SONNET LXXVIII - THE RIFT

our God created you for me to love
and He formed me to make your beauty glow
we fit together snugly as a glove
perfection only we could ever know
how savagely I ravish your sweet mind
with pretty words that feed your heart such bliss
this depth of love that cannot be defined
grows deeper still with each poetic kiss
but if you'd be love's helpless little slave
the master of your soul makes this demand
give me the greatest ecstasy I crave
and let me finally hold your pretty hand
   one kiss would close the world's widest rift
   if I could claim this girl's sweetest gift

SONNET LXXVII - PHILOSOPHY

So many souls are lost in endless search
and have been since their days of early youth
Just like a bird without a place to perch
they fly exhausting quests to find the truth
The doctors say you're set if you've got health
and scholars love the light that knowledge brings
The rich man finds contentment in his wealth
but all of that's just complicating things
Life's meaning isn't deep and far away
You'll never find your purpose here unless
you do the things that bring you joy each day
The simple truth comes down to happiness
   That's why I joy in all the things I do
   that make you fall in love with being you

SONNET LXXVI - THE QUEEN

she sits upon the throne of all my dreams
she enters and illuminates the night
when she descends, she slides in on moonbeams
as though her very soul were made of light
she blesses me with beautiful escape
for once again, sweet heaven has come down
a dream of perfect love has taken shape
and on her head, I place my soul's one crown
alas, the dawn brings harsh reality
my mouth is ripped away from true love's kiss
the sun comes up, and fantasies must flee
but through my tears, I must remember this:
   I'd rather yearn for love I'll never touch
   than let go of the dream I love so much

ONE MORE DAY

just give me one more day
O, Lord, please, God, I pray
don't make me go away

i'd go through any pain
again and again. and again
just, please, let me remain 

it's so hard to say goodbye
when there's still tears in their eyes
please don't let me die 

my babies need me near
i'll stay to calm their fears
i'll stay to dry their tears 

just let them hold my hand
until they understand
the things that I had planned 

the things I meant to say
it hurts, but let me stay
just give me one more day

   mama, it's okay
   you loved us every day
   your heart was always true
   there's nothing left to do
   you always did your best
   now it's your turn to rest
   you don't need one more day
   we're gonna be okay
   please don't feel sad
   go be with mom and dad

SONNET LXXV - TRAGEDY

so many nights I laid awake and cried
I sat around and waited for your call
as all the love inside me slowly died
and now I don't feel anything at all
you've proven true my deepest, darkest fear
and though I tried so hard to never see
the tragedy of you and I is clear:
you've better things to do than be with me
I finally gave my foolish head a shake
I saw a truth that I could not ignore
why beg for scraps of love and cold heartache?
why waste my tears when I deserve much more?
   and now you're cold and lonely in the night
   when all you had to do was treat me right

SONNET LXXIV - DEEPER

if my poetic words could penetrate
the way a lover's thrust brings ecstasy
they'd touch you with their comfort, warmth, and weight
and you would cling so breathlessly to me
my words would stir up such a pretty storm
each time you read a poem that I wrote
and all its sexy rhythms sent your form
to heaven with each deeply moving quote
alas, there's no such bridge for you and I
my magic words will never truly bind
your flesh to mine the way they catch your eye
my rhymes will only every please your mind
   there's emptiness a lover might make whole
   but sonnets sink much deeper in your soul

SONNET LXXIII - THE PLAN

A lonely soul's a feather on the breeze One change of wind can alter your whole fate and sometimes Fortune's fancy disagrees that one should ever meet their soul's true mate How we got here remains a mystery The tangled journey somehow wove us through Our threads entwined within life's tapestry and here I am this chilly night with you While other lonely souls remain adrift still reaching out to grasp a passing hand I'm here with you, my life's most precious gift and trusting in whatever God has planned A touch of skin can warm you in the night But holding you gives life undying light

CONSOLATION

I hate how breathtaking the world is
with its snowy branches in a winter wonderland
laughing babies, sweet music
starry nights, warm blankets
puppy kisses, kind strangers
hot coffee, fine art
crackling fires, crashing waves
and a million other poetic joys
that only we could ever truly see

the world just continues
obstinately, obliviously beautiful

as if you're not even gone

GRAY

I wrote a lot of poems
thoughts captured in time
pulled from my soul
and given voice, and life

they make the world more beautiful

but a daughter is poetry
that writes itself
they find their own soul
and voice, and life

they make the world more beautiful

all you have to do
is get them started
leading the way
being you

BOATS

two gracefully drifting lines of boats

sailing along, cross an ocean at night

between two cities they brave the flight

through ominous dark each stream progressed

the sky was black, devoid of gods

each kept his lantern shining bright
they found their way by each other's light

and thus they all got home to rest

EVERYTHING IS A MIRACLE

I planted some flowers today, because everything is a miracle.

Babies are a miracle.

Healing from heartbreak and loss is a miracle.

Recovering from illness or addiction is a miracle. 

People turning their lives around and making things right again is definitely a miracle.

Overcoming flaws and growing as a person is a miracle.

Reaching your life’s goals is also a miracle. 

Seeing your dreams come true is a miracle.

Life itself is a miracle. Simply being here for the short little time we have requires countless unseen miracles that God takes care of every single day. 

And flowers are a miracle. 

I planted some flowers today. For now, there's only dirt. But I hope when they bloom and stand tall in the sunshine, my heart will have learned a lesson as beautiful as they are: that everything is a miracle, but miracles take time. Nothing is instant, overnight, or automatic. Miracles take time, hard work, and most of all, patience and love.

SONNET LXXII - HEART ATTACK

she walked right out the door and disappeared
the way she'd done a thousand times before
and sure enough, exactly as i feared
my heart just couldn't take it anymore
the sirens raced me through a scary ride
but my old soul was wounded worse because
she didn't rush to be there by my side
when she was told exactly where i was
i guess all vows of love have now decayed
she hasn't even tried to text or call
through all the times my trust has been betrayed
this heart attack has hurt me most of all
  she doesn't care if i live or i die
  i guess it's finally time to say goodbye

SONNET LXXI - BROKEN

You swore you'd never break my heart again
you vowed to God you'd stay here by my side
not even three days passed us by and then
you vanished and your vows to heaven died
But no one's perfect, so I forgave you
a thousand times, and every time you failed
you turned around and stabbed my poor heart through
and in the end, True Love has not prevailed
Perhaps the Lord above can understand
why you'd abuse a heart that loves you so
but this is not the life that I had planned
so I am forced to finally let you go
  I used to pray you'd come back home to me
  But now I need the strength to set you free

SONNET LXX - SECOND CHOICE

A child needs the love and care of mom
But sometimes monsters rank a little more
and though it seemed the choice was really dumb
She always let him walk back in the door
And later on when my heart tried to love
I'd bare my soul and lay down all my trust
But someone else was always placed above
and my poor soul was trampled into dust
Now once again, this brutal game's replayed
I know exactly how it's gonna end
I'll be replaced, abandoned, and betrayed
But for a while, at least I can pretend
  I'm second choice since I was but a youth
  But still my heart won't face that bitter truth

SONNET LXIX - RECIPROCITY

Though this configuration might look strange
it satisfies all needs we lovers lack
as we enjoy the prettiest exchange
in giving and receiving love right back
This mutual affection that we share
is everything that love's supposed to be
No other ecstasy can quite compare
It's perfect in its reciprocity
But you make it so tough to focus on
the happy bliss I'm trying to return
With every move you make, my mind is gone
your lovely gifts I'll never fully earn
  Infinite pleasures loop round this sweet kiss
  If only all of life were pure as this

SONNET LXVIII - BLASPHEMY

My heart is broken and I'm so confused
I cried out to the Lord in tearful prayer
Please answer me, O God! But he refused
It's almost like He doesn't really care
A puppy lost who gives the slightest yelp
is quickly saved and given full reward
but when I need a little bit of help
my desperate cries are totally ignored
And yet if I commit the slightest crime
if outside of His will I slightly stray
I'm damned to burn in hell for all of time
this absentee Father, I must obey
  I might as well just pray to a brick wall
  At least it won't condemn me when I fall

SONNET LXVII – THE CULPRIT

Beneath my wisdom’s wild warning screams
my deafened heart decided she’s the one
She seemed to be the woman of my dreams
but then she walked away, and now it’s done
I didn’t want to go through life alone
I fell too quickly for a pretty friend
But loving someone who’s not fully known
can only bring disaster in the end
Despite what my bruised ego might proclaim
I know who truly caused this misery
I’m not too blind to see who bears the blame
the one who shattered my whole world was me
   The lover who forsook me played a part
   but I’m the fool who truly broke my heart

 

SONNET LXVI - THE HINT

I cried out to the heavens up above
but so far I have heard not one reply
why every single girl I’ve tried to love
soon leaves me to be with some other guy
But then one day a woman came along
who made me feel so safe and warm inside
She offered me a love so very strong
She swore that she would be there ‘til she died
So finally, I gave my heart away
and of course that love was quickly wrecked
I should have known that she would never stay
‘cause what the fuck did my fool heart expect?
   I hope the hint gets through eventually
   The gift of love just wasn't meant for me

SONNET LXV - THE MONSTER

Our fate is full of pain and endless strife
a monstrous foe we can't seem defeat
We're never sure of anything in life
except that we're in love so bittersweet
We dream of being one against all odds
though life itself may snatch that chance away
Such bliss is only worthy of the gods
and we are merely mortals, made of clay
But if this time it's not our destiny
and to another life our soul is hurled
we'll find love there, or fight on endlessly
to finally conquer Fate in some new world
  Though we can only kiss in sweetest dreams
  this tragedy's still beautiful it seems

 SONNET LXIV - THE WOUND

You say you truly love me, but you don't
True love would never cause me so much pain
You swear you're gonna change things, but you won't
Before the tears have dried, I'm hurt again
I know to you this notion seems absurd
But your true heart is unmasked by your deeds
An action shouts much louder than a word
A wound that you amend with lies still bleeds
But you don't even know what true love means
It isn't just some tingle in your heart
True love is where all life and truth convenes
A bond where lies could never play a part
   I dearly wish these vows you made were true
   My foolish heart still wants to be with you.

SONNET LXIII - THE RACE

 As down the winding road of life we run
the goal is not to cross some distant line
You're by my side, so I've already won
Now I just have to make my trophy shine
And when your weary legs just can't go on
as long as I can see your pretty smile
my strength will never be completely gone
I'll pick you up and carry you a while
And therein lies the path to victory
The glory lies in taking care of you
It's not about some grand reward for me
I win when every dream you have comes true
   Across the finish line my spirit flies
   But your sweet love remains the real prize

SPARK POEM

We are but ash that yearns to fly
yet cannot reach the distant sky
for heavy with such guilt at birth
we cannot but fall back to earth

Some life must burn for our renewal
we're chained down by this need for fuel
the soaring spark that tries to rise
to rejoin heaven, quickly dies

But if we could only feed on deeds
on meeting other people's needs
and caring for the sick and lost
an endless flight would have no cost

But no one asked advice of me
alas, there's no such alchemy
and all too soon, that soaring spark
goes out, and leaves us in the dark 

ALWAYS AUTUMN

in the land of Always Autumn
the trees are dead
skeletal sticks
clawing through the wind
and howling like a billion ghosts
bleached white by poison rains

there is no green
not even weeds
the ground is cracked clay
and blowing sand
the sky is red
except when it's black

the wind smells like pain
angrily whipping sands
pelt hungry scavengers
who can only go out at night
because it's always hot
so hot you can't breathe

but there is no food
there was a lot for a while
when all the animals laid down and died
now there are only ever bones
people eat each other
mothers eat their young

we found a picture
in a faded, fluttering magazine
we could not read the many words
but we saw a happy family
with piles of food on their table
and the sky outside was blue

but that sky is gone
the last of us are dying
we made it through the wars
and the crumbling of the world
and the apocalyptic storms
and the eating of the rot

but now there's nothing left
we'll be gone soon too grandfather

they say a rich man was to blame
he polluted and poisoned
and burned the world down
for his own gain
they say you could have stopped him
but you had tables full of food

if you could only see the world now
you would have risen up
cut off the rich man's head
stopped the burning and saved us
if you could only see
what happens to little brother and me

i wish you would have

THE LONG SILENCE

 I keep trying to write beautiful things
sharing wisdom
and random thoughts
trying to expose my soul

because I'll be gone someday
nobody will expect it
least of all me

there will be a funeral
and everybody will share stories
and memories
and tears

then it will go quiet
as people go on with life
and the people who loved me most
will walk through a very long silence
without me

but I'll pop back into the world one day
a long time later
my words
my voice
my smile in a photograph
all the trivial treasures I left along the trail
and for a very brief moment
it will be like I never left

   maybe I'm gone already
   and you're reading this in the future
   knowing how my story ended
   walking through a world without me

   in that long silence
   don't forget that I love you

CARDS WITH GOD

    When I played cards with God
He couldn't not know my hand
I said, "How can I possibly win?"
    He just grinned
and gestured for me to begin

In the end, it didn't matter what he knew
He'd shuffled the hands
before the universe began
so that I would win

I didn't beat him, though. I defeated myself
I triumphed over misunderstanding
      about who
                         he
                               is