Weep for Love

Have you the strength to admit that it's over?

Have you the fortitude to say goodbye

When the day is done with no battles won?

Raking your sleeve across tearful eyes,

Cursing the devil who brought you to here

And made you the fool with that silly chapeau,

Stood you before God and everyone else,

Showing the world just how little you know.

 

Everyone is made the fool one time or another,

It's the rule, or maybe merely happenstance,

The clearly crazy consequence for those who

Listen to the muse as they dash onto

The floor to dance.

 

Brave souls eager for the chance to gain the prize

Of happiness, not too proud to second guess,

Far too quick to issue tests as

Choices slip from bad to worse and

Settling becomes the quest.

True love is a gift of fate which

Fits the hand like a silken glove.

Once discovered and secured

One need never weep for love.

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As Long as You're Alright

I'll be fine.  It makes no matter

The pinpricks a suffering heart may conceal.

Going down slowly, first once, then

Twice, but never thrice as the waters congeal

To hold up this form, though the spirit may wan

Like a lingering sunset o'er ocean's expanse.

There are not villains in this final episode,

Simply the irony of circumstance.

 

We held such hope in our humble beginning,

Seemed that forever was so far away.

But who could have known, who would have guessed

That forever would be little more than a day.

 

We were both victims of folly's desire

Holding our candles aloft in the night.

And I shall be counted among the survivors

As long as I know that you are all right.

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Taking on the Beast

It crawls through the night of the great

Forest floor hiding its colors

So none can reveal,

Blending its shade in the

Evergreen folds 'til the shadows

Conceal every cavernous crease.

Veiled as it is in its labyrinth

Secrecy, void of all consciousness

Eager to steal

Every fiber of decency left to

The mortal soul, filling its fable,

Becoming the beast.

 

I follow down to the pitch

Of its battlefield, eager to

Conquer your favor to win.

Knowing that victory helps to

Secure a seat at your table,

A taste of your feast.

The battle unending is worth

All its suffering knowing

The bounty which waits at its pause,

And I struggle freely with

You as my treasure. Gladly lamenting

To take on the beast.

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The Face of a Child

Heartstrings grow longer,

Emotions run stronger,

Passing along every Saturday smile.

Feeding the hunger,

Singing a song or a

Nursery rhyme pulled from a forgotten file.

Gender's no matter,

Nor thinner, nor fatter,

The clatter and chattering need not make sense.

The needed response in the

Wide-eyes of wonder contain

All the joy of required recompense.

The innocence born to

The nature of humans,

The sweet gentle creed

Of the meek and the mild,

The awe and the wonder

Of worlds undiscovered,

Uniquely in place

In the face of a child.

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The Blessed

If they who have suffered are truly blessed,

Then mine is lifetime beyond all reproach.

The circus calliope mocks its refrain

Attempting in vain to cover the hoax born in

Happier times before you went away,

Before all the skies became brooding and gray,

Before life became such a trivial wisp

Of smoke knowing nothing of night and day.

 

Yes, it's true my lament has a sadness avoid

Of all gladness the sane world holds dearly in store.

But hope is my neighbor, my roommate, companion

And guide who searches behind every door.

And though I am skeptical, slow to

Accept my litmus example put to the test,

I can't play the martyr or run the risk

Of missing the chance to be truly blessed.

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Early One Morning

Early one morning,

Awake before dawning,

I rise with a knowing

Of missing you.

Broken, downhearted,

Meager reflection of me

Since we parted

And started anew.

 

You are my universe,

Not just the center,

But every galaxy

Spinning in space

From corner to corner

With lines infinitum

Unable to capture

The joy in your face.

 

I have no choice.

My motive is driven.

The imminent fate

Of my faithful return

Is written in stone

On the mountains of time,

Wiser and older,

And eager to learn.

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The Big Thrill

I recall that special feeling

Of recoiled anticipation,

Sitting poised and ready

High atop the snow-capped hill.

The rush of spilled adrenaline,

The gush of gusting wind which

Hurried past as I went flying

To the bottom.  What a thrill

It gave a young and foolish heart

To know a danger quickly born

Of pure delight, turned by flight to

Pure uncensored ecstasy.

Knowing at that moment that

No matter what the future held,

Nothing could be better.  It's as

Good as life was meant to be.

 

Oh!  The joy of being wrong.  For

Of all the memories I recall,

To know the sweetness of your touch

Is the greatest thrill of all.

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My Lady

Gracing my days with a light

That shines brighter than

All of the stars in the Heavens above.

Wearing my heart on her delicate

Fingertips, soft with the feel

Of a white satin glove.

Bearing my soul to the world

All around.  Meekly confessing

As though it were sin.

Then loudly professing an unbounded

Passion, blatantly crying the

State I am in.

You are the passion.

You are the reason.

You bring me joy on the wings of a dove.

You fill each day and

Comfort my nights with

Your bountiful favor.

My lady…..my love.

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Free Love

Let me just enjoy the freedom

In the joy of loving you.

Let the sun shine brightly on

Two loving hearts that beat as one.

Lift our eyes in vigilance to

Ponder not the whys and whens,

Accepting every day as though

Our lives had only just begun.

 

Daylight passes yet the love

Remains, continuing to grow.

Glowing brightly from within

It lights the night and shows the way.

Knowing no direction but

Expanding from horizon to

Horizon past all boundaries

With no rules to obey.

 

Spirits rise beyond the heights

That any mortal man may see,

And we can soar beyond the stars

Because our love is free.

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Blazing Heart

There is a spark which

Dwells deep inside of us all,

Silently biding its time

Waiting for kindling to flash into flame,

Starting a blaze, which never will die.

I felt the spark the moment

Our eyes first encountered each other,

Risking a glance, a chance

Which taken and given its measure

Can never be hidden inside of a lie.

Yours was a treasure more

Precious than silver or gold

And I rushed to capture a part.

Now nothing can stem the tide

Of emotion, the sea of devotion

From this blazing heart.

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I Saw the Whole Thing

Witnessed!  Yes, I witnessed it all.

Saw a man fall so hard that

Bones were in danger of shattering

Into dust whence they came.

You were to blame with your

Beckoning wiles, your

Flashing of smiles, a

Wink and a start, the

Smell of your hair, your

Voice softly tugging the

Strings of his heart.

He never stood a chance from the start.

You cast a spell with

Your feminine charms

Reaching your arms out enfolding your prey,

Stretching the night to

The shining of day,

Reeling the line 'til your net was below.

No way to escape.  Nowhere to go.

No desire to be set free.

I am so happy your capture was me.

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Bewitched

You turned on your pagan charms

To whisk away my every doubt

And cast a spell which you

Claimed set us free.

Free to be what God intended,

Free to love in harmony,

Free to take and in return

To give back two-fold willingly.

No one said I had to yield.

No one set a limit or

Placed boundaries around our hearts

Confining our emotions.

I strode boldly through the night

Running free to catch the light

You emanated from a distance

Quelling every doubt or notion.

As the earth spins infinitely

One great constant remains true.

I will spend my life and more

Bewitched by just the thought of you.

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Where has the time gone?

It seems like only yesterday

Our lips touched for the very first time.

I lightly brushed your cheek and

Whispered "I love you", and you

Softly echoed the same.

You took my name and started a journey

Which lasted for years through

Laughter and tears,

Heartaches and fears.

Kudos and cheers.

You kept the flame

Glowing brightly no matter

How darkened the way.

You turned it to daylight

With only a smile.

You've made every mile

An adventure recorded

In timeless song.

'So quickly' I wonder,

Where has it gone?

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Angel Falling Down

Heaven must have opened up

Its portals for an instant

Giving temporary freedom for

An angel to fulfill my dreams.

 

Falling like a downy feather

Through the gentle air of morning,

Playing softly on my heartstrings,

You have touched my very soul.

 

And I lie captured by your spirit,

Longingly and willingly to

Do your bidding, win your favor,

Touch your scented haloed hair.

 

You approach and I surrender

Caring not for human pride,

Knowing I am only half, that

You complete me, make me whole.

 

As I pause to count the blessings

Which most certainly abound,

Not a one could be more precious

Than my angel falling down.

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The Lake by Night

We watched as the sun sank into the earth,

Dancing its twin on the shimmering waters.

I called to the cabin to come and observe

And all obliged save for one in the shower.

 

We watched as the stars slowly came into view

Piercing the sky with the pinpricks of angels.

Blanketing Heaven from light years beyond,

Touching our souls with their awesome splendor.

 

You take my hand and we cling to each other

Tasting the night without judgement or pause.

Savoring moments too special to question

With reason or rhetoric.  Silence prevails.

 

A breeze gently rustles the lush green foliage

Then ripples the shore of her watery surface.

Tiny dances amuse the moonlight's reflection

Then silently tiptoe away.

 

Breathlessly waiting the scene to develop,

Watching the passion arise in your eyes,

A scene too precious to share with a stranger,

Enfolding our hearts in her watery arms.

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Taking a Chance on Love

Who would have thought?

It could happen again,

Especially after that

Last chapter when my heart

Was ripped from corner to corner,

Shredded, minced

And then ground to puree.

I knew that it would be

Many a day before

Life would creep back and

Hope be reborn from the

Ashes left by a lover's scorn.

And then you entered in chapter two

Sweeping away the primordial fears,

Shaping and molding the

Softened clay.  In a single day

You rescued my soul,

Reconstructed and made it whole,

Giving me wings to fly high above,

Once again taking a chance on love.

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Please Don't Go

You say that it's over;

That there's nothing left but to say goodbye.

But even as you say the words

A hint of denial escapes your eyes,

Which speaks much louder to my heart.

 

To think that we could be apart

Is madness, simple lunacy,

A pretext masked in rogue's disguise.

 

My failing heart could not survive

The leaving as you breach the door.

Veins constrict the flow of life

And air no longer can sustain.

 

The ever-growing constant void,

The cataclysmic emptiness

Which knows no bounds and only stops

To fill itself with cosmic pain.

 

Love is the question.

I need to know.

You are the answer.

Please, don't go.

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You're the One.

You're the one who picks me up

When all the world would knock me down

And leave their footprints on my soul.

You complete me, make me whole.

 

Wandering through aimless seas,

I heard your sultry siren's call,

Found your island in the mist,

Tasted lips as yet unkissed

 

By one whose heart could claim your own.

We became a single soul

United by a pledge so sure,

So strong that it must long endure.

 

Other eyes may tempt and tease

With peacock feathers fluttering,

But there's no chance that I might yield.

I've no desire to play that field.

 

My love for you can't be undone.

No contest.   You are the one.

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Knockdown-drag out

So, we disagree…. Big deal! So what!

Let's not make it World War III

A knock down-drag out mugging

With but one survivor when it's done.

 

Let's not say those hurtful things that

Anger brings to lesser minds,

Firing darts into the heart,

Emptying our verbal gun.

 

I have so much love for you,

Seeds of honor and respect that

I'll not seek to desecrate the

Firm position that you hold.

 

Instead I'll seek to use your eyes

To see your view, to stand your stand.

Seeking out the humble piece

Of common ground our hearts enfold.

 

Knock down. Drag out. Winner takes all.

That's no way for lovers to be.

Compromise is easy when you

Look to see what others see.

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Fair Weather/Foul

Life isn't always peaches and cream.

In eating its fruit we sometimes taste

The pits and find it bittersweet;

Not so easy to endure.

 

And you have been there through it all,

Sharing the bounty along the way,

Sharing the load, laughing the laugh,

Crying when sadness raises its head.

I loaned you my shoulder and you took my hand

As we stood together united as one.

No one could cut us to make us bleed.

Nothing would part us this side of heaven.

I shall take your laughter to my grave

In fond remembrance of your face.

But more I cherish friendship's grace

Through weathers fair/weathers foul.

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You Win

Life's too short for arguments.

You win.

Let's not cross that restless stream

Again with all its heartaches

And abysmal lies.  The tearful eyes

Too proud to say I'm sorry or

Excuse me for not listening.

Sunlight beaming, gleaming

Upon the rapid waters edge,

Both feet dangling from the ledge.

I regret not telling you

More often how I need your love

To guide me through the murky trials

As life reviles and shuns my name.

Why I could not give the same

Undying trust you gave to me is

One of life's great mysteries.

It will not occur again.

This I vow.

You win.

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Life is an Adventure

From the moment of birth

When an innocent child shares

The same air with its mother,

The adventure begins,

And the flight doesn't end

Until ashes reclaim what they gave.

 

Front seat on the roller coaster

As it slowly climbs the hill

Topping the crest and

Plummeting down to a certain death.

 

As wave after wave of

Adrenaline gushes through

Over-stretched veins,

Eyes growing too large to see.

The mind become mush as

The body grows limp and

Legs fail to carry their weight.

 

Ready to heave

Once the hassle is over

Promising "never again".

Yet knowing full well that

You've caught the addiction

That no force on earth can abate.

Life's an adventure, ready to wear,

Traveling in circles, awaiting the dare.

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Second Chance

I've been hoping for a second chance.

You've been holding me off at a distance

Ignoring all my calls.

You've been out there with some other someone

While I'm sitting here night after night

Staring at these four walls.

 

He says he wants you and that he'll always be true.

But you know deep inside that it's

Foolish for you to agree.

Your heart is breaking because you know the truth.

You're really alone

And you'll only be happy with me.

 

You walked away because I was afraid

To give all my heart.

You were exciting but I wasn't ready to dance.

Now things are clear and I know without fear

What I need is you.

Say you'll forgive me and give us a second chance.

 

I've been praying that you'll see the truth.

You can only imagine the Hell you've

Been putting me through.

But I won't mind it if in the end I find

This long dusty road is the pathway that

Leads me to you.

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I Know That Song

That's the song they played

The very first time we danced together.

That's the tune we sang as we strolled

Hand in hand along the beach.

That's the song we listened to

The first time that we shared a kiss.

That's the haunting melody we heard

The night we fell in love.

 

Life's great moments often are

Reflected in a single song,

Coupled with a memory which

Takes us back to yesterday.

Private mini-celebrations

Dance around inside our heads

Stirring up emotions that are

Sure to bring a smile our way.

 

It could happen any time

As life's great journey strolls along.

The airwaves stir and you reflect,

"Ah yes! I know that song."

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Empty Nest

This house was once a teaming, screaming,

Rowdy loud menagerie.

Sometimes it seemed a thousand feet were

Pounding floor from dawn to dusk.

At times my own voice cracked as I related

My displeasure with

The maddening annoyance

Singing, ringing in my ear.

Praying for a moment, just one

Minutes peace to calm my nerves.

Wondering if it would have been

Wiser to be celibate.

Settling disputes with the diplomacy of

Solomon. Finding commonality to

Wash away all doubt and fear.

Now there's such a peaceful calm

Surrounding every moment that

I feel as though my life is truly blessed.

And yet at times I find myself reflecting

On the sweetness of the life we knew

Before our empty nest.

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