,

But your confession isn't what I need

To make me change my way.

 

Haven't I expressed to you

I love you just the way you are?
Wouldn't have you change a thing

Or make you sing a different song.

 

…Except for just a few annoying habits.

Oh! Such little things like

Always being late.

You know I hate to have to wait too long.

And what about the way you jump on

Every little phase or fad?

 

…Hold on just a second.

Maybe change is not so bad.

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A Lot Of Work To Do

Listen to the lovers as they

Bicker, tease and pine away

For what they haven't yet achieved

In their great quest for total joy.

 

Dreams laid often by the wayside

Waiting patiently their turn,

Battered, shattered, beaten, broken,

Like a child's forgotten toy.

 

Brave hearts will pick up the pieces,

Mend the break and carry on

With hope renewed and vision

Rising over that of lesser men.

 

Goals revised and redirected,

Spirits bolstered and renewed.

Never minding failure, finding

Favor to begin again.

 

If a dream is worth pursuing,

Always keep it within view.

If perfection is our goal,

We've got a lot of work to do.

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A Lot Of Work To Do

Listen to the lovers as they

Bicker, tease and pine away

For what they haven't yet achieved

In their great quest for total joy.

 

Dreams laid often by the wayside

Waiting patiently their turn,

Battered, shattered, beaten, broken,

Like a child's forgotten toy.

 

Brave hearts will pick up the pieces,

Mend the break and carry on

With hope renewed and vision

Rising over that of lesser men.

 

Goals revised and redirected,

Spirits bolstered and renewed.

Never minding failure, finding

Favor to begin again.

 

If a dream is worth pursuing,

Always keep it within view.

If perfection is our goal,

We've got a lot of work to do.

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"Goodnight. I'll See You In The Morning"

How many nights have I slipped in beside you

After the trials of the long day are done?

Nestling in for a well-deserved respite

From all of the cares that the world has laid on.

 

Cold winter nights where the nip of the air

Bites the covers as you snuggle close to my side,

Hearing the heartbeat, which lulls you to sleep,

Seeking the warmth that our bodies provide.

 

The cool of the spring when the windows are

Finally open and we hear the sweet serenade

Of the nocturnal creatures who lulled us to sleep

And then woke us at dawn with their vocal parade.

 

Summertime heat can be quite overbearing,

And drives you away to the bed's other side.

A quick goodnight kiss and you scurry away

Wishing the bed was again twice as wide.

 

Of all the seasons I think I love autumn

The most, when all of the world heaves a sigh,

And you start to snuggle back into my arms.

I never complain… never ask why.

 

We end each evening with a kiss and

A solemn promise; not a warning.

Touching your cheek I softly pledge,

"Goodnight. I'll see you in the morning."

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Butterfly

Flittering, fluttering all about

The garden on your silent wings,

Gathering the nectar of each

Flower's welcome bloom.

Pacing never, racing ever,

Bothering no single soul,

You dance your dance and

Weave a spell upon your magic loom.

 

And I become a witness as

You search the world in your brief time.

I watch as you emerge

Breaking free from your cocoon

In burst of brilliant colors which

Could rival Pharaoh's treasures,

And then disappear to darkness

All too soon.

Time escaping, passing by,

Watching with your painted eye,

Stopping not to question why.

Fly my little butterfly.

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Starlight

The sun fades in a distant west as

Twilight caresses the evening sky

With its' gentle colors of passionate pink,

And tiny pinpoints of starlight ensue.

 

Time grows weary and all the concerns of

The daylight dim as the sun settles in

To the tree tops, resting but a moment,

Offering promises old and new.

 

…And you fill my evening well into the night,

Holding my hand as the starlight appears

To capture the Heavens, filling the darkness

With all its' abundance of elegant grace.

 

Treasures abound in the evident spectacle

Born in amazement, meant to be shared.

But diamonds and gold can never compare to

The wonder I find in your sweet loving face.

 

No matter how long I may walk on these beaches,

No matter how wondrous the luminous prize,

Nothing on Earth or on this side of Heaven can

Outshine the starlight in my lover's eyes.

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Angels Weep

The raven stalks a sleepless night

As silent darkness blankets all

The landscape of a troubled world

And destiny prepares to call.

 

Truth comes hard to those who wait

And wonder far beyond the day.

The silence catches unaware

And leaves a bitter bill to pay.

 

The only solace is a trusting

That the end brings yet a new

Beginning of a better making

Freshly born of morning dew.

 

Still the heart cries out in anguish,

Passions rising from the deep.

Prayers of longing and remembrance…

Lovers mourn as

Angels weep.

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Restless Seas

What mammoth creature down below

Has been disturbed and stirred to movement,

Making her waters, once calm and serene,

An angry mass of a restless sea?

 

God help us all if she breaches the surface.

Heaven forbid we should look on her face,

Her Medusa curse turning flesh into stone

In the micro-instant before we can flee.

 

Youthful exuberance might have survived it,

But that was ages and eons ago.

No longer the Captain or even the mate,

Merely a passenger caught in the fray.

 

Seeking safe harbor at journey's end,

Wanting no part of the battle ensuing,

Turning from harm and seeking a Navy,

I close my eyes and humbly pray.

 

God, give me strength to weather the battle.

See me before you in bended knees.

Help me to yield to your unbridled wisdom

As I ride the crest of your restless seas.

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Finding the One

Barren waters fill the ocean

And the waves forget to roll

As tides, abandoning their schedule,

Cease to offer ebb and flow.

 

Every dewdrop sent from Heaven

Yields a taste of salty tears,

And darkness offers cover as they fall,

So no one has to know.

 

Hopeful hearts seek out their treasure

Nestled deep beneath the sands on

Far off islands waiting for the

Magic of discovery.

 

Gold-filled chests and diamond lined tiaras

Sparkle in the sun

And hearts fill with the knowing that

This is how it's meant to be.

 

Finding the one, the single treasure,

Seeking to go the extra mile,

Capturing gold at the end of the rainbow

Makes the journey all worthwhile.

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The Eyes of a Lover

Eyes can say so much about

The character of their possessor.

Every bare emotion, like a mirror,

Is reflected there in some way,

Be it great or small.

There is no hiding from the glare

Of truth behind the subtle hue

Of color in the great confessor.

 

The eyes of a leader oft reflect

The passions of their followers,

Giving birth to dreams of change,

Kindling the fires of hope.

 

The eyes of a liar shift in their

Chameleon impersonation,

Holding in futility the

Frayed ends of their dangling rope.

 

The eyes of a killer can sear the landscape

Scorching all who cross their path,

Practiced in deceptive cunning,

Bursting into sudden wrath.

 

But the eyes of a lover hold no secrets,

Show no quarter or deceit.

Open to a world of giving,

Laying Heaven at your feet.

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Love Endures

And all the world shall slip away,

And time shall echo eons

Past the secular vernacular

To speed it to it’s higher ground. As

Level passes on to level,

Sweeping off old memories and

Stepping into worlds anew

Stripped of every sight and sound.

 

Nothing ever lasts forever.

Nothing ever really ends, just

Changes to a new dimension

Grounded in another realm.

The crossing over pathway shrouded

In a cloak of dusty gray

To break the dawning of tomorrow

Rising to control the helm.

 

Deep within the fight continues

Without treaty… without cures.

Only one thing offers solace

When it’s over…

Love endures.

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A Sonnet for You

What world awakes as robins sing your song.        

There is no sun if I see not your face.                     

You are the difference between right and wrong.   

There is no substitute for your embrace.                

 

I can’t escape the sparkle in your eyes                   

A single look can take my breath away.                 

Your countenance sings without compromise        

I need you here beside me every day.                     

 

And time stands still when you are at my side.       

There is no right or wrong, there’s only you.         

I wear my feelings with a sense of pride                

And knowing you will be forever true.                  

And when the day is over we are one.                    

We sing our song to a departing sun.                     

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You May Go Now

Thank you for coming,

Bless you for sharing,

But this episode has come to conclusion.

There will be more,

Perhaps even better.

A broad invitation allows no exclusion.

 

We will be wiser

When next we gather,

Banking experience along the way,

Bringing perspective to

Feast at our table,

Saving dessert for another day.

 

This has been grand

To be in your company,

Share in your mind with insightful delight.

So with contentment

Tinged with regret

I bid you sweet silent goodnight. 

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The Lesson of Walden

One great lesson

         To be learned,

All that’s needed

         To get by.

When the burden

         Gets too heavy,

Take a step back…

         Simplify.

 

Sometimes seems to

         Overwhelm,

Logic lost on

         Asking why.

Only one sure

         Way around it,

Break the pieces…

         Simplify.

 

When “the world is

         Too much with us”,

Troubles seem to

         Multiply,

Find a single

         Word of wisdom

Waiting for you…

         Simplify.

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At Peace

It has been hard to get this far.

I could show you bumps and bruises,

Scars incurred along the way, but

You don’t really want to see.

 

There were tears, yes, quite a few,

Always with a sense of loss.

The trails they left were lessons learned.

Guess that’s how it’s meant to be.

 

Objects may appear to be much

Smaller held in retrospect.

But when the walls were crashing down

There was no time to think,

 

Only to react before

The whore of Armageddon

Pillaged hope, left me bare

Without a drop to drink.

 

Only now in silent witness

Do I know release,

Letting up and letting go to

Find myself at peace.

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In Pieces

A storyline as common as

The shoes upon your feet,

Sneaking up behind you as

You look the other way.

 

You were just an actor

Strutting loud upon a stage

Spouting lines that someone else

Had given you to say.

 

Amazing how simplicity

Can be so damned elusive,

How digging out and digging in

Can leave you stupefied.

 

The telling of the tale

Becomes a complicated matter

Spinning truth in circles til

You don’t know who has lied.

 

Prideful dissertation

Creates many cracks and creases,

Shattering hope, leaving lives

In tiny little pieces.

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Let

Let it snow. It makes no difference.

Couldn’t stop it anyway.

Let the beast eat til he’s full.

He’ll not be here tomorrow.

 

Count the melting drop by drop

To swell the streams of springtime.

Starlight yields to sunlight

Laying waste to pain and sorrow.

 

Let the bells peel loud and clear.

Let the drums pound steady.

Let the voices reach to heaven

Singing lofty praise.

 

Let me carry all your burdens,

Dry your tear-stained cheeks,

Take you by your trembling hand and

Lead you through the maze.

 

Let your thoughts be crystal bright.

Let your heart be free.

Stand beside me in the light

For all the world to see.

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Get

Get up! Get out! Get over

Being prodded, poked and petrified

By every evil entity that

Enters your environment.

 

Paranoia doesn’t suit you?

Turn and kick him in the crotch.

Lay the bastard on the floor

Wond’ring where his victim went.

 

Scary as it all may seem

You still are in control.

Toe to toe, eye to eye

You stand unflinching in his face.

 

Move to get the upper hand,

To get the bully on the ground.

Even if you lose you know there’s

No remorse… no disgrace.

 

Life will hand you trials,

Give you sorrows and regret.

What you give it in return

Determines what you get.

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Fret

Nervous little ice icicle

         Dangling from my downspout,

Slither with a shimmy as a

         Shimmer in the sun.

Wake the woes within your soul to

         Lounge the day away.

Bake away to nothingness

         Before the dawn is done.

 

Blissful in your ignorance

         Thankful for the void.

Pressureless and meaningless

         To flit the day to naught.

Not a chore to measure,

         Not a treasure to be found.

Nothing to be learned today.

         Nothing to be taught.

 

No sad crown upon your head,

         No golden amulet.

No responsibility,

         No need for you to fret.

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Looking Back

It wasn’t all that long ago,

And not so far away,

That “Once upon a…” storyline

Danced free across our dreams,

And “Happ’ly ever after” seemed

A possibility

As real as any everyday

And not just some grand scheme.

 

We look back

And maybe smile

And sometimes laugh out loud,

A salty sense of bittersweet

Left resting on the tongue.

Nostalgic for the memory,

Longing for the touch,

Savoring each sultry note of

A familiar song.

 

Days slip by as we reflect

On things that used to be.

Sweetest truffle in the box…

Revive my memory.

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Coming Soon

Coming soon to a lifetime near you:

Horror! Excitement! Thrill upon thrill.

Eighty kilometers done in a heartbeat.

Buckle your seatbelts.

         Wait for the crash.

 

Hoof beats of thundering echo the distance,

Block your horizons with mushrooming clouds,

Speak through the darkness in whispering omen

To land on your back with the crack of a lash.

 

Car-crashing demons emerge in your mirror

Looming much larger than they should appear.

Bashing your bumper, bold in their efforts to

Leave you in rubble, a horrible heap.

 

You have the expertise, you have the power,

You have the fortitude to overcome.

You are the hero who leaps to the rescue

Saving the day without leaving your seat.

 

Action on action…

         Whistle a tune of

Unique satisfaction…

         Coming soon.

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After

After the darkness,

After the rain,

After confession delivers the soul,

Long after vision has risen again,

After the guilt has taken its toll.

 

Just before daybreak,

Silent and calm,

Cracking the silence,

Breathing a sigh,

Facing the morning with nary a qualm,

No need to shout,

No reason to cry.

 

Crying was yesterday;

No going back.

See it as history,

Lessons to learn.

Here in the aftermath of the attack

There is tomorrow

To lend concern.

 

Torches are burning

To lead the way.

Step through the portal

Of a new day.

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Finish

There’s an ending out there somewhere.

Every story must evolve, must resolve

To grand conclusion,

Bland illusion set aside.

 

I am, you am, we am puppets

In this Punch and Judy show

Waiting for the plot to catch us

In the house where we reside.

 

Someone called it criminal.

Someone let the devil in.

Someone stumbles through the darkness

Desperate to get away.

 

No one knows the final answer.

No one dares to take a guess.

No one angles to impede

Progression toward the yea or nay.

 

There will come a summing up.

There must be a hit or miss.

All that’s precious, all that’s sure…

Someone has to finish this.

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Keep Going

Rush, push, rest, review…

Rush, return, then rush some more.

Quick completion of each quota,

Questful queries coincide with

Sequences of synergy to

Forcefully facilitate the

Fateful flow of each endeavor.

Never stop until it’s done.

 

Baseless basking

                          Barters little.

Tasteless tasking

                          Garners less.

Graceless grasping

                          Suffers reason

Leading to a

                          Muddled mess.

Sleep becomes unnecessary.

If it threatens, take a pill.

Just keep going til it takes you.

Someone else can pay the bill.

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Get Started

Sitting here with pen in hand

Wondering where to start,

 

                 Killing time before I go,

                 Whittling on a stick.

 

Blocking out the blocking in,

Try to clear my mind.

 

                 Thoughtful in my reverie of

                 Peaceful days gone by.

 

Will the pages fill with ease

With muses from the heart?

 

                 Spill the ink onto the page.

                 Give a little kick.

 

Does the bastard steal my thoughts

And leave me far behind?

 

                 Blown away by winsome words,

                 Left to wonder why.

 

Getting started is the key.

         All the rest is flow.

How it gets onto the page

         We may never know.

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Arrest My Soul

When all of the pleading and kneading is over,

After the bleeding is finally stopped,

Will we be feeding on fodder from yesteryear?

Will we be heeding the soothsayer’s song?

 

Who will be leading and lighting the torches?

Seeding our thoughts through the torturous times?

Reading the headlines in horrible hopelessness?

Weeding out suspects who stand in the way?

 

I stand in horror watching the spectacle.

I stand in fear as it touches my walk.

I stand defiant, defending my doorstep from

Goose-stepping Cretins who crash through the night.

 

Arrest, if you must, this pitiful visage.

Arrest, if you dare, this intolerable toad.

Arrest if you think me a threat to your manhood,

But you will never arrest my soul.

 

There will be judgment.

There will be justice.

There will be reckonings all have to face.

Patience be teacher,

Watchdog to freedom,

Standing in front at the end of the race.

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Another Fine Mess

Oh, if we could only go back in time,

A day, a week or even a year,

Know all the pitfalls,

                The potholes,

                 The pratfalls,

See all the bumps in the road up ahead.

 

But vision is weak, impaired if not blinded by

Heart-felt passion’s irrational rush,

And we keep making the same mistakes

That leave us to sleep in an empty bed.

 

Wellsprings of happiness don’t merely happen.

They must be constructed of labor and love.

Truth is the shovel, compassion the pick so that

When mistakes happen there’s room to confess.

 

You could have…

I could have…

We could have been more

                Deductive,

                Seductive,

                Productive at best

In our effortless efforts to find resolution.

Instead we are left with another fine mess.

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