in the still, quiet of night
they finally can breathe deep
darkness settles over them like a blanket
no moon to shine a light on troubles
he takes the questions from the edge of her lips away
she forgets to wonder or worry
they take comfort together
their world a small, dark space
they hold all they need between their locked arms
there may be battles brewing all around
but somehow they remain sheltered
chaos erupts in the day
over and over again
but their pure, impossible need
wipes all else from view
it’s so very quiet
so very still
if this night could last
but then they thought no more
and surrendered
legendary
he kept a furious pace
moving like a whirlwind
he stole all the breath in the room
when he was near
nobody could challenge him
for he had braved fires and waters
and had emerged bigger
bolder
with a keen eye for weakness
a mouth for debate
he faced the endless horizon
with arms akimbo
feet ready to bolt
yet the peculiar appeal
was his ability
to spot a soft heart
and handle it gently
holding the world at arms length
when it all became too much
always something there
why is it I think of you at inopportune times
not just when the chips are down
but on sunny days when I see your face in the clouds
the song on the radio is too obvious
I can turn that off
but there is no turning away from my cup of tea
and the color of your eyes therein
nor can I pretend not to see
that couple at the grocery picking out fruit
so I walk quickly outside
greeted by a warm gush of air like yours in the morning
karaoke at the party would have been your gig
reading in the library was ours
so there is truly nowhere
where you and I did not visit
a rainy day alone is the closest to peace I have
since solitude was foreign with you
and grey was not in your oeuvre
Roiling Seas
are there still dreams not taken
do some possibilities remain
or are we swirling in our own defeated waters
never to breathe fully again
was there ever really a time
I believed the world was mine
or have I always been swimming against the current
waiting in vain for some sort of sign
can you feel the troubles ahead
taste the change in the breeze
will you ride the waves of rolling grace
rising above roiling seas with me
I may stay here
another day has washed over me
leaving debris
old words, used wrappers, broken pencils, tired feet
trying to hold onto a thought
is as tenuous as holding a moth
if you try too hard
you end up with a mess on your hands
thinking tomorrow will be better
is as useless as
drinking the ocean through a straw
all the marks on my body and psyche
color my world
leaving a dusty view
this moment doesn’t hurt too badly
I may stay awhile
right here and now
going no further
not looking back
you may stay with me
dwell in the moment
we ‘ll brush off worries
set aside any discussion
since the only requirements
are to observe, imagine, feel
