the game

found myself on queue
awaiting my turn
to my right was a tramp
to my left a pirate
how would we fare
in competition
I can be ruthless and play dirty
or I can be selfless and lend a hand
but something tells me
I need to bring my A game
the Indian sits sagely on the side
the opera diva chomping at the bit
I’ll wait a bit
gauge the skill of my opponents

wait

there’s nobody against me
in front of us are our mirror images
we have to find our own weak spots
exploit them to get ahead
no moving forward
without sacrificing something
our pride, our cynicism
would be the first to go
but we’re not all that smart
the strategy is not clear
just keep moving is key
don’t over-think
use instincts we’ve so long suppressed
play the game

September 15, 2013 0

Ol’ Blues Man

He spoke to me only through the music we shared
The pain was evident in his eyes
The weariness was etched with every line on his face
His fingers strummed and sifted through my memories

I couldn’t let him down
We couldn’t let the stony silence win
So I started to sing
I felt my voice take over the room even softly they could feel it in the back
While he opened his eyes for the first time and saw me and we moved together through the blues
We traveled through some craggy slopes
All that need to be said was sung
And the guitar wailed on

Between verses were only muffled curses
But there was joy in the harmony
There was harmony in the words
The words that only came in a song
And the song was all we shared.

September 15, 2013 0

Richer With You

your arms wrap around me like a cozy sweater
your warmth seeps into my cold bones
let the wind whip all around us
a dream is withstanding this storm

my dreams were not big enough
my scope not nearly as wide as could be
so many unexpected delights
there’s so much more we’ve found

exploring, finding comfort
expressing, needing kindness
touching, feeding the fires within

thinking, sharing ideas
tasting, traveling with senses
escaping, shutting out the world instead of time eroding the magic
rather than routine wearing away at the shine
the years that pass just seem too fast
it gets better and richer with you every time

September 13, 2013 0

Infinite Coil

stepping through the infinite coil
careful not to be shredded
there’s no softness on this plane
nowhere to rest your head
tears fall as dust here
laughter rings solemnly
lonely voices sound of discord

wading through dark waters
gauging depth with your toes
no reaction on your face
as you sink deeper and deeper
sleek walls -hard to find purchase
yet grasping and climbing are inevitable
gaining any distance becomes a focus
rather than staying stagnant

forming words is easy
making sense impossible
there’s no kindness here
no one to smooth your brow
ideas flow like a cut vein
until they hemorrhage
lovely lines in harmony

September 13, 2013 0

Move

slipping away is too easy
they’ll look behind the billowing curtains
so no hiding
the road for retreat is crowded
too many give up daydreaming too soon
so keep imagining
you can’t claw your way back into the womb
so plant your feet and grow a spine

the dance is short and the music loud
you may have to speak up
trying is the best part
the chances are there to be taken
wring every drop from yourself
you have their attention
they’re not not waiting for you so move