Gated community

I asked to 

enter your dreams

and for you

to open the gate

and you delivered

though I walked

through the valley

of slot machines

the significance of it 

being a dime machine

I won at was not lost on me

but the true win

was returning to our room

where I waited

but when you walked

through the door

and your eyes met mine

I didn't hold back

then the gate slammed shut

Cloud drifts

if a cloud chooses

to shed a piece

of itself

then a piece of it

drifted downward

in a motion slow and soft

floating through sunlight

and the fingertips of the trees

where spider silks glisten

lifting my hand to catch it

it elusively flowed through

my two inner fingers

not just once but twice

and descended towards

the freshly cut grass

to nestle between the blades

 

May view

the cool breeze

didn't break through

the solar embrace

while heavy clouds

drifted overhead

the sun filtered

by mulberry branches

returned to gaze

upon a hungry cottontail

grazing upon rampion leaves

and dandelion blossoms

but the bunny must have

longed for greener pastures

and passed through 

the gape at the foot of the gate

lit by the evening sun

18

you are the greatest

distraction in my life

you are the dancing

of the sunlight between

the boards of the fence

you are the movement

just out of view

at the corner of my eye

you are the star

that surrenders and

hurls itself though

the endless night sky

you are the touch

upon my bare skin

from an unseen source

you are the whisper

passing my shoulder

in an empty room

you are the greatest

chance I could ever take

and equally the chance

I never want to miss

 

Yellow rail

movement flows

under harebell leaves

a tiny rarity

pops out at the end

of the overgrown foliage

feathers dressed in

a young fawn's fur

with the sharpest

brightest yellow beak

carried on oversized

clawed feet to easily

grasp any tedious spot

it finds in a marshy home

it pauses with a smirk

to nod an acknowledgment

of the happiness

right around the corner

Lune en scorpion

the scorpion dances

in the midnight sky

holding her glowing

face in its sharp tail

glowing petals fall

from her pale hand

shining scattered in

the celestial bowl

the scorpion holds

within its sharp claws

the fire of the future

burning in its grasp

fleur flames lay down

a path for the lovers

while grains of stars

make a bed for the sage

 

Evening attire

Sol’s sweet caress

lingers in the evening glory

while brisk breezes 

dance on the ends of hairs

stiffened by their presence

 

the dressing of night

smudges the blue hue

and shines the gems 

hidden from view 

this wave of a fine 

dark feather fan

releases the eternal above 

to humble what daylight reveals

and expand the possibilities ahead

in this starlit lunar show

where the crows go

Just maybe

maybe I'm crazy

sitting under the moon

waiting for you

maybe I've read

too many romances

and believed them too

but the moon has

told me you've read

those same romances

and that you're crazy too

maybe I'm crazy

looking in a mirror

searching for you

maybe my reflection

shows me a better

point of view

but the mirror's

told me you've looked

at that same view

and that you're crazy too

maybe I'm crazy

howling under the moon

calling for you

maybe I cry out 

too many times

thinking I'll find you

but the moon has

whispered to me

you've been calling too

and that I'm crazy for you

 

Beltane night

this fire

a herald of May

let its sparks fly

littering the grass

with dandelion gold

and red flickers

in tulip blush

its radiant glow

shining though

daffodil collars

hail the queen

this month of May

dressed in clouds

of Spring rains

and lilac blooms

reigning with scepter

of sweet lily white

and Helios light

call the Flower Moon

this first day of May

full and fresh

the lunar request

to shine down upon 

to kiss and bless

the Earth with warmth

and bloom's delight

for future's fruit

and unseen root

from this Beltane night

A flock of seagulls

the travel log 

must be extraordinary

for the seabirds

that return to the middle

and to give up

that briny shore and

salty ocean breeze

where primordial life 

once poured out of

for the middle

where one must follow

a tractor and plow

to scrounge in the earth

for whatever may crawl 

or wriggle out to sacrifice

itself for dinner

instead of plunging into

endless deep blue waves 

for a pound of silvery fish flesh

one must question

the reasoning behind

this seasoning travel

 

Letting go

a release of obligation

to further let go

of something that 

never was mine

to further surrender

to the eternal and divine

all that is kept

inside the chambers

of the heart

all that is mine

all that's divine

for it's possession

serving as deception

of that flame that never

consumes what it burns

let me walk through

that very same fire

let it consume both

my longing and desire

so I may come to rest

in what will always be

the unity of you and me

Cold wet grass

bare feet on

cold wet grass

flesh flows over

the fallen rain

hanging on each blade

the sky above echoes of

the wings of crows

as night filters through

the heavy sullen clouds

in silken petals shines

the golden sun

beacons among 

the shadows and green

bare feet grasp

the ache of wet cold

yet tarry on the lawn

 

Clearing of thistles

the sharp teethed leaves

in green rosette

of the early growth

so eager and vicious

tucked in among

the wild violet blooms

and blushing peony stems

and anywhere else

the downy seeds 

may have fallen last Fall

yet sharper blades

plunge into the earth

knightly swords plunging

into the bosom of

the scaly dragonish beast

never giving chance 

for violet silks to give rise 

to the same downy seeds

that may have fallen last Fall

In the music

this music

makes me think

of our talks

when we'd sneak

away in the dark

to get lost in

each other's words

there was none

of this silence

every little thought

would spill out

uninterrupted and

willing

sometimes my

voice would become

yours and you

would finish where

I had left off

and if we had gone

to a palm reader

I bet they wouldn't

have known whose hand

was whose

you always

gave me perspective

and I hope I

always gave you

hope

when our talks

felt like music

 

Weaving it

rain gently drips

on tulip petals

my fingertips flow down

the back of your neck

thick gray clouds

drift through the sky

your warm breath 

whispers in my ear

temps in the forties

chill the house

our eyers linger

within their gaze

water beads on 

the roof of the car

your laughter feels

like home

the rain sounds

an applause on the roof

we get lost without

going anywhere

Some October eve

we tarry here

at the gate

on the threshold

at the brink 

of a moment 

we have looked at

over and over again

attempting to figure out

the when and where

for the thunder in

our chests knows the why

and the who

well that's me and you

as for the what

well we need some wonder

but the first two

are the vital keys to the gate

and the how we'll leave to Fate

 

Molehills lost

he blindfolded me

and walked me

through the mountains

my trust was in

his guidance

and his trust was

in my following

and through obeying

our trust in each other

the mountains were

merely a gravel path

in a meadow

Jungles

a path is sometimes

not what it seems

and much of the time

that can only be found

once it has been traveled

then does one regret

that time spent to do so

traveling a path not meant

for them in the first place

or perhaps it always was

trudging through muddy

emotions makes a burden

heavy to the most driven

of a courageous heart

but alas it has to be done

the path can seem impassible

at times, so dark and twisted

or at times so very pleasing

when the parasitic hitchhikers

go unseen under loose attire

most difficult is when a path

plainly leads one off and away

from their heart's longing for 

but comfort in this that one only

needs to bushwhack elsewhere

 

Damn the ebbing

these constant waves

I know the reason now

the desert always returns

after the heaviest downpour

after my hand pushes through

to almost reach out and touch you

everything then withdraws

everything retreats

it all pulls in

within

and then blooms

once again, very slowly

into the garden we have known

into the splendor of the sun we share

into the moments we have longed to know

to again slowly fade from our view

trying to make a memory of you

when you were there so real

so present, so very true

burning deep within

until the wave...

Cardinal

he whispers in

a presence alight

in the reddest ember

to catch any eye

amid the blackbirds

the mask he wears

gives rise to his air

and dashing spirit

he's a ruby rose

that has found 

lightning essence

and the vehicle

in which to fulfill

his wish for flight

 

Supplication

let me tremble

when your hands

touch my face

let the divinity 

of you meet the

divinity within me

may we melt as wax

that carries the flame

into the endless night

may our heads rest

on each other's chests

listening to our drum

let us reach through

the mirror of our souls

to whisper our desires

let your burden be

upon my shoulders

may my eyes always

rest on your presence

may our heart ever

beat in its own time

let your blue flow

into my verdant green

and let your thoughts

slowly dance with mine

Reflecting

I watched you

walk down the hall

past me

your eyes glanced

my way

and the slight breeze

you stirred up as you

went by stirred me

it was all a reflection

as perfect as the ones

that stood in the glass

behind me

in that moment 

as you passed by me

in another place

in another time

 

Sunning the bull

always a push

and pull in this

for after I reached

outward all signs

are pointing inward

but the glimpses

I have been given

the very thought

of your laugh at

something I've said

makes my soul warm

visions have returned

turning inward into

the halls of our heart

all the bones of our

first conversations

yeah they remain

but the evolution 

well it continues until...

Enough said of bread

there's bread

in the back yard

again

little fluttery flights

getting too caught up

in their bird brain

drama

it was just one

the one bird who

thought,

"I don't give a flock"

and took off with

the chunk of bread

for itself

it was chased down

over my back yard

where fear took

over flight 

and bombs away

another bread crust

bites the dust

 

Tricky kits

I leave these little

good luck charms

in the garden

on all fours

and intact

instead of on keychains

though the price

may be a cherry bush

decapitated tulip or

nibbled foliage throughout

I've found their

tricks are much better

than any breakfast cereal

When our eyes meet

sometimes the silence

sums it all up

sure the small talk chatter

is the energy of the stream

flowing over the rocks

so many noises to expel

into the otherwise void

the deep conversations

is the energy of the waves

that assuredly come

and go as aquatic cymbals

for the shore to strike

but stepping back from

these flows of emotions

inland and inward 

the silence awakens 

and settles between two

sets of eyes that need

nothing more to do

than to soak in the silence

 

Split dream soup

there was an overgrown

field where he stalked

he was always distant

and I knew I had to keep

him exactly in the distance

I couldn't let him closer

I couldn't let him get by

and my presence was enough

the dilapidated house

was good enough for

a meager existence that

was all that could be

afforded in the sunset

of the couple's lives

and somehow no roof

was good enough to

let the light shine in

if only for a few more

the overgrown field returned

and yes, off in the distance

beyond the goose which might

have been thinking the same

I just need to keep him away

and my presence is enough

Jumper cables

it was a simple moment

where the mis in misled

was more of a hit than a miss

and the motivation for us

was found in helping another

the universe asked not once

but twice for me to show up

I provided help not because

that's a Good Samaritan's duty

but because it was the whole point

sure my goal was something else

it was hopefully a meeting of us

but I followed regardless

and was there nonetheless

in the intention of connection

and that was fulfilled and I...

I was fully content in the lesson

 

Damn it

your voice I

heard clearly

your face I

saw clearly

your breath I

felt clearly

but in the dawn

your voice faded

your face vanished

your breath silenced

and clearly became

something to forget

House of extractions

I knew her once

and found her

in a secluded home

tucked in the rolling

hills of the plains

I knew what she was

and her kiss came

as a great surprise

I wondered how she

could overcome

her primal instinct

and resist the impulse

to bite instead

her guests were many

and just as she was

and vanity seemed

to be the only topic

of their conversations

I found myself somewhat

giving freely what they

wanted from me as they

took it from my neck

with a syringe again

and again in my agony

a clear liquid they extracted

in between my shrieks

but what else should 

I had expected in 

the company of vampires

 

North from Woodlawn

vulture circles emerge

and waltz across

the morning sky

they have waited

for the sun's glory

to have faded

from the clouds

these obsidian aviators

are methodical in

their morning maneuvers

more so than their smaller

cawing counterparts

who take more joy

in their chaotic spontaneity

Ten ten

will it be too cold

the first part of October

will the sun be out

or will the clouds

crowd the sky

will I still melt

when your hand

reaches my shoulder

in the cool Autumn air

will you still ask

what we've rehearsed

in endless winter nights

will the trees have held tight

to their falling glory

will you also hold me tight

oh these stupid questions

 

A mid-April night

my heart never

belonged to me

it was always

meant for you

my soul has

outpoured all

the beautiful words

that have been

said between us

in the silent moments

of the night

those words escape me

like sand falling

through my fingers

but I know I will

find them again

when I look

into your eyes

And then there are tools

so many distractions

these clowns that

wear masks

who truly are

the teachers you

search for

and they may show

you the way of

what to do

or the way of 

what not to do

either way they

are there to show

you the way

and whatever trinkets

they are selling

in the long run

you will find

they become the tools

you will need 

to learn that the only

tool you will ever need

is your own heart

 

Alarmed clock

there's something

to be said

about being roused

from sleep

at 6:30 am on a 

Sunday morning

from a voice

that simply says,

"Hey!"

it pulls you from

possibly touring

a collection of items

you may have

once possessed

in a former life

or wipes away

visions of your grandparents

who came back

after their funeral

because though that

may have been

a big event for them

that wasn't all there

was for them

they have more lessons

to teach you

but instead that voice

echoes through your

ears as you lay awake

suspended in not knowing 

who exactly just said,

"Hey!"

Hail to pay

pea-sized hail falls

sounds worse than it is

just like the silence

that echoes between us

sounds so much worse

than it actually is

it's not a test

that we can endure

it's not a punishment

no wrong has been done

just a shift in it all

in the connection

maybe even to bring

the inner out

to pull the moisture

out of the clouds

and shift the rain

to pea-sized hail

 

Smudge

it's the third day

and mid way through

whatever this spell

is supposed to

be for us

the sun blessed me

and I hope it

kissed you too

there was a moment

when the smoke

from the neighbor

burning trimmed branches

wafted heavily

in the feral winds 

this afternoon

in that moment it

felt like time was

being smudged

there was a clearing

of this silence

and I gazed hypnotically

at the sky while

caressing your ring

Into the dark

my feet fall on the sands

they have led me out here

into these endless dunes

after this recent shift has

shaken our world again

voices have fallen silent

lights have been blown out

and off into the dark we go

in the distance though beats

a drum in steady true rhythm

a drum beckoning through

the winds wailing over sand

it beats through the shadows

that surround us right now

it's the homing signal calling

out beyond the night of the soul

these sands will yield to these 

winds that will blow away

the beating drum will draw so

close it will plunge into our chest

but for now the path is desert

the company is biting winds

and the map is the beating

of each other's chest drum

 

Modern Greek prophecy

the raven carries

the tip of Eros' implement

in her shiny black talons

to the east she flies

carrying the promise

of reunion within her

imbued with the accuracy

of the Moirai's sight

the Great Lover's tool

pierces both hearts

when eyes cast their

visions on each other

among the splendor

of Gaia's joyous warmth

harmony and balance

find the Taurus twins

once again, once again

Dream houses

finding yourself on a road you once knew

but now your memories deceive your reality

or better yet your dreams

and dreams not of your choice

but those trips your subconscious

is in the driver's seat for

the dust was kicking up

in the rearview mirror

and the gravel road had

an upcoming sharp fork

a lover once known

threw the steering wheel left

and the pickup spun out

into a field of dried soybeans

a draw laid ahead in the road

where two remnants of grand houses

were barely hanging onto the world

found at the hearth just inside the door

was an uncle once despised but now pitied

this blowhard had now deflated

as had the life that surrounded him

no satisfaction was found in this

merely disconnection, so sublime

 

Wado

to the image that

reflects back to me

to the person I look

at in the soul mirror

to the one who sees

me when I see you

I am ever grateful

for your existence

you make me want

to be better than I am

you hold me in the cold

singular moments of life

you encourage me to

always keep reaching

for the stars high above

to appreciate the joy

in everyday routine

and to be proud of

what I have survived

I hold you sacred

in the depths of my soul

and share the beats 

of my heart with you

Invitation to an ancient god

the soil turned over

easily as the shovel 

blade ran through it

tiny roots were already

very impatient in the

early April morning

green necks of allium

both garlic and onion

were vibrant in the sun

spinach leaves from

last Fall's planting

showed resilience 

lines were drawn in

the turned wet earth

for the eager tiny roots

while one line filled

fully with onions the

garlic filled only half

bones of former trunks

of castor beans filled

the trellis for the vines

squirrels chased crows

from the bird bath but

nothing was achieved

a lonely dragonfly flew

past as a reminder of

a friend of a former time

the early green planting

was watered in for the

wet earth to wait for God

 

White butterfly visits

pieces of the sky

fell upon the grass

they stood up into

a pair of slight wings

fluttering away to the

place they were from

the sun reminded me

it was warm enough

for these little ones

to be out and about

but in the same time

solar rays caressed me

imposing clouds sailed

across the cobalt vault

clad in all the shades

from white to graphite

sporadic drops of rain

flicked my flesh as 

the cooling downdraft

invoked a blushing red

while the layers danced

high above my sight

my soul took flight to

join the primal forces

in their sudden horde

Drawing out

my apologies

for inevitably 

spoiling the surprise

but you should

know it is difficult

to keep things from 

my eyes

of course we had

agreed there are

to be no apologies

between us

after all we have

been through

in navigating this

hall of veils

but truly I am sorry

for choosing

to reach beyond 

one of these veils

though the image

does not come close

in holding the glory

of your presence

 

Embedded

sleep within me

lay your head

upon my heart

and rest yourself

within my soul

close your eyes

behind my own

to drift off into

the warmest dreams

from my mind

sleep inside me

curled up in my chest

let my pulse lure

you into slumber

and stillness

slow your heart to

count my breaths

listen to my voice

to trade your thoughts

for calming peace

lay your worries

at my my feet

climb inside me

to surrender and

find your release

Mmmmm

mmmmmight 

the cold wet

out in the night

be coaxing us

beneath blankets

mmmmmust

the clouded moon

cast such notions

of nocturne motions

across the bed

mmmmmeant

in this moment

between two souls

halves to be full

of each other

mmmmmore

calls out for more

in cold wet night

and clouded moon

stretched across the bed

 

Of the South Wind

relentless winds

of my arid homeland

wail as banshees

within my soul

the cusp of energy

is a dust storm

raging in my psyche

this torrent is clearing

a path before me

all the tangled briars

of long ago loves

the twisted vines

traumas have cultivated

the stone mountains

that have formed

from iced over oceans

of emotions never revisited

all these are being swept away

to leave a smooth path

of Zen attuned sand

in its wake

upon the sand Fate

writes the way

to you

Pep-deck talk

sometimes a heavy heart

must be thrown overboard

to keep from sinking the

vessel it floats upon

what is this anchor 

you've tied yourself to

at the bottom of the sea

in those dismal depths

you'll never reach where

you want to go if you

keep this weight of safety

around your anxious feet

the stuck is bad luck

you must let it go and

then you must let it flow 

row, row, row your heart

 

Under the April moon

a heart is given

a heart is taken away

a heart is misled

and then finds its way

through centaurs

and crabs nestled

in water urns bearing

the royal beast

the set of bullish twins

have finally been balanced

and march with

a parade of pachyderms

under the April moon

No longer waiting

 the question was 

“Are you waiting 

for someone?”

and the answer is

“Not any longer.”

for waiting only

lets life pass by 

and we both need

to live for this love

so we will live

with this love until

this love lifts our lives

 

Oeuvre

I want to draw you

out of shadow

every contour of your

face and figure

let it all lay on 

the page in front of me

let my pen dip

into a well of light

to illuminate your soul

and enlighten my eyes

to the radiance of your own

let the tip of my brush

trace the outline of your lips 

and pull the hues down 

your neck and chest

to where I can see

the pulse of your heart

beneath the stretched canvas

let me draw you

out of shadow

and into my arms

Sunday sun

my vision rests

in the bare arms

reaching out into

the blue of the sky

a phantom taps

on my right wrist

as I hold it behind

my reclined head

in the intensity of

passionate sunrays

my flesh whispers

prayers to summon

the slightest breeze

a sweet invocation

falling in the drips

of glistening sweat

to ask the cool to

dance with the heat

while March teeters

in April's advance

 

You're a vision

the pool I've looked

into so many times

before has never held

a reflection, the scrying

mirror has never held

a vision, the candle in

the night window never

has cast a sight, for

when I look out into

the dark to find you

your face is only found

by my fingers tracing

an image that isn't there

no matter what a seer

might send me, the

sight of you is not

kept within my eyes

that is reserved only 

for the most sacred

chambers of my heart

Twiggy palms

you were shown to me

as the shaman took

small twigs, placing them

in my right palm

he asked me if I

had ever taken shop class

I told him I hadn't and

he replied that I was

going to love seeing this then

he placed his middle finger

of his left hand upon 

the twigs, pressing them

against my heart line

the small twigs transfigured

into a metal ring and

within the center of 

the ring was a screen

upon the screen your

image appeared and you

introduced yourself

as if we were strangers

 

The rise

out in the gold soaked

horizon of the new day

where aviators draw

pristine white chalk

marks across the blue

bowl holding dark

drifts of floating waters

dreaming of dry land

out in this essence

of renewing light and

time and chances to

become more than

what was done or

said merely 24 hours

before this moment

of fire drenched hues

out among it all with

awakening birds that

have already taken to

the air to navigate their

way to where their

wills drive them home

out in all of this I set 

my thoughts of you

A sight for you

the underside 

of the wings

flashed metallic

with the sudden

flap in the raptor flight

my gaze upwards

met its gaze downwards

upon the avenue,

auto repair shop,

hospital and 

vacant lot where

the casino once stood

the show down below

better be worth

the circling flight

high above

as a passing convertible

might have been

the ticket

with the passenger

looking back

at the hospital

in an orange

and green wig

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