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