Fortunato

sitting in the waiting

while numbers

keep us company

all the moments

that were foretold

rest in heavy eyes

the hymns of the skies

written in the stars

and proclaimed from cards

those hymns trickle

down the spine

as water trickling

in the back of a cave

you see the w

maybe an m from

another perspective

it is written on the palms

outstretched in prayer

to touch your own palms

as withered leaf remnants

tell tales from the bottom

of a porcelain tea cup

 

Silencing

the trust of the ebb

and the flow

is letting go the dove

knowing it 

will, return home

but there's no choice

but to trust

the wave will ebb

the retreat will come

the distance will grow

and you may never know

if the tide will rise and flow

if it 

will, return home

will it

will it ever

Pulling up roots

old roots were pulled

below the wind

pushing clouds

through barren branches

and a sun that seemed

to source these clouds

in a breath 

of iridescent essence

the roots held

the cool earth close

as a mother suckles a babe

the symbiosis hadn't 

realized full term

for it had come time

for roots to feed the soil now

but as often is the case

a human has other plans

 

High born Aken

we reached into

the sun

and the sun reached

into us

water flowed into

our lungs

to prevent our air

from igniting

the inner chasms

we had ran to

where we had hidden

ourselves

those chams filled

with the sun

we could no longer run

from ourselves

the light was so

piercing

it was so warm after

our frozen slumber

we felt on fire in its

presence

and we melted and surrendered

to the infiltration

The key for ki

the sudden stir

within each chakra

as the quakes in

the root and sacral

join tribal dances

of long ago and

of those yet to come

as solar plexus turns

in swirls

and echoes one and two

the heart ignites 

thrusting forward

to the beat of its call

the howling in the night

throat stretches calling

forth all the times

it was held prisoner

to break those chains

the pull of the third eye

out and beyond

reaching further

than the arm is long

further than the sight

can see

into realms unknown

those realms only known

to the crown that was

reinstated to shine

as a beacon for the others

to gaze and rise

 

Out of Pisces

how long have

we swam in this ocean

the depths where pressure

has plied our minds

with limitations and weight

a dormancy we've floated

in and through

as waves have carried

our harnessed bodies

far away from each other

but in a turning of the world

in a setting of the sun

and the rising of a new one

this ocean vanishes 

for us to find dry sand

beneath our feet

warm sun upon our flesh

clear sight within our eyes

and the will not of an ocean

but of our freed selves

to guide us on the return

Fly home

returning flights

feather within wind

bright burning chests

skip and bounce

against greening ground

while black tattered 

tips of wings

patiently float above

in their journey search

northern locales

have beckoned back

these lively and motley aviators

all in their proper timing

all in their allotted procession

to fly through 

tears from the clouds

and teeth of the fates

for reunion in their

northern homes

with weathered locals

of quacks and caws 

 

The translator

if it speaks on 

behalf of you

and it speaks

on behalf of me

what is it that

is exactly speaking

to the both of us

is it our heart

the shared connection

that holds us

that has taken

your hand

and holds my

hand too

and that will

place our hands

together some day

the whispers in the night

the smiles seen

just out of view

the hovering warmth 

the embodiment

is this an instrument

a guide for our voices

between our souls

Yearly days

in about three days

the balance will return

the light and dark will equal

the cold will retreat

the ice will thaw

the earth will wake

the sun will shine

the seeds will remember

the soul will shake

and free itself from

the foggy introspection

heart bells will ring

in the swirling breeze

warm hands will find

anxious shoulders

gentle fingers will find

necks anticipating their moves

as the geese take 

a northern trajectory 

Still in dreams

you are out there

in the crowd

I feel your eyes

when they're upon me

though I'm looking

through dark glasses

you give me the urge

to take flight

upon my ascension

we pass each other

in your descent

that's when it clicks

and we spend the

rest of the night

catching up to the other

through any means

possible

 

Thirteenth of the 13: the final five

dresser drawers

seem to glow orange

as one drifts

off into slumber

with the silent snow

an old friend with the

same name of 

a current one

she begins to teach

telling of her journeys

past explosions stall

in pressurized times

feeding the public

with rich heavy food

pizza weighed down

in seas of cheese

leaving the thirteen

nights behind you are

left with these words:

the two find each other

Twelfth of the 13: the sleeping poet

the numerous rooms of the house

were filled with scattered items

and the sickly woman 

attempted to serve her guests

the meat was delivered

butchered and ready to process

sausages were the choice

in the amateur preparation 

the three dogs prior in life

over extended their sniffers

the wrong clothes were available 

while the right clothes 

were already waiting

at the place of work

it had all been misplaced

because the black shelving 

now contained the wrong items

if only the clock wasn’t

an hour and 19 minutes 

ahead of where it should be 

 

Eleventh of the 13: what speaks to you

within a barn

within the woods

a beast dwells

who steals the bags

of passersby 

but you may speak 

with this beast 

who explains how 

it knows English

is because it listens 

ghosts speak to nurses

they will remain

as long as no one

switches their doctor

images are vague 

what was said is distant

but you showed up

nonetheless 

Tenth of the 13: I melted in your arms

tiniest of ducklings 

in multitudes float

as snowflakes in an

early spring flurry

the sun and flowers return

and you shine

in your beauty and glory

I am fortunate and grateful

to behold you in Apollo's grace

at a fair of art and jewelry 

we pass through the stalls 

of various crafts and wares

with music in the air

our friend almost asks

me to dance as the song

reminds her of a tv show

but we look at each other

and agree in our eyes 

to take to the dancefloor

ourselves

moving slowly together

my hands take to your shoulders

in your striped shirt

you tell me I was looking lonely

when I was sitting across from you

I reply that I could melt in your arms

the clock then reads 3:37 am

 

Ninth of the 13: Delphi echoes

a silver wreath 

she wears in her hair

a silent goddess to bring

visions to the dreamers

as repetition occurs

in the 13th after 12

upon waking violet lights

still burn in the branches

high above the bed

inquiring neighbors may discover

the cache the earth holds for you

so you may need to wall it up

to hide and protect

when kisses are freely given

and freely received

Eighth of the 13: light sleep

drifting off into the intention

of two becoming one

almost three hours into it

the light shone

the flickering light shone

from left to right

the light shone

moving across an arch

behind closed eyelids

the trine of Mercury and Jupiter

bestowed the blessed message

to the two becoming one

awoken eyes stared

into the darkness

to drift back off into 

a similar darkness

for three hours more

until the slumberer 

finally awoke

hungry for more

Seventh of the 13: lilies left of center

plants mark the memories

of when life begins and ends

of the movements 

in the earthly realm

where you have been

and where you will go

the celebrations you will attend

when the most unexpected guest

will show up at the most unexpected time

and will be dressed in the most unexpected outfit

all these celebrations

will be tied up with a bow

the ribbon made up

of your distant past

and current guests

to conceal the future surprise

you have so patiently waited for

 

Sixth of the 13: between monsters and twins

the titan of a monster 

approaches the door with thunder

in a magicians dual

and the opposite in size

is sometimes the best weapon

against your enemy 

haircut plans for the day mingle

with lucid dreams

and the best gift is given

in the form of your presence

while passing through gardens

swimming pools and parking garages 

it is sensed a set of twins who 

are partnered with another set of twins

are convulsing

and I discuss my role

in my clinic

with responding physicians

who tell me we always need more nurses

Fifth of the 13: the Ka-boom

the firework expands

into the surrounding darkness

momentary illumination

only to surrender to

the refusal of revealing more

take a sip of creation

a sip of ecstasy

as you’ve already seen

the interior of the explosion

you've already been

the explosion itself

 

Fourth of 13: hitting the segmented points

the knowing of an affliction

in someone else

sometimes brings the affliction

home

and sometimes fires

burn underwater

and the hope is we can

put it all back together 

even when all the parts

are beyond repair

but you can never see

the whole picture

the grand view of it all

if you aren't nestled

near the precipice of the abyss

with the fear of falling

tugging at your heart

and we attempt to release

into new experiences

while still tangled

in our old habits

but still discoveries are made

hidden behind walls

secrets of long ago

come forth

in the light of today

Third of 13: blood in the water

revisitation of the search party

only to find one of the two

might have resigned

merely a declaration 

of the bloodthirsty moon

pure fear from the lunatic

but then a voice of the past 

cries out in catatonic rambling

on the subject of summoning 

a letter from solicitation

while wailing for help

echoes in the chasm

as sharks take hold of legs

under the surface

of calm waters

 

Second of 13: reliance of feelings

search through the dark

of a mind preoccupied 

with the blood eclipse

vague impressions 

of the future self

and its other half

reaching into the youth

of what’s to come

only to wake at

three thirty on March third

after receiving the blessing

that he’ll meet you there

in the corridors of dream 

First of 13: closing the door

thawing gardens

thawing grass

in the hopes

of the midnight sun

where dread is to tread

somewhere colder

somewhere more northern

to a white door

where you greeted

your estranged mother

on the threshold 

in attempts to make good

in hope of reconciliation

but it wasn't to be found

for the past is a trap

not easily escaped

and the definition

of insanity

drips in fresh ink

from the pages

of the family bible

and you watch her turn

from your doorstep

to leave it at that

as you close the door 

behind her

while a snake leaps

from a nearby tree

to tangle with a lizard

monitor or komodo

you are uncertain of

Party of five perhaps

I sat at a table with 

a small group of gents

to my right sat Peter

and further round the table

was Patrick and then Seth

and then it returned to Sean

who was sitting to my left

one of these gents told 

me he had always

been his brother

least that is what 

his mother believed

but he would never

say who his brother 

was sitting at the table

another one told me he

claimed another's name

and that it would make

sense eventually to me

a third one was an enigma

altogether but I enjoyed

his company nonetheless

the fourth never said a word

which impressed me most

but between them all

it seems I might have

been speaking to one...

all along

 

Confession of the Venus-Mercury conjunction

the thought of you

has extended the hours

in my days

it has given me more

meaningful breaths 

in my lungs

it has made me more

reflective on each beat

of my heart

you have given me

several names to call you

but the first I wear close

to my heart

at first I saw our separation

as something to overcome

but I have found peace

in the closeness 

of our souls

I need nothing but to

hold you in my mind

for you to be near and

soothe my soul

I only wish to return

all this to you so that 

on the day we do meet

you may put your hand

on my chest to feel the

beats of my heart

Sips of you

you're my cup of coffee

first thing in the morning

definitely something to sip

while watching the sunrise

feel your energy flow through

my veins out to under my skin

because you are certainly the

reason for my body's recent glow

if I ever need a shot of you

throughout the hours of the day

I just tug a metallic chest chime

to take me back to our bedtimes

where I am laying on my back

you take my leg around your hip

and I just gaze up into your eyes

sipping on those moments 

as the sun warms me in the morning

 

To keep it short

the reset button

was pushed two nights ago

when the body 

and spirit came together

as a wave to the shore

and the soul surrendered

to a juncture to realign,

restore, and rest

just enough to gather

and reinvest in the

next growing wave

Sinus rhythm

these shells we shed

for our fate is not fixed

this us yet to be is still

an us that currently grows

the hum of our heart

though wavering and fragile

has echoed in our memories

just as it will reverberate 

in all our memories which time

has saved for us down the road

the shedding of these shells 

strips away what we no longer need

the allure of mysterious intrigue

and glamor of intense novelty

this will all fall away into 

the pools of gentle familiarity

and tender reflection of our souls

to where we no longer yearn

to get lost in each other

for we will have found ourselves

within each other

Riding the waves

I have hit the wall

because the heart 

doesn't lie

it may have been fixed

but it longs for the lungs

to breathe on its own

the ups are incredible

dizzying heights where

we bathe in angel tears

who cry from the beauty

we're beholden to

the valleys are moments

sanity is questioned

and logic attempts to

discard the beyond,

the unseen and the unknown

but I bow to these waves

to let them wash over us

as we are the stone

that remains

 

Simple wish

I'd say it's the simple things

that make me smile about you

but nothing about us is simple

well, at least not yet

and maybe that's what I

long for the most about us

the binge watching on the couch

the getting lost in conversations

the preparation for a date night

all the farewells taken for granted

and the coming back togethers

also so taken for granted

the understated but underrated

kisses made at a moment's notice

and oh the falling to sleep

within each other's embrace

and better yet the waking up together

to discover it wasn't a dream

yeah, it's the simple things

that have yet to find us

but until then we'll just

have to be the envy of the stars

and the burden of Venus

 

At two on 2/22

it was in the moments

the table broke out in 

laughter that it seemed

you were sitting right

beside joining in with

the loud echoes of joy

resounding throughout

the busy restaurant, but

the present had to remind

me that the pleasure of

your company is yet

reserved for the future

Moon in Taurus

open is the temple

for you to set your prayer afire

open is the night sky

for you to wish upon a star

open is your mind

to believe in such things

open is the store

for you to buy a ring of promise

open is the road

for you to drive home on

open is your schedule

for you to take the trip

open is the door

for you to walk through

open is my heart 

for you to rest in from your travels

open is your soul

for me to get lost in

Weight of the wait

the bike ride is a yes

under clear Nevada skies

with your shirt matching

the hue of those views

though it will have to wait

and float around as a thought

to help with Friday afternoons

that drag the clock like an anchor

but there is also a rallying

with thinking you might be

on the plane flying past

on its way to the runway up north

that somehow you were able to see

looking through my eyes

to the corner street signs

and find your way to the plaza

a fleeting thought to ease

the weight of the wait

 

Silhouettes of snowflakes

I melted in your

embrace this morning

while I watched

the silhouettes 

of paper snowflakes

rest on the wall

from the rising sun

your arms reached 

around my shoulders

as your left hand

gently caressed my cheek

your thumb traced

the outline of my

bottom lip while

your breath danced

on the back of my neck

my soul teared up

and whimpered

from the warmth of your touch

as if the snowflakes

truly were melting 

in the first rays of the sun

Ode to the Lion City

may we meet someday

on the island at 

the end of the peninsula

for great is the love

of the people there

and warm are the waters

to cleanse the soul

let me sing of Singapura

where ships have sailed 

from foreign lands

only to return with 

works from steadfast hands

may we someday walk

the costal views

on the island at

the end of the peninsula

and return the love

of the people there

with a most heartfelt 

"terima kasih"

 

Ring of fire

we jumped through the ring

that the moon made

with the sun today

we left the world to itself

and sealed ourselves

in a gold laced cocoon

fit for any infant monarch

all of our dreams are in a pool 

just as with any infant monarch

the melding of yours and mine

into the ultimate potion of ours

will come to fruition at the end

of the golden age of eclipses

but for now we rest

in the ocean of our dreams

Venus Trine Jupiter

a look within

and I see you waiting

where we thought

we may be caged

by our hearts

and you told me

I need to live for myself

that I need to be the one

I wake up for

it was an echo I gave you

when I had told you

that you needed to be the one

you say no for

that neither our families nor friends

or even each other are good enough

for that purpose

and in this we found

the key to our cage

and when you look within

I will return your gaze

and we can jump together

Take five

where five meets five

I have to take another

flight of stairs

and when five meets five

mine so chooses first

while his so chose last

where five follows five

they decided to be

separated by the one

but when five joins five

I'll give you your gift

and where five joins five

you'll take my hand in yours

Sol bathing

there was something

gentle and nourishing

to the cooling breath

in the mid February sun

the fire promised

on Imbolc night

had been delivered

and it was time to

feed the ravenous Earth

after her winter slumber

for we were all wakened

before our dreams

had been dreamt

and reveled in a slight

slip into solar swimming

with gleaming silver

resting on our sternums

 

Ceremony

let the temples

be washed with

water from the moon

and perfumed

with floral nectar

let the incense

raise in prayer

scented voices

calling out to

the fires in the sky

let the candle 

be lit aflame

for light to glow

and illuminate

in tender witness

let the hymns 

be tones of awe

vibrations resonating

with the moment

when flesh connects

with the divine

 

Chest chime

in a sweet minute

metallic tune

the chest chime

calls out

between the charm

of zodiac balance

and lapis crowned

silver eternity

delicate reverberation

sounds with walk

and in this movement

there is a tinny applause

an overjoyed ovation

protruding from

the thundering organ

that dwells behind

the sanctuary

of the chest chime

it is the clock ticking

to that moment

and its alarm

readying itself

Someone else's heart

when you are given

someone else's heart

what will you know

what love will grow

from the seeds you sow

when you are given

someone else's heart

the past is simply

a song you once knew

the future is a path

with a chosen view

and the present is

truly a gift for you

for when you are given

someone else's heart

the dance to the beat

you will soon learn

the intense flames

will never burn

and instead of chance

you will take your turn

 

Post 13

I had walked

these fields before

at that time

so very long ago

all the flowers

were just budding

all the promise of

all the beauty was

sealed in secrets

but I knew of them

without knowing them

as I walk these fields

when very long ago

has aged to now

those buds have bloomed

all the sealed secrets

now fall profusely

in silky satin petals

and I the bee nestle

within those floral revelations

Silver thistle dark

there is a valley

thick with silver thistles

that stretches between

February and October

the foliage glistens

under the light of 

twin full moons

one moon glows

from the light of you

the other moon reflects 

the beating of my heart

the sharp metallic leaves

hold their spines high

to stand guard of all

that will come to be

though I peer through them

and you peer back

they only allow 

a very limited view

but if we gaze upward

towards the moons above

you can dance to 

the rhythm of my heart

and I can find my way

through the silver thistle dark

to the light of you

 

Lapis dreams

I had a pretty good idea

for my expectations

the delivery date had

stated from day one

a certain time frame

so I was even and keel

with no anxious hopes

just smooth sailing 

until mid month

but then notice came

and the ship had sailed

or rather it had shipped

and with so many ships

coming into port

butterflies began to flutter

and it almost felt like

October three years on

but in Mercurial fashion

that is the Universe's humor

the only ship to come in

left dirt and snoring aids behind

Lives apart

any decision made

for your happiness

is a light in the darkness

for it is your joy

that will guide us together

a statue frozen in time

cannot call out

as a beacon in the night

love is my desire for you

to keep your flame alive

for love will not sever

love will not turn away

it will only set you adrift

on your course where

we will depart from 

our lives apart

but in the meantime...

 

Today's vistas

the ceiling fan

in the living room

was in competition

with the small windmill

in the neighbor's yard

just outside the side window

the backyard rabbit

I pretty much am 

keeping as a pet now

was gnawing on the

frozen carrots I tossed

to it from the veg drawer

I need to reset the temp

on the fridge I guess

the evening sunrays

cast the best silhouette

on the bedroom wall

from the nearby

planter of philodendron

the reflection in

the bathroom mirror

was easier to look at

as the effort of both 

diet and those damn

daily exercises seems

to actually be working

the clock on the dresser

near the closet door

still displays daylight

savings time because 

sometimes I just can't

be bothered to keep up 

with the rest of the world

Since finding you again

I've celebrated each day

even down to each hour

a petal to pull from the flower

knowing that love is the finality

I've found a way to make

an event to look forward to

for at least once each week

an event to commemorate us

and to intensify our gravity

I've searched among the stars

and have found our history

that points the way to our future

through each step of the sky

following the celestial giants

the reminders of our union

rain down upon our thirsty souls

I've listened to the prophets

that whisper within our hearts

to learn living in the what will be

will only erode what's meant to be

and staying in the here and now

will nourish the resolve of us

I've manifested what I can

for the time being that is

for through these hallowed items

the armor against fear I don

the shield against doubt I wield

 

Advances

not even two moons

have rolled by

yet how it's 

all changed from

reignition of what

was before to

recognition of what

can be the most mundane

actions adulterated with what

can be the most extraordinary

sensations and revelations

how the conversations

have permeated each

passing hour

and evolved into

ethereal touches to

hands and backs of necks

and the others at 

the most inopportune moments

yet savored nonetheless

Brigid's passing

laden with silence

this early February eve

sits in stillness

and emptiness

the tenderness of Imbolc

glows in the waning

of the Snow Moon

as Brigid's Cloak rests

on the arm of the chair

the fire that remains

in her passing

is an ember at this moment

as the moon it glows

in the hearth 

and as the germ in the seed

it patiently waits to ignite

burning as a beacon

for Venus's blessing

a fortnight away

but for now

the night is soft

the time is tender

the mood is gentle

and the lover waits

Balancing the scales

feeling the weight 

of your hand in my own

distraction is easily sown

while fantasy is rapidly grown

are you able to focus

is your job at risk

do you sleep at night

or are you always

waking up an hour

to thirty minutes before

your alarm is set

the pull is overwhelming

and dizzying at times

and the sighs

well they're just inevitable

is the new daydreaming discipline 

as challenging for you

for that and you have always

been my weakness...

and strength

 

Wedding night

gems have scattered

at the foot of the bed

silk sheets fall from 

the ceiling above

dim green lights dance

with flickering flames

flesh flows freely

over faux fur

breath collapses in

its competition with pulse

the duet of pleasure bows

giving way to the silence

and the wells of the eyes

Right here with me

you ask me not

to envision all

that is waiting for us

you ask me to hold off

just for now

so that destiny

can write itself

so that we might

have a little surprise

waiting for us

so we might just

get a "wow" in our hearts

instead of an "oh yeah"

I think you mostly

want me to stay

here in the present

instead of gallivanting

off into some unknown

future scenario where

I most likely will get lost

in all the possibilities

and if I'm right then

you probably are too

Surrender

you've found something

when your hand

glides up my right leg

when your fingertips slowly

find their way

from my ankle

along my shin

to the inner of my knee

it sends the most

melting sensation

to the rest of my body

my muscles want

to liquify in your palms

the signal travels

though my nerve pathways

surrendering any resistance

of the numerous points

for you to press

this one is my

white flag

 

Sourire

your smile

is truly the driving force

I will do anything

to see it

mountains and deserts

and long expanses

of prairie

won't keep me

from it

whatever I can do

to keep it

I will

to hear your laughter

even to the point of tears

truer music

I've never listened to

but even just 

that grin

that beams true

joy and contentment

let it reflect in my eyes

always

 

Lunar halo

under the pale light

in ten degree temps

neck arches back

to take it all in

the translucent layer

of cirrostratus

thin soft silk

laid across the face

of the ancient night

a few gems dare

to gleam and bask

in the mother moon

and her lunar halo

Quietude

if you have to

take a step back

I understand

this has been a lot

a tidal wave

of reacquaintance

of remembering

of exhausting intensity

and I know at times

we have to catch

our breath

I'm always up for

time on the couch

binge watching

whatever

and just laying

in your presence

if this gives you the chance

to regroup

then I'll hold your silence

and wait

Walks down the hall

riding the edge of tears

most days

but on a sea of laughter

and beauty

how the heart flows

in waterfalls from my chest

pooling at your feet

how the steam rises

from the heat of your

hand on my shoulder

this will be the longest

rising action of our story

from what has already

been set in motion 

on cold December nights

take my hand 

and we will take these

final steps together

into October nights

so much to do in

so little time, I almost

said it with a straight face

 

Afterwards

it's fascinating to me

that it won't be all 

of what we're going

through now

the ever-present

waiting and longing

the doubting of

our sanity

the mountains

of ecstasies

the valleys

of silence

no, none of this

will be significant

afterwards

it will be the shared

grins and glances

the knowing just

by looking into 

each other's eyes

the touch of hands

upon lips and cheeks

and every other inch

the laughter with

our loved ones

the tears that will

fall from time to time

in all these things there

will be no difference

Per your request

in the night hours

I gaze upward to find

the stars pointing to you

as zodiac numbers

add up the hours of my day

I pen what falls

from my heart

onto bare paper

from this winter window

I see snow and ice are

best companions to the cold

and wait for the warmth

of your words

knowing someday

you'll wrap me up

in love letters 

from your soul

January 25th take two

thirteen years ago

and a room full of poets

a night of anticipation

with me waiting for

someone I knew

but had never met

to take me by my

outstretched left hand

and lead me into

another life

and as the evening faded

that intention did as well

but seeds fell from that

faded bloom

and without knowing it

you had taken my hand

and my life was 

never the same 

Synchro city

I keep asking

and you seem to

keep giving

and I'm never

sure how much

gets over our

mental wall

but I rest in

knowing what

is said between

our souls

and how the

depths of that

appear eternal

as you tried to

explain it to me,

"your back has

opened up and

you are stretched

out of it, I don't

know how else

to explain it"

 

That moment

will they be able to

keep up with us

the reservoir we've 

been holding back

will release and the

ensuing flood will

wash away all the waiting 

our life will be almost

instantaneously how

we've always dreamt it

nothing will be the same

for us once we leave this moment

how long to savor the past

or surrender to the future

here in this most powerful present

 

I am with you

when the present becomes

the memory of our conversations

I'll be with you

in the moment our smiles

realize all of our past projections

I'll be with you

how many times we've constructed

our future interactions

how many times have we

remembered what our destiny will be

in all the dreams that bleed

into our everyday lives

I'll be with you

when we've played through

our last searching scenario

I am with you

Talaria steps

you're of my ruling planet

so does that mean you

were to rule my path

directing each step so

I may have no say

for you to slip the lead

around my neck and

take me where you may

and it seems perhaps

that is exactly what you did

almost as if you stole me

away from my own heart

and pointed me into the cold

but in many ways I was willing

that I must have agreed

to your guidance at some point

was it you that took my hand

that night we never kissed

jumping off of the page

I flipped to before it all

you hitchhiked for as long

as I allowed it all, though

I feel you may come and go

at times, now and then... still

Feast my eyes

I arrive at the restaurant

my heart overrides my nerves

as my mind is perplexed

about how calm I am

strange to be a party of one

as I've never gone out

to eat by myself, alone

that'll soon be remedied

the hostess leads me

into the dining room

and seats me with a menu

this list of food and drinks

will serve as my companion

but merely for the moment

for even as I sit down I feel

a magnetic force knocking

at my accelerating pulse

I resist for as long as I can

but then give in to the impulse

I glance up to find the most

intense gaze fixated on me

at that moment everything 

else fades from reality

as the ravenous connection

pulls at the very souls

of the two engaged in this

Countdown

just one thousand

three hundred sixty seven

of those twenty-four hours

rinse and repeat

the waking and sleep

for the next one hundred

and ninety five weeks

but that is the question

what to do with all the

forty four moons

passing between us

so many to juggle

on the path to you

some are just to wade through

while others will be

down right shit

but in the thirty two

thousand seven hundred

and eighty eight hours

we will live our lives

until it becomes our life

and I wish you the best one

for the next three years

eight months and 

twenty eight days

 

Occupation

he looks down upon

the passing seasons

from his position 

in the tower five up

his chamber is built

in the nervous system

where brains both

come and leave

the tower five up

is situated in a large

expanse of verdant green

and he looks up to

watch the giant dragonflies

zoom by holding lives

in their hands

the five up in the tower

is not the only five up

he holds dear to him

five up from his own day

he has climbed

on the ladder of moons

to find the other

he has called to 

and has heard called

from the tower five up

to raptor wings and beyond

Love thyself

you ask me

to love myself

through you

to use you as

a mirror

and undress

for me to look

at the flowing

curves running

up and down my

torso and legs

to see the varied

hues of pigment

that has come from

generations of lovers

entwining their genes

to give me this flesh

you ask me to look

at the constellations

scattered across my skin

stars that help you

navigate to my heart

you ask me to look

at the scars that glimmer

reflecting those past

lessons learned hard

in this you light a candle

to help guide me

across the bridge

from my heart to my self

Libra

your scales 

balance me

I thought your

stars were mine

but gave them back

to you when I 

realized my mistake

you may take mine

when twins ride bulls

but I want it known

I give them to you

with all the joy

found in the heavens

though you offer me

the world and anything

the thing I want the most

is you as my world

so I'll tip your scales

just for the time being

so as with sails full of air

to point you Starboard

and to home with me

 

 

Standing by

do we feel as statues

these stands of stone

carved by an outside force

draped in time and patience

having been chipped away

through the drifting years

to reveal the within

what we may have hid

what we may have held

to keep ourselves whole

in lives that were shattered

do we feel as statues

with unblinking eyes

upon the swirling spheres

waiting for alignment

not of any stars or heavenly bodies

but of our own bodies and souls

of our own heart and spirit

to claim the reason for our births

and realize the cost of our deaths

Will be

"all the could bes

that torment you at night

are not near as strong

as the will be"

you whisper this

to me so I can sleep

but it's my dreams

or the lack of them

that cause the insomnia

I rest in the thought of you

yet the thought of you

stirs me from sleep

the fear that if I fall

asleep with you

will I wake up 

without you...

and you whisper again

 

In restlessness

amorous waves lapped

our tangled bodies

while sheets twisted

in the wind of our desire

our serpentine limbs

danced in an emerald haze

and we were lost to

the late night hours

our lips slowly chanted

the song emanating from

our heaving chests

eternity could have

passed us by unaware

as your hand brushed

my cheek and trickled

down my neck

your arm cradled

my chest from behind

and we fell asleep

with your breath

whispering in my ear

Venus rules

in tourmaline fields

I search for you

with aid of raven calls

my voice is carried

to your heart

down spiral stairs

my feet carry me deep

into a forgotten chamber

the walls pulsate with

your drum and ebb and

flow with the rhythm 

of your holy breath

in these depths and

candlelight views

I discover you reading

you look up suddenly

I catch your glance

and throw it back to you

everything falls silent

and still and in this

the moment Venus has

blessed our tether

you take my hand in yours

and kiss my temple

 

Sunday nights in January

what if we decide

to go a day early

or that a day early

isn't early enough

from a coincidental

meeting at the curb

to an intentional

sought out contact

with table and chairs

from morning light

to best lit faces in

dim bulbs and candles

what if we decide

to throw it all away

every version we've

indulged ourselves in

and just say fuck it

toss a coin and let it

land on come what may

because no matter if

it's nearing Halloween

or falling on some other

significant date and time

all the signs we've known

all of those we've cherished

are ornaments to this

what's said between us

just remnants of our hope

that we crave on cold

Sunday nights in January

 

The last leg

some three

and three

quarters 

from now

dangling meat

before our eyes

the chaos

that spills

from the

oracle's lips

feel so

illiterate trying

to read these

tea leaves

but with a

good book

and tin 

of Dansk

some three

and three 

quarters 

from now

will be now

in no time

Overlaps

the whispers to

you at midnight

the moments you

steal from him

the glances I 

steal from you

the fibs I tell so

I can meet you

again and again

the tug of war

you both play

with my soul

the choice I made

the path we took

the body we share

just for the moment

the fate I take back

in Jupiter's glare

the flight I'll make

the dreams you'll have

some mid October

 

On the look out

I watch for you

searching for me

you finally see me

looking for you

but I try not to look

at you watching me

your gaze is too heavy

and I cannot look away

so I meet your eyes

as you draw closer without blinking

I look down at the chair next to me

you take a seat and say,

"You look like you are looking for someone." 

I reply, "I was."

Gifting tune

green stars that

shine in your 

reflection

red moons that

roll in my

direction

these rings that

swirl around

our fingers

this song that

stays around

and lingers

 

Who are you waiting for

I know him

without ever 

meeting him

I know him 

without any

memories of him

it's like his

essence is

embedded within

my own

like whispers

being made

between our

molecules

I have never

seen him,

physically

yet I have seen

every part

of him

We may have to be distant right now

found a blank

thinking of you

card today

the emptiness of it

was deafening

wanted to fill

it up with you

with thoughts of you

with want of you

with all the words

I have yet to

say to you

and after the space

is filled to capacity

I would offer it

to the giants glowing

in the night sky

for them to take the now

and bring about 

what will be

 

Tempering

the fire offers its warmth

and light in this cold night

though it struggles to find

the strength to ignite with

cold and damp fuel to feed

smooth smoke wafts up

over the fence into the drive

it sinks slowly into the glow

of the side door's lantern

the heated energy drifting

down the shadowy street

as Orion reclines in the east

Venus peers through the trees

incense from the spruce twigs

settles on the dormant grass

and wonder pauses for now

to breathe in the moment

under the weight of this fate

Beating drums

scramble to write down

dates to try to make sense

out of the beating drums

when they didn't beat

so well at night's beginning

when the dance was

exhausting when the

drummers needed to

remember the electro

magnetic frequency

of this spinning world

but counted out the

second of the fourth

of the two thousand 

and twenty second

to the eve of Christmas

that same turn

to the second of the fifth

of the two thousand

and twenty fifth

had we finally had enough

just enough to make

all your friends speechless

when you introduce me

yeah, let's dance 

to our own drum

 

Gems

I dreamt of

dreaming of you

just knowing

that you had

been in my dreams

made my heart

skip a beat

it was as though

we had taken 

the next step

that you were in

a place other than

our waking dreams

you had walked

though the wall

of my psyche

into a place where

I could hold you safe

could hold you close

this dream of

dreaming of you

is an emerald for me

and a ruby for you

Closest

this rising smoke

an incantation 

under the alignment

of closeness

in this us being

closest to the sun

and the moon

being closest to us

I invoke gravity

to pull us closest

in this a shower

of heavenly bodies

soaring to their fates

I invoke Luvehi

to pull us closest

rising incense calls

through the night

to pull us closest

and hold us tight

 

Excessus

your arms slide

underneath mine

from behind

your breath is

heavy on my neck

my heart ticks

with the beat

of prey before

the predator

the beat slowly

melts into your

tidal motion

two beings ebbing

and flowing together

as my neck

arches backwards

and your lips

glide down it

to pool on my

eager shoulder

I surrender

to your will

as you hold me

within your chest

we are lost in 

this moment

in each other

2029

how long to savor

that moment

how long to stay

in that moment

the moment we 

always return to

a soft word spoken

a glance taken

finger glides across

back of hand

reply and nod

eyes in awe

stuttering lips

disbelief melts

into recognition

and then...

how long to keep

that moment within

how long to wait

for that moment

the moment we

always long for